re: The KNOW YOUR PLACE Thread: Up Pg 12: Will Blackwell Knows His Place

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Its not like the analyst make more money if they pick big market teams.

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I disagree. Plenty of LSU fans don't watch ESPN because of the perceived "anti-LSU" bias, and it doesn't hurt ESPN much because the viewing market is several million people.

If ESPN were to disregard or disrespect USC football or UCLA basketball the way they allegedly do LSU, they would risk causing a similar outcome; i.e. Offending the fan base, the only difference being that those teams have many times the viewing market. It would be poor economics for them to play to the small market teams and alienate the big market teams.

Also keep in mind that ESPN caters to the 4 or 5 biggest markets in each sport. Total, across all sports they are "biased" toward dozens of teams, but in any one sport it is only towards a few, so if you look at it with narrow vision you see bias, but if you look at the big picture you realize they are doing what a good economist would advise them to do.. Target the biggest markets.

It sucks, but it is what it is. If you don't like it, there are plenty of other options. I personally read sports news, listen to SVP and Moscona, and go to the games.