Guys, I am tired of ESPN. I started visiting cbssports.com. Even downloaded their app. ESPN web and mobile functionality is definitely more refined.....but screw them. They're not getting my clicks or ratings unless I am absolutely forced to. When I find myself navigating to their site I immediately re-route to cbs which....I am okay with, knowing that someone will notice my movements.
Do you have any other recommendations for decent sports coverage? I recommend you find an acceptable alternative and force yourself to break the ESPN habit. Only when we hit them in the pocketbook will things start to change around that organization.
Cheers.
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Ironically CBS has been carrying SEC game every Saturday since forever, yet their noses still aren't as far up the SEC's butt as ESPNs'.
If you're looking for a mobile app, try The Score. Works a lot better and does more than ESPN Scorecenter
True that. The Score is a lot better quicker than the new SportsCenter one or whatever they call it now. Also Bleacher Report's app is really reliable. For quick, updated and smooth flow, go with the Score. But for news and updates on your favorite teams, Bleacher Report is worth your while. I know some folks on here dislike BR for a few reasons, but it's usually very dependable in my opinion. If anything, they send you too much info at times.
Bleacher Reports articles are terrible because it's basically Buzzfeed for sports with all the click bait articles and how most of their "journalists" are just any hack with a computer wanting a few extra bucks. However, their app is amazing for getting trending information on a team, conference, sport, etc.
As mentioned above, I use The Score to give me updates on games going on. For commentary, I've taken a liking to SB Nation. They have compelling long form pieces, solid coverage of lots of different sports, and most of all, the EDSBS guys. I find the website palatable, which is a far cry from the ad-ridden mess that is ESPN.com.
I've been a big fan of SB Nation for a long time. I'd say 75% of their content is awesome. Unfortunately the VT blog fell to the other side once furrer4heisman left, but their Caps, Nats, Bullets and general sports stuff is all excellent for me.
I like fox sports but that's because its my only other option on television
This. I didn't see the Fox Sports app for Amazon Fire TV when I looked for it, but I seem to recall that CBS was moving in the direction of broadcasting live events over their app sometime soon (can't find source, sorry).
Once Fox starts streaming the Big 12 and the PAC 12, CBS starts broadcasting over their app, and Notre Dame joins the ACC and gets a contract with NBC, then the reliance on ESPN can dwindle.
But until then, I can be as tired of ESPN as I want and still be forced to consume college football over their network(s).
Horse, I have no other comment to post this gif, but it is too awesome not to post today.
There is never a reason to not post this gif.
You're doing the lords work. For that you shall receive legs.
In my opinion, even with their flaws, nobody covers sports as good as ESPN on tv but online content drives me nuts. The sec bias stuff is overblown. Anybody running a successful sports coverage company would be stupid if they didn't cater to the passion of the SEC. There us also an obvious east coast bias in all tv coverage. Nascar has a southern bias. Hockey has a northern bias. Its just simple market data.
I would tend to agree with you, but watching First Take a couple days ago and seeing Skip, Stephen A. and Jerome Bettis begin to debate whether or not Justin Bieber cost the Steelers the game (yes you read that correctly), I turned it off immediately. I know they are running after ratings and page views, but it would be nice if they actually catered to sports fans rather than idiots who could get there Bieber and other nonsense fix from a variety of other places. They are the supposed Worldwide Leader in Sports for crying out loud and it would be nice if they started acting like it again.
Leg just for the First Take comment. I used to actually really enjoy that show, but I swear they designed it for like 15 year olds. The crap that Skip Bayless says could come from any loud mouth on Twitter. About 90% of their coverage revolves around NBA and another 8% NFL, even during the summer. The other 2% went to Johnny Football, which pretty much summed up all of their college football talk. And like you said, some of the topics of discussion on that show are completely ridiculous. I'll never forget the day of the 2013 NBA Finals game 6, they actually had a debate as to whether Poppovich should bench his starters. Whoever came up with that topic should be banned from anything sports related.
"watching First Take "
This was your first First Mistake, watching that show in the first place. I usually have Mike & Mike on in the morning. When I go to work I leave the TV on for my dogs. I make sure I change the channel before I leave so they do not have to hear that crap.
NHL fans scoff at the thought that ESPN covers sports the best.
This used to be the case, but ever since they started getting into bed with leagues financially they've only done what best serves themselves. They don't own the NHL rights so they pretend the league doesn't exist. They own the rights to the NBA and SEC so they fall over themselves trying to over promote. This wasn't the case 15 years ago, when they truly were the worldwide leader. Now? They're a self promoting PR firm.
Their problem is that they are too blatant in their self serving promotion, and that they are hypersensitive to any & all criticism of that promotion. It is easy to tell they have distributed talking points about the 'denial of the week', sometimes multiple times in a week. Every ESPN radio show will hit the same points, every ESPN TV show will hit the same points, and they hammer away about whatever those talking points happen to be.
That is the most tiresome thing to me. I understand that marketing analysts have told them that is the most effective way to drive the message, but they are blatantly obvious about it. Many of the announcers that I once held in high regard have completely lost my interest now for the very reason that they've whored themselves out so completely.
All that being said, they provide more content - regardless of the quality - than any other source.
I mostly agree. But I think most of the problem is a tv network problem everywhere. These networks spend a lot of money doing market research. So they know what the majority wants. Sadly, sometimes we are in the minority.
I don't understand the hate for ESPN. I'd rather watch sports on ESPN than any other sports network. I have my gripes with their highlight reels, but I get it, they have to cater to a large audience. There is an SEC biased, but perhaps rightfully so. Frankly, if I'm going to turn on a non-VT football game, there's a 75% chance it's an SEC game. I think WatchESPN/ESPN3 are great (minus the blackouts, but that's not ESPN's fault.
I agree with you about ESPN3/WatchESPN.
Living out here in AZ I get basically every single Hokie game that isn't on ESPN proper through that service, so I can't complain about them there. I will say this though, in college I used to watch Sportscenter, their NFL shows, etc, constantly.
I can say I have literally not tuned to ESPN in the last few years unless they are broadcasting a game that I am interested in watching (VT, Eagles on MNF, etc)
I don't watch ESPN sports shows any longer because I expect my sports shows to be abouts sports not the court room of the week.
TKP.
Seriously though, if I absolutely had to get some kind of sports fix, and ESPN was the only programming available, I'd find the nearest convent and watch some field hockey.
What the world needs is competition for ESPN. Foxsports1 is a start. They've stolen Stewart Mandel and Dennis Dodd (I think?) for online. But their big problem is they still put too many of their big games on FOX (they started changing this year to put them at weird times on FS1) - so that people stay and watch FS1.
They also need to poach conferences that are getting screwed by ESPN... like for example the ACC... or at least provide some competition.
No Dodd but they got the great Bruce Feldman.
Other than games, I never watch ESPN or go to their web site.
But they tell me who the 4 best college football teams are each week! How can anyone live without that knowledge?
I know, it's real hard to figure out if the AP poll lists in ascending or descending numerical order. I always forget if the playoff is teams 1-4 or 22-25.
I've dwindled off watching ESPN for anything other than games, and especially have tailed off from their writing. The majority of their writers are terrible, and their hire of Rick Reilly irks me to this day. I will read Grantland at great lengths because I am an unabashed Simmons fan, but their TV programming has fallen off fast. NBA Countdown is about the best they have to offer.
Agreed. I watch games, maybe Gameday if I have time, and the 30 for 30 series. Unfortunately, the 30 for 30 series isn't available on Watch ESPN, so there goes that.
I used to really like ATH and PTI, but I'm too busy in those time slots now so there goes that, too.
And after the playoff is over this year, there goes all of my television subscriptions. Finally cutting the cord for good, if ESPN wants my eyes they'll have to let me get/pay for the app.
Yes...5 years ago. In fact, the only sports show that I will watch now is Inside College Football on CBS Sports. It is a great show and quite a contrast from the scripted propaganda spewing douches of ESPN
Hey now, let's also not forget that ESPN provided us with one of the best rants of all time, courtesy of Mr. Cowherd. But seriously, his show is worth listening to IMO. He thinks outside the box and will provide you with thinking no one else on the network does. He's pretty cynical at times, but I find him truly hilarious and fascinating to listen to. Unfortunately, The Herd comes on from 10am-1 pm, which is like the worst time slot ever. But his outside the box thinking is incredible and usually pretty hard to argue with.
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