ESPN

Rudy · April 21, 2004

Is ESPN really the leader in sports, or should that title be taken away? They have lost their focus on televising sporting events, which is what they were designed to do. Im watching TOR/OTT Game 7 right now, but what's on ESPN? Why, it's an old boxing match. I could be wrong, but isn't that what ESPN CLASSIC is for? There are plenty of other things they could be televising. Only 1 basketball game is on, and that's on TNT. There are a TON of baseball games being played. Im sure there are soccer games on, etc. But no, they have to play an old boxing match.

Last week, when the NHL playoffs first started, there were 2 or 3 games being played, and what did ESPN have on? ESPN had a POKER match on. Thats not even a sport!!!!. ESPN 2 had some program on the yankees, which could have been run during the day. So, out of 3 Stanley Cup Playoff games being played, the supposed "leader" in sports broadcasting with 2 stations, did not play a one of them. Thats Ridiculous!!! Even now as the game ends, they are going to Baseball Tonight, instead of actually showing a baseball game, or even an NBA playoff game.

I don't see how they can continue to call themselves the leader in sports. Too often they are running programs, televising billiards, poker, and bowling, none of which are sports. Im suprised they havn't been televising the World Series of Crochet.

I would love to see a new nationwide sports station begin to air on basic cable. Fox is local, so they don't count. Id like to see Westwood One, or better yet The Sporting News start to air a couple of all sports stations, call it The Sports Network, or something.

OK, Ill admit, I have a hidden agenda for this rant. Yes I think ESPN is slacking in thier sports coverage. However, I am incredibly dissappointed in thier NHL coverage this year. I am a huge hockey fan, so I find it a tragedy that this great sport does not get the coverage it should recieve. Even worse, this coverage cutback comes at the WORST possible time. The NHL is facing a possible work stoppage, they are the lowest paid athletes of the 4 major sports, they get the least coaverageas it is, they are the only sport whose majority of games are televised on cable while others (FB, BB, Baseball) recieve regular coverage on nation wide stations like FOX, CBS, NBC, and ABC,the list goes on. you can even tell that ESPN/ABC put more effort into the NBA advertising that NHL advertising. They need the coverage that a station like ESPN could offer, as well as the money from the TV contract. A new sports station could give ESPN a run, as well as make the product better. Just think, you come home from work, your team is off, no need to worry, you know that there is a game on.

Something to chew on.

Edited April 21, 2004 by Rudy

KPFC Sports Dept. · April 21, 2004

Have you seen NHL ratings? There's your reason why hockey games weren't primetime on the main station.

I love watching SportsCenter, Outside the Lines, and Baseball Tonight on ESPN, I'm not gonna hate at all.

Rudy · April 21, 2004

I know, but the supposed leader in sports should do what they can to help improve the NHL ratings.

Hey, I like SC, Baseball/Foorball Tonight, Outside the Lines, and PTI, but they need to work the schedule to play those when there is not a game to broadcast.

IE, play some game that starts at 6 or 6:30 and then after that. While the other station plays a baseball/basketball/nhl tonight from 5-7 or 7:30. They are only 30minutes to an hour to start with. Then play a game at 7 or 7:30, then play SC.

They can and should work a way to televise sporting events during primetime, on the bookends of those can be your Sports News shows, with your specialized programming, minor sports, and overseas sports during the day.