The Rise and Fall of ESPN

[SUPERECWFAN1]

As a kid growing up in the late 1980s and 1990s , I would start to watch ESPN before school and work (as well as after school). I would flip it on the classic Sportscenter and watch Dan Patrick and Keith Olbermann. 2 of the coolest guys on the planet who had such a chemistry , they made talking about sports FUN.




Whenever people discuss talk ESPN anchors ...these 2 are HIGHLY discussed with Chris Berman , Stuart Scott and a few others then. Usually a lot of people would try to do what Olbermann did as he transitioned from sports anchor to serious TV personality who had shows on MSNBC and other networks.

ESPN was launched in 1979 cable wise. It was a 1st as sports now had a sports themed channel. At the start the company struggled to get programming and would lean on a unique bit of TV programming. But it built the audience of what ESPN would be in the 1980s.


- USFL Football.
- The NFL Draft (which has became its key event)
- AWA Pro Wrestling
- World Class Championship Wrestling
- Global Wrestling Federation


ESPN would slowly gain more legit sports programming and branch away from the pro wrestling. But then it really helped build the network. The same process was Turner's "TBS" that grew with pro wrestling then.

The 1990s is considered the glory years of ESPN. Where the show hit good with great anchors , expanding into Extreme Sports at times and locking down the NFL Sunday Night package. Plus baseball as well. ESPN was growing more.....and more. But then in 1990s events would happen.




The real dominos began to fall in the mid 1980s. ESPN was struggling to get sports programming and needed a main network for bidding rights. So the company was sold to ABC in 1984. A year later ABC was swallowed by Capitol Cities Communications in a buyout. Now ABC/ESPN were now under it for the next decade.

In 1996 ESPN would seal its end if its glory days as Walt Disney acquired Capitol Cities. Disney at this point would do the wrong things...they basically stuck themselves into running ABC and ESPN. In record time turning both (in ESPN's case it took 2 decades of crumbling) into f'n dust.


ESPN went from cool sports anchors like Olbermann and Patrick to hiring complete ego maniacs who would care more about the sounds of their own voice (Stephen A Smith). The network loaded up on these guys and would have shows geared around "shouting and arguing" sports points. They would hire one female anchor who has decided to bring up someone having a drunk driving case 13 years before he was set to interview for a NBA coaching job. (yes this idiot personally decided to drag someones character over a DUI he had 13 years ago)

The time passed as people started to drift away from a sports network. The internet made ESPN could have a secondary source for people and subscribers began falling. Walt Disney itself suffered cut backs over the years for a declining ESPN. With layoffs hitting at different points and many long time sports anchors being fired.


ESPN has now had Disney decide to cut costs further and a new wave of budget cuts. 3 big names were fired recently after years on the network...Max Kellerman , Jalen Rose and Keyshawn Johnson.




Its been a slow , long fall for ESPN and for us who grew up way back then....its kinda sad to watch the sports channel slowly crumble into dust.

[WestPhillyPunisher]

Yeah, the slide at ESPN has been huge and unmistakable. These days, the only time I tune in the network when there's actual games on, the rest of the time, I just can't be bothered. All the yammering heads wasting airtime are irritating on steroids, especially Stephen A. Smith, or, as I call him, Screamin' A. Smith who got his start here in Philly, but has since devolved into THE biggest asswipe, asshat and assclown in sports today. It's a damn shame how ESPN has just gone to hell, and those salad days you and I enjoyed will never return.

[thwhtGuardian]

I don't know, I still enjoy PTI and Around the Horn

[caj]

Since I got NFL Network, ii rarely ever watch ESPN unless I'm watching one of the Grand Slams in tennis or a college football game.

[hyped78]

Jeff Van Gundy being fired is a terrible move, IMO

[K7P5V]

I don't know, I still enjoy PTI and Around the Horn

All things considered, I did too. Along with Highly Questionable, before Le Batard left the show

[Jekyll]

My high school years, I enjoyed listening/watching Mike and Mike in the morning. I stuck with them even into adulthood listening to them before work.

[Kirby101]

All of Cable is losing viewership. And like WPP I almost only watch for a game, or if there is big sports news like a draft or big trade.
But a mea culpa, I listen to Sports Radio, mostly ESPN most days.