re: Mad Dog Russo's ESPN/NBA Rant - "The Blank has hit the fan"

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it's more filler

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but every network slows down during the summer

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networks that produce sit coms, dramas, etc. espn is about broadcasting talent or more specifically the lack of it.

not even necessarily a draw. in the 90s i don't think they had any one guy as the face of the network, but they had an embarrassment of riches talent wise. and this hire writers to be on TV started well before they were overpaying for broadcasting rights. but i do think you're on to something that it's so overboard now probably because they come cheap to alleviate the costs and now they're gone for the same reason.

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in the 90s i don't think they had any one guy as the face of the network, but they had an embarrassment of riches talent wise.

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But they were pretty much all on Sportscenter so that's just a deeper bench at 6 and 10 but doesn't do much for them most of the day.

Good programming doesn't mean shite without talent

I'm not saying they had it all figured out in the 90s but they had talent. I wanted to tune in to see them. Yeah they didn't have as much programming but now they have more (which is all the same debate concept) but they have people who put you to sleep

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Good programming doesn't mean shite without talent

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How many seasons have the Bachelor and Survivor on?

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I'm not saying they had it all figured out in the 90s but they had talent. I wanted to tune in to see them. Yeah they didn't have as much programming but now they have more (which is all the same debate concept) but they have people who put you to sleep

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They pay Stephen 3.5 mil just for half of his show. It wouldn't be cost effective to do that for multiple shows.

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How many seasons have the Bachelor and Survivor on?

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ABC and CBS don't build their entire slate of programming that way. ESPN doesn't do reality. You can't have 100% of non live sports programming feature people who have zero talent on air.

if you fill your air entirely with non tv people, you're going to bomb.

Sportscenter is an anchor position, is it not? Then why the frick do they have writers sitting in the anchor chair? Besides burdensome contracts they have a ratings problem. You can blame it on cord cutting and other factors but the bottom line is their programming sucks dick. I can go on YouTube and watch highlights. I can watch pointless debate segments on CNN. ESPN always had the one thing they did really well. Highlights with top notch professional announcing with humor and improvisation. It was a production. A one stop place for all the days sports news and highlights condensed into an hour. They don't have that anymore

They have a lot of shitty radio and tv filled with people who have no business in front of a microphone or being in front of a camera and before arriving to ESPN have no experience doing either. The only talent they probably have is SVP but they've buried him and either he has nothing interesting to say or he doesn't feel as though he has the freedom to be interesting

It's a ratings pit.

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Same thing with Francesa. Very little fluff and nonsense. They basically give their opinions and then take calls the rest of the show.

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Francesa literally breathed and texted Bill Simmons on air the other day. He was producing his own radio show. It was awful and hilarious at the same time. Dude is a washed up old bag that does terrible radio.

So not only does ESPN give massive exposure to the NBA via highlights and news, ESPN is now paying the NBA a ransom for the privilege? They didn't read The Art of the Deal is would seem.