ESPN Profit Plummets As Network Turns Left

[Lawrence Wright]

Baseball is still the 2nd most popular sport..... they would benefit a lot from loosening up their social media platforms.... yes NBA wins the offseason but that has a negative effect to the regular season due to it not being as much fun to follow since teams are different every year and the champion is almost already predetermined.

Baseball is dying.

 

[volfanbill]

Baseball is dying.

16 years of record revenues

 

[Rasputin_Vol]

Baseball is dying.

16 years of record revenues

Young American kids don't play the sport as much as they did a generation ago. I realize that probably isn't saying much, sense most other sports are down as well, but baseball has the most significant drop off.

In 10-20 years, who will be the next baseball fans?

 

[volbeast33]

Baseball is dying.

How do? They are still the 2nd most popular sport including the 2nd most sold apparel compared to the other sports.

 

[volfanbill]

Young American kids don't play the sport as much as they did a generation ago. I realize that probably isn't saying much, sense most other sports are down as well, but baseball has the most significant drop off.

In 10-20 years, who will be the next baseball fans?

1. The dangers of football are causing the speed of its death to skyrocket

2. Your question is already 20 years old yet here we are

 

[volfanbill]

Regional baseball coverage ratings rose 18% in 2018.

Baseball participation was up 21% from 2014-2018 compared to previous years.

But continue believing false narratives. Baseball has been “dying” since the late 90s, but the NBA still hasn’t managed to overtake MLB .

 

[Burger]

Regional baseball coverage ratings rose 18% in 2018.

Baseball participation was up 21% from 2014-2018 compared to previous years.

But continue believing false narratives. Baseball has been “dying” since the late 90s, but the NBA still hasn’t managed to overtake MLB .

They probably only look at attendance numbers. Baseball almost did die after 1994 and right after the steroid era. I think the MLB will outlast the NFL.

 

[RDU VOL#14]

1. The dangers of football are causing the speed of its death to skyrocket

2. Your question is already 20 years old yet here we are

1.Too much money involved for people to let that happen.

2. Same comment will be applied to football . It’s a false narrative . Nobody is holding a gun to these kids head forcing them to play. The game is being safer by the day, which I for one dislike immensely because it is messing up the sport of football.

 

[TUSKtimes]

I'm not a big MLB fan overall but I follow the Yankees every game on the YES network. I don't see anything happening to this sport that isn't happening to the other sports gameday experience. So easy just to watch on our gigantic 4K HDTV. My TV isn't just a cool invention of the last technology, it's a space-age internet app explosion of the latest and greatest games, stats, and personal interaction entertainment available. Can't beat that with a stick. Even a Crimson one.

 

[05_never_again]

Baseball is dying.

The sport is bringing in more money and more profitable than it ever has been. Attendance is down, but that is an issue that affects all sports. As @TUSKtimes said they've made the experience of staying at home and watching on TV too good. The regional TV deals MLB teams have with the networks is a cash generation machine.

Baseball lacks what marketing people would call "buzz." It doesn't lead or drive sports talk discussions. Its star players are not widely known outside the sport and aren't pop culture icons. It isn't very popular on social media. Those are areas for improvement, but I think to say the sport is "dying" is hyperbolic.

Also, I think your viewpoint on the popularity of baseball is different depending on where you live. In the northeast, St Louis, Chicago, etc., the baseball teams that play there are followed with enthusiasm. The Red Sox, Yankees, Cardinals, Cubs, etc., do create buzz in those areas. In places like Florida, Texas, or other areas where another sport dominates (i.e., football), it is easier to think that the sport is in bad shape because it doesn't create buzz there. I live in Tennessee and it is tempting to think sometimes that nobody really watches the NBA because it isn't popular here, but clearly people do.

 

[volfanhill]

I'm not a big MLB fan overall but I follow the Yankees every game on the YES network. I don't see anything happening to this sport that isn't happening to the other sports gameday experience. So easy just to watch on our gigantic 4K HDTV. My TV isn't just a cool invention of the last technology, it's a space-age internet app explosion of the latest and greatest games, stats, and personal interaction entertainment available. Can't beat that with a stick. Even a Crimson one.

Are you a patriots fan too?

 

[TUSKtimes]

Are you a patriots fan too?

Do you mean the New England Hightowers?

 

[05_never_again]

Do you mean the New England Hightowers?

No, the New England Mayos.

 

[TUSKtimes]

No, the New England Mayos.

In that case, don't forget about the fighting Hog Hannahs.

 

[Lawrence Wright]

The sport is bringing in more money and more profitable than it ever has been. Attendance is down, but that is an issue that affects all sports. As @TUSKtimes said they've made the experience of staying at home and watching on TV too good. The regional TV deals MLB teams have with the networks is a cash generation machine.

Baseball lacks what marketing people would call "buzz." It doesn't lead or drive sports talk discussions. Its star players are not widely known outside the sport and aren't pop culture icons. It isn't very popular on social media. Those are areas for improvement, but I think to say the sport is "dying" is hyperbolic.

Also, I think your viewpoint on the popularity of baseball is different depending on where you live. In the northeast, St Louis, Chicago, etc., the baseball teams that play there are followed with enthusiasm. The Red Sox, Yankees, Cardinals, Cubs, etc., do create buzz in those areas. In places like Florida, Texas, or other areas where another sport dominates (i.e., football), it is easier to think that the sport is in bad shape because it doesn't create buzz there. I live in Tennessee and it is tempting to think sometimes that nobody really watches the NBA because it isn't popular here, but clearly people do.

Attendance is down. Post-season ratings are down. MLB marketing is a joke.

At a time when baseball is the only major sport being played, NBA free agency talk dominates the news cycle.

Baseball's profits are a function of TV deals and a 162-game regular season.

Owners don't care if the stands are empty. They're getting TV money and ad revenue multiplied by 81 home games.

Baseball's leadership doesn't care about the safety of fans who bother to show up.

Baseball doesn't care if anyone outside of Gainesville can identify Pete Alonso in public. Raise your hand if you knew who Pete Alonso was before last night?

Yes, my initial comment contained hyperbole, but to suggest all is well with baseball because owners are making money is laughable.

Baseball might not be dying financially, but compared to other sports it's becoming less relevant.

 

[TUSKtimes]

Attendance is down. Post-season ratings are down. MLB marketing is a joke.

At a time when baseball is the only major sport being played, NBA free agency talk dominates the news cycle.

Baseball's profits are a function of TV deals and a 162-game regular season. Owners don't care if the stands are empty. They're getting TV money and ad revenue multiplied by 81 home games.

Baseball's leadership doesn't care about the safety of fans who bother to show up.

Baseball doesn't care if anyone outside of Gainesville can identify Pete Alonso in public. Raise your hand if you knew who Pete Alonso was before last night?

Yes, my initial comment contained hyperbole, but to suggest all is well with baseball because owners are making money is laughable.

Baseball might not be dying financially, but compared to other sports it's becoming less relevant.

The thousands of empty seats on gameday in the NFL is alarming. I went to the 2nd home game for the Falcons in their brand new Bird's Nest. There were thousands of empty seats. As you mentioned TV revenue will always come to the rescue of these billionaire owners, but empty seats in all sports is an alarming trend.

College football is no exception. Florida and the rest of the SEC have been seeing their fans opting to not travel to away games. Last year South Carolina asked for a thousand fewer tickets than their allotment for their trip to Gainesville and still sent 2500 back. The SEC is averaging about 2500 fewer fans per home game just in the last year.

 

[bamawriter]

The thousands of empty seats on gameday in the NFL is alarming. I went to the 2nd home game for the Falcons in their brand new Bird's Nest. There were thousands of empty seats. As you mentioned TV revenue will always come to the rescue of these billionaire owners, but empty seats in all sports is an alarming trend.

While empty seats are certainly an issue for the NFL, outside of a few markets like Jacksonville, Oakland, and Buffalo, those seats are still sold. The same isn't true of the 2/3 of all seats that sit empty at every Rays game.

 

[volfanbill]

These problems exist across the board in all sports. Your point is weak.

And I knew Pete Alonso

 

[Remy]

Attendance is down. Post-season ratings are down. MLB marketing is a joke.

At a time when baseball is the only major sport being played, NBA free agency talk dominates the news cycle.

Baseball's profits are a function of TV deals and a 162-game regular season. Owners don't care if the stands are empty. They're getting TV money and ad revenue multiplied by 81 home games.

Baseball's leadership doesn't care about the safety of fans who bother to show up.

Baseball doesn't care if anyone outside of Gainesville can identify Pete Alonso in public. Raise your hand if you knew who Pete Alonso was before last night?

Yes, my initial comment contained hyperbole, but to suggest all is well with baseball because owners are making money is laughable.

Baseball might not be dying financially, but compared to other sports it's becoming less relevant.

Tried to get a ticket to a baseball game in Japan? Korea? How about the Caribbean? South America? Baseball is growing world wide, even gaining audiences in Europe. It ain't going away anytime soon. It's like sped up cricket, which is a monster sport on the globe, which is part of the draw in some places.

 

[Lawrence Wright]

These problems exist across the board in all sports. Your point is weak.

And I knew Pete Alonso

You're right...attendance is an issue across the board.

The safety problem is exclusive to baseball. Hockey figured it out but baseball can't.

The lack of off-season publicity is exclusive to baseball. There's virtually nothing to report about when the sport's best players are locked up for decade-long contracts.

World Series ratings were historically low last year. Post season ratings were also down.

The relative anonymity of MLB players to the casual sports fan...compared to the other Big 4 sports...is eclipsed only by hockey.

None of this can be disputed.

I give you credit for knowing who Pete Alonso is. Before last night, the casual sports fan didn't know who he was.

 

[Lawrence Wright]

The thousands of empty seats on gameday in the NFL is alarming. I went to the 2nd home game for the Falcons in their brand new Bird's Nest. There were thousands of empty seats. As you mentioned TV revenue will always come to the rescue of these billionaire owners, but empty seats in all sports is an alarming trend.

College football is no exception. Florida and the rest of the SEC have been seeing their fans opting to not travel to away games. Last year South Carolina asked for a thousand fewer tickets than their allotment for their trip to Gainesville and still sent 2500 back. The SEC is averaging about 2500 fewer fans per home game just in the last year.

Atlanta is the worst sports town in America not named Miami.

College football attendance is down, I certainly don't travel to road games like I used to.

But that 10K visitor allotment UF and UT fans used to gobble up in the 90s and early 00s eclipses the 7500 fans showing up to watch the Rays and Marlins any given night...unless the Yankees or Red Sox are in town.

Again, I don't dispute the fact that declining attendance is an issue is every major sport.

I think baseball is uniquely set up to withstand poor attendance without adversely affecting the bottom line, so empty seats aren't as big a deal.

You only get 6-7 home games in college football, 8 in the NFL.

 

[Lawrence Wright]

While empty seats are certainly an issue for the NFL, outside of a few markets like Jacksonville, Oakland, and Buffalo, those seats are still sold. The same isn't true of the 2/3 of all seats that sit empty at every Rays game.

Attendance at Marlins games is even worse.

 

[volfanbill]

You're right...attendance is an issue across the board.

The safety problem is exclusive to baseball. Hockey figured it out but baseball can't.

The lack of off-season publicity is exclusive to baseball. There's virtually nothing to report about when the sport's best players are locked up for decade-long contracts.

World Series ratings were historically low last year. Post season ratings were also down.

The relative anonymity of MLB players to the casual sports fan...compared to the other Big 4 sports...is eclipsed only by hockey.

None of this can be disputed.

I give you credit for knowing who Pete Alonso is. Before last night, the casual sports fan didn't know who he was.

Lack of offseason publicity? No offseason meetings get the coverage that the MLB Winter Meetings do. Bryce Harper and Manny's Free Agency decisions were national news weekly. You're looking at how massive this year's NBA Free Agency was and letting it clout your judgement. Most fans wouldn't recognize Anthony Davis or Kawhi on the streets. Russel Wilson and Todd Gurley can likely go anywhere they want. NBA ratings were historically low. 25% lower. But hey, keep making up dumb sh** because you don't like baseball.

 

[Lawrence Wright]

Lack of offseason publicity? No offseason meetings get the coverage that the MLB Winter Meetings do. Bryce Harper and Manny's Free Agency decisions were national news weekly. You're looking at how massive this year's NBA Free Agency was and letting it clout your judgement. Most fans wouldn't recognize Anthony Davis or Kawhi on the streets. Russel Wilson and Todd Gurley can likely go anywhere they want. NBA ratings were historically low. 25% lower. But hey, keep making up dumb sh** because you don't like baseball.

NBA free agency is over and they're STILL talking about it on ESPN and Fox. They were breaking down Vegas odds on NBA Finals favorites as of this morning.

There's no comparison on the amount of off-season coverage given to the NBA and NFL compared to MLB. It's no contest.

And you accuse me of making up dumb sh**?

Most fans wouldn't "recognize" a 7-foot guy with a unibrow or a 6-8 guy with hands big enough to palm a motorcycle tire. Yep, they'd just walk through the mall in Anytown USA and wouldn't catch a second glance from anyone.

 

[LouderVol]

Atlanta is the worst sports town in America not named Miami.

College football attendance is down, I certainly don't travel to road games like I used to.

But that 10K visitor allotment UF and UT fans used to gobble up in the 90s and early 00s eclipses the 7500 fans showing up to watch the Rays and Marlins any given night...unless the Yankees or Red Sox are in town.

Again, I don't dispute the fact that declining attendance is an issue is every major sport.

I think baseball is uniquely set up to withstand poor attendance without adversely affecting the bottom line, so empty seats aren't as big a deal.

You only get 6-7 home games in college football, 8 in the NFL.

Atlanta is number one in the MLS as far as fan attendance. 53k on an avg game. Puts them up with the small NFL teams. Puts them above any basketball attendance and at worst tied with the top MLB.

In fact looking at the numbers Atlanta is consistently pretty high except for bball

MLS: 48k 1st/23
MLB: 33k 12/30
NBA: 15k 27/30
NFL: 72k 9/32