The Death of ESPN

[Favre4Ever+ 4,476]

The biggest business story in American sports this fall isn't the declining NFL ratings or anything that's happening on the field, court, or ice, it's the collapse in ESPN subscribers, which reflect a larger trend in the collapse of cable subscribers in general.

Yesterday Nielsen announced its subscriber numbers for November 2016 and those numbers were the worst in the history of ESPN's existence as a cable company -- the worldwide leader in sports lost 621,000 cable subscribers. That's the most subscribers ESPN has ever lost in a month according to Nielsen estimates and it represents a terrifying and troubling trend for the company, an acceleration of subscriber loss that represents a doubling of the average losses over the past couple of years, when ESPN has been losing in the neighborhood of 300,000 subscribers a month.

These 621,000 lost subscribers in the past month alone lead to a drop in revenue of over $52 million and continue the alarming subscriber decline at ESPN.

 

http://www.outkickthecoverage.com/espn-loses-621-000-subscribers-worst-month-in-company-history-102916

 

Great article. Well written with lots of facts and analysis. I encourage you to read it if you have some time, but it is a little lengthy.

[BwareDWare94 723]

Sportscenter is iconic but ESPN became so much about the gimmick and not the substance that it's made it easy for people to look for their sports fix in other places.

[blotsfan 2,112]

ESPN's decline is less about ESPN and more about ditching cable. I hope this trend doesn't last, though I know it will. As much as people like streaming services, if we're in a world where the only ESPN content is a special streaming package, it means that it will probably cost something like $20 a month instead of the subsidized $10 it is now. To get all the sports will end up costing as much as a normal cable package, but we'd lose all the entertainment options.

[BJORN 679]

ESPN's decline is less about ESPN and more about ditching cable. I hope this trend doesn't last, though I know it will. As much as people like streaming services, if we're in a world where the only ESPN content is a special streaming package, it means that it will probably cost something like $20 a month instead of the subsidized $10 it is now. To get all the sports will end up costing as much as a normal cable package, but we'd lose all the entertainment options.

They'll find a way to subsidize us. No one is going to pay $20 for their streaming services. (Unless they up their offerings).

Edited October 30, 2016 by BJOSA

[Milla4Prez63 678]

ESPN is an awful company and deserves the incoming failure they are about to witness. Other companies getting sports networks up and poaching ESPN's employee roster is a huge part of it but I'm just glad there is some competition for sports news because ESPN's bullshit was old.

[blotsfan 2,112]

They'll find a way to subsidize us. No one is going to pay $20 for their streaming services. (Unless they up their offerings).

 

So you're saying if the only way to watch the numerous games on ESPN was to pay $20 a month, you wouldn't do it?

[ATL_Predator+ 1,196]

I don't watch anything on ESPN unless it's a sporting event for my team. ESPN employees in general are shallow worthless pieces of shit. Too many former players or people that just are in there to read script, not enough people that can you know...actually think for themselves and make the commentary on a game interesting rather than spitting out facts about how many dogs some athlete had in HS. Who gives a fuck.

 

Dissect the game, be wise about it.

 

I'd much rather watch NFL Network or FSN for sporting shows.

[BJORN 679]

 

So you're saying if the only way to watch the numerous games on ESPN was to pay $20 a month, you wouldn't do it?

I don't find myself catching many sports games on ESPN anymore, they get what? one NFL game? College football/basketball? I can rely on local channels to get my needs and stream games I have a interest in that they don't provide.

[Favre4Ever+ 4,476]

And per the article, they are unlikely to retain MNF beyond their current contract if these numbers continue. I like watching Mike and Mike, but I wouldn't die if I had to listen to their podcast or something. If they do let go of MNF or get outbid for it.... I wouldn't really need ESPN at all, especially at that price. If they start getting dropped from packages by cable companies... they may just fold all together because the subscriber base would then begin being lost at an exponential rate.

[56AceInDaPlace 110]

 

I'm on the first take set in Tampa.

 

This is my favorite show. It's lit here we all arguing before they get here lol.