Despite a sharp decline in viewership and a major round of layoffs, ESPN seems not to be getting the message.
ESPN Public Editor Jim Brady doubled down on the network’s intention to stay politically engaged, dismissing claims that the drift “too far to one side politically” is behind the layoffs of more than 100 reporters and on-air personalities on Wednesday.
“ESPN has made it clear: It’s not sticking to sports,” Brady wrote in an editorial earlier this month.
My latest column: Like it or not, ESPN is not sticking to sports: https://t.co/tZ7wleaW5b
— ESPN Public Editor (@ESPNPublicEd) April 13, 2017
“One thing is clear: Those of you who have not held your tongue about ESPN’s move away from an all-sports-all-the-time mantra also should not hold your breath waiting for a change,” he added.
@ESPNPublicEd My latest comment: Like it or not, This is why you’ll continue to lose viewers and have zero clout with carriers.https://t.co/zVEz7AMF9C
— BonkPolitics (@BonkPolitics) April 26, 2017
Brady took to Twitter on Wednesday to brush off criticism of ESPN’s mix of politics and sports as being the reason for its decline and the layoffs.
To those suggesting that ESPN’s layoffs today were all because of politics or not “sticking to sports,” I’m sorry, that’s just silly. (1/8)
— ESPN Public Editor (@ESPNPublicEd) April 26, 2017
Layoffs are almost all about the less favorable economics of an unbundled cable world. Articles laying this out aren’t hard to find. (2/8)
— ESPN Public Editor (@ESPNPublicEd) April 26, 2017
As my November column mentioned, I think the network has drifted too far to one side politically, and I think that’s a risky play. (3/8)
— ESPN Public Editor (@ESPNPublicEd) April 26, 2017
And there are surely people who have abandoned ESPN because of its politics, or because they don’t want culture coverage or whatever. (4/8)
— ESPN Public Editor (@ESPNPublicEd) April 26, 2017
Forget about “karma,” Brady argued. The exodus of ESPN subscribers and viewers is due to “economics, pure & simple.”
But just because some want this to be about the karma of ESPN’s political shift does not make it so. It’s economics, pure & simple. (5/8)
— ESPN Public Editor (@ESPNPublicEd) April 26, 2017
Newspaper economics didn’t collapse because they shifted politically. They collapsed because people stopped buying ads & classifieds. (6/8)
— ESPN Public Editor (@ESPNPublicEd) April 26, 2017
Like w/ ESPN, politics surely caused some to abandon papers, but to cite is as the key driver is more wishful thinking than reality. (7/8)
— ESPN Public Editor (@ESPNPublicEd) April 26, 2017
Finally, sincere best wishes to those who lost their jobs today. Whatever you think of ESPN, humanity should override pettiness today. (8/8)
— ESPN Public Editor (@ESPNPublicEd) April 26, 2017
And, BTW, I am not a full-time ESPN employee. I work from outside the organization as part of this role. I don’t speak for the company.
— ESPN Public Editor (@ESPNPublicEd) April 26, 2017
ESPN can continue to stand behind its economics argument but it will find the public begs to differ. Maybe when the network is ready to abandon its “like it or not” method of customer service, it will discover that insight in the real voices of viewers.
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Well okay. https://t.co/LvWnlI0Hau
— Stephen Miller (@redsteeze) April 26, 2017
@ESPNPublicEd Like it or not, your network is going to die because of this.
— Baba O’Riley (@fysbox) April 27, 2017
@ESPNPublicEd Then I’ll continue not to watch. Like it or not
— the fourth (@nabby60) April 27, 2017
@ESPNPublicEd That’s how you run a business! Lmfao
— Billy Bob (@bobby15248309) April 27, 2017
@ESPNPublicEd Like it or not you lost a customer.
— Meme?????Mufin (@meatmufin) April 27, 2017
@ESPNPublicEd When you admit you most often heard line from your fan base is “stick to sports” and your response is “no” your network is done. SMH
— Sidney Blair (@sidblair) April 26, 2017
@ESPNPublicEd Yes & I understand Econ enough to know less demand=less profit for firms. Sports network talking about politics=less demand. You do the math
— ↙️Mets Wins (@nyc_sportz) April 26, 2017
@ESPNPublicEd And they are paying a brutal price for the liberal nonsense, but keep your head in the sand and good riddance.
— Bowhunter (@jackclymer) April 26, 2017
@ESPNPublicEd The overt political shift is a factor in the economics of this. You can’t stick a thumb in the eye of half your viewers
— Aaron Henager (@AaronHenager1) April 27, 2017
@ESPNPublicEd @CariChampion You lost subscribers because the shows are so crazy liberal even I can’t stand them. Only MIKE &MIKE stays out of it.
— michelle (@BrazosM) April 26, 2017
@ESPNPublicEd lol. lets look at a comparison of who was let go and who is still there…..of course its politics
— MrsGunshowloophole (@yesisaidheslazy) April 26, 2017
@ESPNPublicEd Yeah. We abandoned you. We were under mistaken idea that @espn was SPORTS! Screw your politics.
— AJK Freeland (@AJKFreeland) April 27, 2017
@ESPNPublicEd Wow! The stupid is really strong with this one.
— NonPCconservative (@Kill_PC) April 27, 2017
@ESPNPublicEd Deny all you want, but you know it’s true. You’ve been shedding viewers for YEARS. It is undeniable. Stick. To. Sports. It’s not that hard.
— PRAISE KEK (@DrSnakepriest) April 27, 2017
(H/T: Twitchy)
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Originally from New York, Powers graduated from New York University and eventually made her way to sunny South Florida where she has been writing for the BizPacReview team since 2015.
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