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ESPN
ESPN Would Like You To Spend An Afternoon With O.J. Simpson
Last October's O.J. Simpson verdict was not the watershed cultural moment everyone expected and actually most of America shrugged its shoulders after O.J. was finally found guilty of something — even if it wasn't the double murder he was accused of committing. O.J. will be sentenced this Friday in Las Vegas and ESPN will be covering it live on both ESPNNews and SportsCenter, just like a real live news channel would. Awful Announcing got the press release and by the looks of it, ESPN is very excited by the get: More » -
Media Meltdowns
The Curious Case of Fred Hickman
Most of you probably don't remember Fred Hickman's somewhat brief tenure as an ESPN anchor and talking head and most of you also were probably unaware that the man is no longer working for them. Hickman was signed on from the YES network in 2004 to a significant contract to come over to the WWL, due mostly to their obsession with hiring "names" away from other networks, preferably those that once worked at other large cable networks. (See: Storm, Hannah.) Like Storm, Hickman once worked at CNN/SI as a lead anchor during the 90s and even won a couple of Cable Ace Awards for his work. As ESPN does with all of its on-air talent who leave the network, there was no formal press release or anything about it. Hickman apparently left the station this past May. More » -
ESPN
Exploring the ESPN Business Model (Hint: It Involves Swimming In Piles of Cash)
By now everyone knows that ESPN paid $100 million more than Fox could afford for the rights to the BCS games beginning in 2009. Cementing, to a great degree, ESPN's status as a post-season college football monopoly (they now control 29 of the 34 bowl games). And we've also noted that this increasing power has come without a great deal of criticism. To a large degree because ESPN now employs most of the people who are talented enough to raise criticism against the network. But we've never really seen their power broken down in a cogent article examining their business model. Until now. Enter Richard Sandomir of the New York Times. Read on. Be scared sports fans, very scared. More » -
media
What Is ESPN Sports Passport, And Should I Be Afraid?
Surely you've noticed by now that alongside every recap on ESPN.com is an ad for ESPN Sports Passport. But what is this exciting service and how will it affect my daily life? Let's let the WWL itself explain:
WERE YOU THERE?
Did you attend this game? If so, start chronicling your sports memories today with ESPN's Sports Passport. Enter the games you attend, upload your photos and share your memories! Link. More » -
ESPN
Rick Telander Does Not Fear ESPN's Wrath -- But He Does Respect It
In a tough economic market, you'll find many sports writers scaling back on their criticism for the sake of job security. Trying to garner attention through traditional shit-stirring isn't the best way to keep your self afloat right now — piss off the wrong source or anger enough readers and you may find yourself expendable. Chicago Sun-Times columnist and Mariotti-foil Rick Telander penned a column today about the WWL's acquisition of the BCS bowl games, but then veered into a somewhat dangerous territory of half-heartedly criticizing ESPN's steamrolling empire. He suggests the corporation has its tentacles around so many sportswriter's necks that there isn't anyone left to bitch about them besides the person they pay to do it, staff ombudsman Leanne Schreiber. Oh, and, so he says, "renegade bloggers", of course. Telander also mentions that he's worked for ESPN in the past and still pops up on "Rome Is Burning" every once in a while. So he doesn't exactly go after the network with knives out. No, instead he goes to the best source for truth (and bowel movement Facebook updates), Jason Whitlock: More » -
college basketball
Tyler Hansbrough Welcomes You To The All-Day College Basketball Brain Smasher
It's a bit late, but college basketball is finally getting the all-inclusive nationwide blowout spectacular that the opening of a season deserves. ESPN is currently in the midst of a 23-hour amateur hoops marathon, complete with nine games, a big recruiting announcement and more Andy Katz spots on SportsCenter than the FDA normally allows. But the crown jewel awaiting at the finish is the primetime Kentucky-North Carolina tilt this evening. That matchup sounds awesome, but is slightly diminished by the fact that Tyler Hansbrough, the pretty boy to the left, is simply not tough enough and Kentucky just stinks. More » -
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College Football
ESPN Extends BCS Nightmare By Ponying Up More Cash Than Fox
Since 2007 Fox has broadcast the BCS Games. Sure, this was a little awkward because Fox didn't carry college football on the network during the regular season, but it worked. Kind of. Now, ESPN has done what ESPN usually does — gone and outbid the competition for the rights. (Doesn't it kind of make you wonder why ESPN didn't buy them initially?) Fox paid $320 million to broadcast the games from 2007-2010. ESPN is prepared to pay more. And now, like all bidding wars, the two parties are sniping back and forth at one another. More » -
Media Meltdowns
Ad Agency Behind Controversial ESPN Spot Speaks: "It Wasn't Meant to Offend Anyone"
Many of you saw Awful Announcing's fascinating post about the leaked casting call item for an upcoming ESPN commercial. The concept seemed innocent enough: "The spots take place in the ESPN College Basketball Call Center (CBBCC). All of these guys are there representing their schools, calling people on the phone to get them to watch more College Basketball. Basically they are selling college basketball." More » -
media
It'll Be Our Merriest Christmas Ever
Just imagine their delight when the kids troop down on Christmas morning and find one of these babies under the tree. It will be hard for little Trevor to contain his joy. It's the ESPN broadcast microphone, advertised as the "perfect gift for the aspiring broadcaster. Now you can call the plays!" Comes with Berman combover wig and lifetime supply of schoolyard beatings. More » -
world series of poker
ESPN Creates Poker Drama, Then Spoils It For Everyone
ESPN has spent months building up to tonight's broadcast of the final table of the World Series of Poker. They even convinced organizers to take an unprecedented 117-day break before settling the final table so that they could broadcast a "plausibly live" show tonight, just hours after the champion was decided. It was an incredible effort to turn an extremely tedious and dull spectator sport into a dramatic TV event—until Josh Elliott gave away the whole thing on SportsCenter this morning. More »
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