Why ESPN isn't what it used to be: THEN vs. NOW

[TMC]

• Why ESPN isn't what it used to be: THEN vs. NOW

ESPN has been on the decline lately. This is evidenced through mass firings, declining subscriptions, shaky ratings, and just general criticism from the public. This video explores why this has been happening and theorizes whether or not they could make a recovery from it.

• The Decline of ESPN...What Happened?

• The Downfall of ESPN is Continuing to get Worse

• ESPN is Getting Desperate

• The Rise & Fall of ESPN

Lolcow (n) - A person or group of people laughed at for actions that they take, despite not trying to be funny. They may try to take themselves seriously, but they are often "milked" for laughs with or without their knowledge.

I never thought I'd see the day where I would be criticizing what was once a staple in my life, but it can no longer be avoided. ESPN has suffered near-crippling subscriber losses and has undergone several waves of layoffs in the past few years. With ESPN's incredible stubbornness and lack of vision for their network, it has, yes, become a lolcow.

How times have changed...

[TMC]

I watched ESPN for 24 hours! I talk about ESPN, Get Up, First Take, SportsCenter, The Pat McAfee Show, Stephen A. Smith, Shannon Sharpe, FS1, Skip Bayless, Colin Cowherd, Barstool Sports, Nick Wright, Disney, NFL, NBA and more.

[TMC]

ESPN, or the Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, launched in 1979, thanks to the visionary efforts of Bill Rasmussen, a former radio executive, his son Scott Rasmussen, and Ed Eagan. This groundbreaking idea stemmed from Bill's frustration with the limited sports coverage on television at the time.

In the late 1970s, sports broadcasting was dominated by ABC, CBS, and NBC, offering minimal sports coverage primarily restricted to weekends.

Bill Rasmussen dreamed of a 24-hour cable network dedicated solely to sports, something that did not exist at the time. Even the concept of something like this was faced with skepticism.

With a modest initial investment of $9,000 and headquarters in Bristol, Connecticut, ESPN was born. The network’s first broadcast featured a slow-pitch softball game, signaling the dawn of a new era in sports media.

[Hawkee]

When ESPN began life in 1979 it's mission was to give sports fans the dream of a 24/7 cable sports network and when it was launched that dream came true for many sports fans. And so with sports such as football tennis baseball basketball hockey track and field and boxing ESPN soon grew into a sensation. And in addition to sports fans learned about the latest happenings in sports when SportsCenter was launched in the 80's but when ESPN went downhill was when they added sports themed shows that didn't make sense and the oddest thing they added was exercise shows in the 80's but the sports game shows seemed to get huge ratings like Two-Minute Drill which was a game show created by the creators of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire and Stump The Schwab which was similar to The Chase and with sports oriented game shows they knew they could attract fans who liked sports trivia. But I think what caused ESPN to go downhill was when they added sports like The World's Strongest Man competition and their whole line of spinoff channels like ESPN2 ESPN News ESPN Classic and other things and also carrying NASCAR racing and Indy Car racing but watching a strongest man competition is probably something not everyone likes. But when they got weaker was when they decided to go into the restaurant business by launching the ESPN Club at Walt Disney World and ESPNZone which they thought would turn them into a Planet Hollywood like vibe. But the finished product turned out to be like a Chuck E. Cheese and Dave And Buster's and you can see why the ESPN restaurants were a failure. Because I think they wanted to make ESPN a huge name not just in TV but in merchandising. But when you get the general picture there really isn't any other cable sports network so ESPN really has nothing to worry about

[TMC]

The Incredibly SAD State of ESPN. Is ESPN failing sports fans?

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ESPN used to be the heartbeat of sports culture, and along the way they have had many ups and downs, from SportsCenter, to the iconic host in the '90s and 2000s, to the current state of the network. ESPN was one of the best things to happen to sports culture, but these days, it feels like the soul that made it special is long gone.

Timestamps

• 0:00 Intro
• 0:51 Early Stage Of ESPN
• 7:56 The Rise
• 15:23 The Downfall

[TMC]

• ESPN corrects framing on Bobby Jenks’ death in follow-up social media post
  
• ESPN faces backlash over framing of Bobby Jenks’ passing: ‘Have some respect!’
  
• ESPN in groveling U-turn over controversial Bobby Jenks death remarks – ‘it’s too late’
  
• ESPN Ripped For Post Reporting Death Of Former White Sox Closer Bobby Jenks
  
• ESPN post about Bobby Jenks’ death draws backlash: ‘Should be ashamed and embarrassed’
  
• ESPN draws backlash for social media post on World Series champ Bobby Jenks' death
  
• Shame on you, ESPN. Bobby Jenks was more than just "on the roster"
  
• Former Red Sox Standout Crushes ESPN Over Bobby Jenks Death Post: 'Do Some Research'
  
• Bobby Jenks' former teammate slams ESPN for poorly worded social media post
  
• MLB Fans Are Destroying ESPN For Their Post About Bobby Jenks’ Tragic Passing
  
• ESPN draws ire of 2004 Red Sox champion for post about Bobby Jenks’ death

[TMC]

On today's episode of The Right Time, Bomani Jones is joined by Howard Bryant of ESPN & Meadowlark Media to talk about issues within tennis and Major League Baseball. The show begins with Bo and Howard discussing why fame may be dependent on how old someone is and why the decline in SportsCenter means less knowledge across the board in sports. They move onto tennis and say why it's an American sport yet Americans aren't good at tennis and why you no longer need to win tournaments to achieve success in the sport. After the break, they dive into baseball's issues including why stars like Mike Trout aren't recognizable, how the MLB lost it's grasp on being the summer sport and would America even care if a historic record was about to be broken?

• 0:00 - Intro
• 6:15 - Has the level of fame for athletes changed over generations?
• 9:32 - Less SportsCenter on ESPN means less baseball knowledge for America
• 19:03 - If tennis is an American sport, why are we not good at it anymore?
• 26:02 - You no longer need to win tennis tournaments to be famous or rich
• 33:00 - Howard's story about seeing Mike Trout at a Nordstrom in Scottsdale
• 37:28 - MLB used to dominate the summer, now NFL mini-camp & NBA free agency does
• 50:01 - Would people care if the hitting streak record was being broken?

[TMC]

ESPN’s toady response to Pablo Torre’s Kawhi Leonard report is the latest proof they’ve abandoned their journalistic integrity.

ESPN has sold out — and their latest mouthpiecing on behalf of the NBA and multi-billionaire owner Steve Ballmer against Pablo Torre’s recent piece of extraordinary independent journalism is just the latest example of them showing their true colors.

And as sports fans, we’re all worse off. It’s about time we called out their BS, because they’ve sold their integrity and journalistic credibility for the sake of lucrative broadcasting deals, clickbait engagement, and corporate influence.

Recent examples:

— They cut a deal for the NFL to purchase 10% equity in their company, damaging their journalistic independence in favorite of rights deals and ill-gotten influence.

— They downsized their Enterprise/Investigative Unit, including firing reporters who were pivotal in uncovering the NFL CTE and NCAA money scandals.

— They backed out of a partnership with PBS Frontline to produce an NFL concussion documentary, reportedly as a result of capitulating to NFL pressure.

— They canceled Outside the Lines.

— They demoted E:60 from a weekly schedule to an “occasional” (irregular) special.

— Meanwhile, they hire clickbait artists for shout-y nonsense shows and fire more of their best journalists.

— Countless other examples, big and small.

[TMC]

• What are the biggest mistakes that ESPN made during the 1980s?
  
• What are the biggest mistakes that ESPN made during the 1990s?
  
• What are the biggest mistakes that ESPN made during the 2000s?
  
• What are the biggest mistakes that ESPN made during the 2010s?
  
• What are the biggest mistakes that ESPN made during the 2020s?

[TMC]

How did *Disney take over ESPN* and transform a scrappy startup into the most powerful force in sports media? This episode breaks down Disney’s decades-long rise inside **ESPN**, revealing how the company reshaped cable TV, sports broadcasting, and now the future of streaming.

• 0:00 – Introduction: ESPN as Disney’s Crown Jewel
• 1:07 – Disney, Hearst, and Cable TV: A Recap
• 1:51 – ESPN’s Origin Story: Bill Rasmussen and Early Challenges
• 2:46 – The First Sponsors and ESPN’s Launch
• 3:30 – SportsCenter and Early Success
• 4:07 – Key Sports Rights: NCAA Basketball, College Football, and the NFL
• 5:27 – ESPN’s Ownership Changes: ABC and Hearst
• 6:15 – Disney Enters: Michael Eisner, Cap Cities/ABC, and ESPN Acquisition
• 7:32 – Disney’s Sports Ambitions: Mighty Ducks, Angels, and ESPN Synergy
• 8:26 – ESPN’s Expansion into Disney’s Brand and Experiences
• 9:15 – Robin Roberts: From ESPN to Disney Legend
• 9:58 – ESPN’s Financial Powerhouse Status
• 10:40 – ESPN’s Influence on Culture and Sports Broadcasting
• 11:33 – Dominating Sports Rights: NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, and More
• 13:02 – The Cord-Cutting Era and ESPN’s Decline
• 13:54 – ESPN’s Streaming Evolution: ESPN+ and Standalone Service
• 14:46 – Game-Changing Rights Deals: NFL, WWE, NBA, and More
• 15:28 – The Future: Uncertainty, Spinoff Rumors, and Sports Betting
• 16:25 – ESPN as the Test for Disney’s TV Future
• 17:04 – Conclusion: Synergy, Legacy, and What’s Next for ESPN and Disney

For decades, *ESPN* wasn’t just another Disney asset — it was the engine powering the entire cable empire. In this episode, we break down the full story behind **how Disney took over ESPN**, starting with the network’s unlikely origins in a rented Connecticut office and ending with its role in Disney’s massive streaming future.

You’ll see how ESPN rose from a risky experiment to a cultural powerhouse thanks to early partners like Getty Oil and Anheuser-Busch, game-changing rights deals, and the launch of SportsCenter. Then we follow the money and the media politics as ABC buys in, Hearst joins the table, and Disney completes one of the biggest acquisitions in entertainment history — bringing ESPN fully into the Disney family.

But the story doesn’t stop there. Cord-cutting, subscriber losses, ESPN+, the new standalone ESPN streaming service, and the 2025 NFL deal have transformed ESPN yet again. Today, *Disney and ESPN* are navigating one of the most pivotal moments in sports media — a moment that could redefine the future of cable, streaming, and live entertainment.

If you want to understand how Disney built its sports empire — and where ESPN goes next — this is the one to watch.

[TMC]

The perception of ESPN is at an all-time low

Has the sports fan lost trust in the Worldwide Leader in sports?

[TMC]

[TMC]

ESPN went from a network that made sports feel electric to what fans consider the worst service. The awful decisions they’ve made as we’ll see in this video has turned even their most loyal fans against the company and it's easy to see why.

This is the rise and fall of ESPN.

[TMC]

Originally Posted by TMC

LANGUAGE WARNING

ESPN and YouTube TV went through a carriage dispute during the 2025 football season...which caused a two-week blackout for ESPN. ESPN and YouTube TV eventually came to an agreement...which reportedly cost ESPN $100 million in revenue. As a result...ESPN is once again going through another round of layoffs.

We discuss the latest round of layoffs at ESPN. We explain why ESPN had no leverage in their negotiations with YouTube...which led to the $100 million in lost revenue. We also discuss the possibility of Pat McAfee leaving ESPN...and question whether ESPN could find a replacement for Pat McAfee.