They do pay a premium for sports content - whether this is paying too much is the question, not the answer though. ESPN's goal has always been to televise live sports; in the begining, and for a long time, they could not get any, and then much, of the most wanted sports, and so had to show curiosity sports and rely on personalities talking about sports. As they got more cash from their cable squeeze play strategy, they have consistently invested that in licensing sports content, even when it meant outspending the big boys at the networks.
One exception to this was the Olympics; NBC was willing to overpay, ESPN was widely expected to, but did not. Their reasoning (I think) was that while the Olympics got NBC a lot of eyeballs (especially women) that might be lured to the network's other content, it really would not do that much to boost ESPN's regular ratings. After all, ESPN was no longer going to fill its slots with curling and badminton, they want as many hours as possible to be baseball, basketball, hockey, racing and, especially football. The viewers who tune in to watch gymnastics and figure skating are unlikely to funnel to Sunday Night Baseball. The problem is the licensing fees have gotten absurdly high, while ratings have leveled off if not dropped off. Also, ESPN already employs a lot of reserachers and writers who work on the internet - they want as much as possible to use their talent on both the web and television, and minimize spending for on air talent. Is this a good strategy? I honestly don't know; it is possible their way will lead to better profit down the road. But it is a disaster for what we might call sports journalism, and makes more and more of a lie of the so called Fire Wall between journalism and licensed sports marketing that has always been something of a joke anyway at ESPN. On Wed, Apr 26, 2017 at 7:29 PM Steve Timko <[email protected]> wrote: > When we posted a story in the first round of lay offs (last year?), one > article noted they paid way to much for programming. > > On Wed, Apr 26, 2017 at 6:20 PM, Kevin M. <[email protected]> > wrote: > >> Considering sports is one of the few things people still subscribe to >> cable to watch, and ESPN has license to broadcast damned near every major >> sport (and the spelling bee), it is tough to see how the network is losing >> money. I can only assume with the radio shows and magazine and websites and >> whatever else, they have overextended themselves. One article I read said >> the salaries of some on-air talent is too high, but in comparison to the >> cost of programming on other channels, that seems a relative term. >> >> >> On Wed, Apr 26, 2017 at 4:10 PM Steve Timko <[email protected]> wrote: >> >>> The bloodletting has begun, although I confess I recognize few names. >>> >>> http://www.sportingnews.com/other-sports/news/espn-layoffs-tv-radio-anchors-reporters-analysts-jounalists/1e1eof0b12l331b7pkw33i5wo0 >>> >>> On Sat, Apr 22, 2017 at 10:48 AM, Steve Timko <[email protected]> >>> wrote: >>> >>>> Wow, I don't think they have many places to cut. It's got to mean when >>>> they renegotiate salaries they are offering less money. >>>> >>>> http://www.sportingnews.com/other-sports/news/espn-layoffs-date-number-who-buyouts-disney-earnings-call/1hntjcw8ainzl1j5ith5wtkhph >>>> >>> >>> -- >>> -- >>> TV or Not TV .... The Smartest (TV) People! >>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >>> Groups "TV or Not TV" group. >>> To post to this group, send email to [email protected] >>> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >>> [email protected] >>> For more options, visit this group at >>> http://groups.google.com/group/tvornottv?hl=en >>> --- >>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >>> Groups "TVorNotTV" group. >>> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send >>> an email to [email protected]. >>> For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. >>> >> -- >> Kevin M. (RPCV) >> >> -- >> -- >> TV or Not TV .... 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