To serve sports fans. Anytime. Anywhere. - ESPN Mission StatementThat's been ESPN's mission statement from the very founding of the company. But in recent years the company has moved away from this basic, straight-forward objective and the company and bottom line has suffered for this lack of focus on sports.
Hollywood star has a new movie coming out? Let's have him/her do the Bristol "carwash" and appear on every show to promote the movie. How does that "serve sports fans"? It doesn't. Insert certain "approved" political leanings and beliefs into the sanctum of sports? Sure as long as it's the correct political beliefs. How does that "serve sports fans"? It doesn't. You could go on and on about programming on the various channels that no longer serves sports fans.
Simply put ESPN has lost its way and is no longer serving sports fans anytime anywhere. And it's very continued existence is in jeopardy because of this lack of focus on what should have been a simple mission statement.
Another round of layoffs is imminent at ESPN. And nobody is surprised. ESPN losing 15,000 subscribers A DAY. Nobody is surprised.
As that last article mentions ESPN is even at the point of potentially no longer being able to afford the NFL rights for Monday Night Football.
Disney acquired ESPN because it was a moneymaker. Was. As in past tense.
Now that ESPN is a drag on the bottom line - would anyone be surprised if the suits at Disney sell off the property to an Amazon, Google, Facebook or Apple? I wouldn't be surprised. In fact I expect them to make that very move in the next couple of years.
The mission statement was six simple words. And the company couldn't stick to six simple words. They lost their way. And because of that they started losing viewers, losing money and losing value.
And its probably too late to get back on the original path.
Curt Schilling could not be reached for comment.
ReplyDeleteNow that was funny in a sad sort of way.
DeleteTry and get a basic TV package, cable or streaming, without ESPN. I cannot and because of where I live and an antenna is not an option.
ReplyDeleteDoug I hear you. Even supposedly "a la carte" Sling TV still includes 3 ESPN channels in their basic $20 offering which could be $15 or less if not included but no way ESPN or Disney allows that. That's part of their basic rights agreement that the Disney Channel and ESPN have to be part of any basic package offering.
ReplyDelete