ESPN An Inviting Target For Critics from Other Nets, Leagues
ESPN, as the "biggest kid on the sports media block, is attracting more criticism these days than it ever has in its 28-year history," according to a cover story in this week's SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL by John Ourand, who writes under the header, "Taking Aim At Bristol." Rival nets are "tweaked by the size, scope and perceived arrogance" of ESPN. Sports leagues also are "critical of ESPN, complaining that ESPN’s vaunted marketing machine does a better job of promoting ESPN rather than its sports." Leagues also "still are irked by ESPN's news division, which often presents unflattering stories about various properties." Ourand notes ESPN execs are "trying to figure out how to operate as the big, established company, rather than the up-and-comer." ESPN Exec VP/Content John Skipper: "We have become successful by following an astoundingly [simple] principle: serve fans. Criticism is one of the prices you pay for success at this level" (SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, 3/17 issue). SBJ's cover story has been the topic of discussion from a number of bloggers and sports media writers. To read a sample of their responses, see today's Blog Hound (THE DAILY).
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Ombudsman Lauds ESPN For Recent
"Crisp, Clean" Episodes Of "SportsCenter" |
OMBUDSMAN: In her latest contribution as ESPN Ombudsman, Le Anne Schreiber reviewed "SportsCenter" and wrote the show has "changed," as recent episodes were "crisp, clean hours dominated by highlights and news with remarkably few gimmicks, sponsored segments, cross-promotions or padding of any kind." Schreiber noted "prominent credit was given to other news sources for breaking stories when appropriate," and "most surprisingly, there were almost no opinion segments, even after news updates on the kind of off-the-field scandals that normally become occasions for commentator overkill." Analyst segments were "few and short, ... rather than a whole crew of studio analysts repeating each other for several minutes." The time saved "went to more highlights of more teams and more sports, including hockey and NASCAR, as well as to more interviews and reporting." Schreiber wrote, compared to her first months as ESPN Ombudsman in '07, these "SportsCenters" seemed "too good to be true." But Schreiber also noted she still recognizes "what drives viewers crazy." Schreiber: "I too groaned at the overplay of Yankees owner Hank Steinbrenner's disparaging comments about 'Red Sox Nation,'" and she also was "appalled at the shameless cross-promotion that is ESPN The Weekend." Schreiber added, "I don't understand how a sponsored segment called Coors Light Cold Hard Facts can feature anchors asking analysts to be fortune tellers on such questions as, "Are you convinced Brett Favre will stay retired?'' (ESPN.com, 3/17).
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