ESPN ends grantland

by **InTenSity** 10/30/2015, 3:20 pm

Is ESPN gonna fold?

by Guest 10/30/2015, 3:26 pm

InTenSity wrote:Is ESPN gonna fold?

Not right away but they're paying the price for spending like drunken sailors because they thought the gravy train had no end.

Overpaid enormously for all kinds of sports rights - basically bidding against themselves for the NFL and NBA.

Based their income models on getting $5-6 per subscriber per month from cable and satellite companies. With people
cutting the cord and those companies now offering ESPN free deals the income from that has peaked and is trending down.

The B1GTen better be damned careful they don't work themselves into the same corner, the TV income is going to level off and perhaps decrease. The age of neverending increases is probably over.

by Guest 10/30/2015, 3:29 pm

Story from back in July about "peak" ESPN.

Have We Reached Peak ESPN?

There are better and more in depth stories out there on the same subject.

by **Floyd Robertson** 10/30/2015, 3:31 pm

Is ESPN the Mag still a thing? Grantland was >>>>> the Mag, but I guess the Mag at least sold some ad space.

by CheesySpartan 10/30/2015, 3:34 pm

LooseGoose wrote:Story from back in July about "peak" ESPN.

Have We Reached Peak ESPN?

There are better and more in depth stories out there on the same subject.

Well go out and find me those articles as well! Dammit! Do I have to do everything around here!!! ESPN ends grantland 2599972566

by **Other Teams Pursuing That** 10/30/2015, 3:35 pm

CheesySpartan wrote:
LooseGoose wrote:Story from back in July about "peak" ESPN.

Have We Reached Peak ESPN?

There are better and more in depth stories out there on the same subject.

Well go out and find me those articles as well! Dammit! Do I have to do everything around here!!!

by **Blanch32** 10/30/2015, 4:04 pm

Poor Jalen. What's he gonna do now?

by **Turtleneck** 10/30/2015, 4:18 pm

Blanch32 wrote:Poor Jalen. What's he gonna do now?

[quote="Blanch32"]

Like Chris Webber, he will likely become an English professor specializing in fiction.

by Guest 10/30/2015, 4:34 pm

CheesySpartan wrote:
LooseGoose wrote:Story from back in July about "peak" ESPN.

Have We Reached Peak ESPN?

There are better and more in depth stories out there on the same subject.

Well go out and find me those articles as well! Dammit! Do I have to do everything around here!!!

As you wish.

This is the one I just read a couple days ago....pretty complete.

ESPN made 2 critical mistakes, and now it's paying the price

Last week, ESPN cut 300 employees.
Layoffs are always hard, but these seemed to be particularly painful for people at the company.

Charley Steiner, a former ESPN employee, said on Facebook: "This week, many of the men and women who provided the foundation, balance, direction and creativity to this iconic franchise were called into someone's office and occupationally and emotionally executed."

He said ESPN's cuts were "Not just fat. Not just muscle, but down to the bone."

Why did ESPN, still richly profitable, feel compelled to cut so many people?

John Ourand at Sports Business Journal has the best explanation.

He says it comes to down two big problems for ESPN.

ESPN is losing subscribers.

ESPN is paying an obscene amount of money for sports.

ESPN is losing subscribers because of a critical mistake it made in 2012 when it was negotiating carriage deals with cable companies like Comcast, Cablevision, and Cox.

by **InTenSity** 10/30/2015, 4:36 pm

That description of the firings sounds like what my company just did. They've made a pretty big blunder in one area, that I think ultimately will come back to do more harm than it did good. Basically they've crippled AP.

by **Turtleneck** 10/30/2015, 4:53 pm

InTenSity wrote:That description of the firings sounds like what my company just did. They've made a pretty big blunder in one area, that I think ultimately will come back to do more harm than it did good. Basically they've crippled AP.

WTF did they do to Adreian Payne?

by **tig ol bitties** 10/30/2015, 5:15 pm

"While Grantland writers are on contract, editors are at-will. The four editors’ exits were coordinated, and Simmons, according to this source, told the editors who jumped ship with him that a condition of their employment was that they couldn’t warn anyone at ESPN they were leaving, in order to hit the site as hard as possible.

“He put his beef with Skipper above the jobs of dozens of people,” one Grantland staffer said."

kinda entertaining watching espn vs simmons in a public pissing match.

by **Turtleneck** 10/30/2015, 5:24 pm

Is Simmons the guy with the radio show in GR?

by **Other Teams Pursuing That** 10/30/2015, 5:45 pm

Turtleneck wrote:Is Simmons the guy with the radio show in GR?

Lol, no. But I think you knew that.

by **Turtleneck** 10/30/2015, 5:52 pm

Other Teams Pursuing That wrote:
Turtleneck wrote:Is Simmons the guy with the radio show in GR?

Lol, no. But I think you knew that.

Don't tell me what I know.

ESPN ends grantland Tumblr_mplmbwZuvm1rbyttso1_500

Since GR came up, I would like to say that Detroit is way better.

by **steveschneider** 10/30/2015, 7:35 pm

Please fire Desmond Howard.

by **GRR Spartan** 10/30/2015, 9:49 pm

InTenSity wrote:Is ESPN gonna fold?

ESPN has to pull the load for Disney so when Disney properties have a bad quarters the pain is felt by everyone.

The ESPN brain trust also underestimated how little Gen Xer's care about sports. They bought NFL and NBA rights along with the broadcast rights to a boatload of college bowl games and the NCAA playoffs. Now they've got big bills and a shrinking subscription base as 100's cut the cable cord every day. Turns out the smartest guys in the room aren't so smart.

by **y2kMgrad** 10/30/2015, 9:58 pm

Am I the only person who has no idea what Grantland is?

by **WhiteBoyHatcher** 10/30/2015, 10:21 pm

I know what it is but I doubt I've read more than a handful of pieces there.

Also, yes ESPN tMag is still a thing. I get it for some reason I'm entirely unsure of. It collects dust until the wife puts in in the recycle bin unless I'm traveling for work. I will bring it and read it on the plan in that case.

by **Floyd Robertson** 10/31/2015, 4:14 am

WhiteBoyHatcher wrote:I know what it is but I doubt I've read more than a handful of pieces there.

Also, yes ESPN tMag is still a thing. I get it for some reason I'm entirely unsure of. It collects dust until the wife puts in in the recycle bin unless I'm traveling for work. I will bring it and read it on the plan in that case.

I had a subscription to the tMag for a number of years. I had to buy something from those school fundraisers my kids were always having. There were usually some good articles, but I imagine it would be low hanging fruit for a company looking to cut costs.

by **Watch Out Pylon!** 10/31/2015, 6:46 pm

I read a lot of articles from Grantland. Andy Greenwald was a good writer, focusing on movie/tv reviews.

I would rather see them shut down the abomination that is the ESPN site.

by **steveschneider** 10/31/2015, 7:09 pm

Watch Out Pylon! wrote:I read a lot of articles from Grantland. Andy Greenwald was a good writer, focusing on movie/tv reviews.

I would rather see them shut down the abomination that is the ESPN site.

Jonah Kerri was amazing, couldn't agree with you more. ESPN is a joke.

by Jethro Bodeen 11/2/2015, 9:44 pm

ESPN's indulgence is exemplified by the moronic product of Jalen Rose and stupid contributions by Desmond Howard and yes,Jamil Hill. And there is lots of white stupidity, in fact infinitely more because its the white liberal idiots that put those fools on ESPN in the first place.

by **Other Teams Pursuing That** 11/2/2015, 9:46 pm

Jethro Bodeen wrote:ESPN's indulgence is exemplified by the moronic product of Jalen Rose and stupid contributions by Desmond Howard and yes,Jamil Hill. And there is lots of white stupidity, in fact infinitely more because its the white liberal idiots that put those fools on ESPN in the first place.

You forgot to sign in as the dude

by Herbie Green 11/2/2015, 10:34 pm

y2kMgrad wrote:Am I the only person who has no idea what Grantland is?

No. I think it is some tv show I have watched for a total of five minutes with some fan boy talking with a lyspe and some obscure Internet articles about the NBA.

by Guest 11/29/2016, 2:27 pm

InTenSity wrote:Is ESPN gonna fold?

Sounds possible.

ESPN Loses Another 555,000 Subscribers Per Nielsen

by **Rocinante** 11/29/2016, 2:30 pm

Gotta have my Le Batard.

by **Floyd Robertson** 11/29/2016, 3:42 pm

Watch Out Pylon! wrote:I read a lot of articles from Grantland. Andy Greenwald was a good writer, focusing on movie/tv reviews.

I would rather see them shut down the abomination that is the ESPN site.

Holly Anderson was pretty good, too. She's a hoot on Twitter.

by **Watch Out Pylon!** 11/29/2016, 3:51 pm

Has Simmons show on HBO gotten any better? Any Given Wednesday I think it's called. I watched a couple of episodes and his interviewing style kind of sucks for tv. Maybe it's gotten better.

by **pulling69** 11/29/2016, 3:55 pm

Watch Out Pylon! wrote:Has Simmons show on HBO gotten any better? Any Given Wednesday I think it's called. I watched a couple of episodes and his interviewing style kind of sucks for tv. Maybe it's gotten better.

It got cancelled.

by **Watch Out Pylon!** 11/29/2016, 3:57 pm

pulling69 wrote:
Watch Out Pylon! wrote:Has Simmons show on HBO gotten any better? Any Given Wednesday I think it's called. I watched a couple of episodes and his interviewing style kind of sucks for tv. Maybe it's gotten better.

It got cancelled.

Lol. Not surprised. He's needs to get to podcastin'.

by **Cameron** 11/29/2016, 9:14 pm

The Ringer isn't as good as Grantland was. I know it's not trying to be the exact same thing, but I liked the other thing better.

I love Simmons, but he needs to stay the fuck off of TV, it's not working out for him. Stick to podcasting, and get back to writing. Two columns a year isn't cutting it. I became a Simmons fan because of his columns, and I have always enjoyed the podcast. The columns and podcast are how he built his fan base, I think he needs to get back to doing what he does best.

by Guest 11/29/2016, 9:17 pm

Cameron wrote:The Ringer isn't as good as Grantland was. I know it's not trying to be the exact same thing, but I liked the other thing better.

I love Simmons, but he needs to stay the fuck off of TV, it's not working out for him. Stick to podcasting, and get back to writing. Two columns a year isn't cutting it. I became a Simmons fan because of his columns, and I have always enjoyed the podcast. The columns and podcast are how he built his fan base, I think he needs to get back to doing what he does best.

I agree, the Ringer has been a huge disappointment so far..

by **SeeRockCity** 11/29/2016, 9:19 pm

I miss Tig

by Clarett's Folly 11/29/2016, 9:19 pm

pulling69 wrote:
Watch Out Pylon! wrote:Has Simmons show on HBO gotten any better? Any Given Wednesday I think it's called. I watched a couple of episodes and his interviewing style kind of sucks for tv. Maybe it's gotten better.

It got cancelled.

I'm not surprised. Tuned in once, turned it off halfway through.

by **Blanch32** 11/29/2016, 9:21 pm

Cameron wrote:The Ringer isn't as good as Grantland was. I know it's not trying to be the exact same thing, but I liked the other thing better.

I love Simmons, but he needs to stay the fuck off of TV, it's not working out for him. Stick to podcasting, and get back to writing. Two columns a year isn't cutting it. I became a Simmons fan because of his columns, and I have always enjoyed the podcast. The columns and podcast are how he built his fan base, I think he needs to get back to doing what he does best.

not all writers are speakers and not all writers are speakers

by **Cameron** 11/29/2016, 9:25 pm

Blanch32 wrote:
Cameron wrote:The Ringer isn't as good as Grantland was. I know it's not trying to be the exact same thing, but I liked the other thing better.

I love Simmons, but he needs to stay the fuck off of TV, it's not working out for him. Stick to podcasting, and get back to writing. Two columns a year isn't cutting it. I became a Simmons fan because of his columns, and I have always enjoyed the podcast. The columns and podcast are how he built his fan base, I think he needs to get back to doing what he does best.

not all writers are speakers and not all writers are speakers

And not all posters are thinkers and not all posters are thinkers.

by **tGreenWay** 11/30/2016, 1:30 am

Blanch32 wrote:
Cameron wrote:The Ringer isn't as good as Grantland was. I know it's not trying to be the exact same thing, but I liked the other thing better.

I love Simmons, but he needs to stay the fuck off of TV, it's not working out for him. Stick to podcasting, and get back to writing. Two columns a year isn't cutting it. I became a Simmons fan because of his columns, and I have always enjoyed the podcast. The columns and podcast are how he built his fan base, I think he needs to get back to doing what he does best.

not all writers are speakers and not all writers are speakers

That's gold.

by **Watch Out Pylon!** 11/30/2016, 8:00 am

Blanch32 wrote:
Cameron wrote:The Ringer isn't as good as Grantland was. I know it's not trying to be the exact same thing, but I liked the other thing better.

I love Simmons, but he needs to stay the fuck off of TV, it's not working out for him. Stick to podcasting, and get back to writing. Two columns a year isn't cutting it. I became a Simmons fan because of his columns, and I have always enjoyed the podcast. The columns and podcast are how he built his fan base, I think he needs to get back to doing what he does best.

not all writers are speakers and not all writers are speakers

You should take this to your dead premium board, Nigel Jr.

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