ESPN President Jimmy Pitaro admitted in a Los Angeles Times profile this weekend that the social justice bent his network had taken in the era of President Trump hurt them with viewers.
“Without question our data tells us our fans do not want us to cover politics,” Pitaro confessed. “My job is to provide clarity. I really believe that some of our talent was confused on what was expected of them.”
In other words, shut up and analyze the dribbling.
The LA Times also notes that Pitaro has addressed traditional fans of the network by “steering commentators away from political discussions,” something that heightened during the battle between the President and NFL players protesting the national anthem.
New ESPN president Jimmy Pitaro has smartly made the dismantling of WokeCenter a priority. Here he is talking about it in today’s @latimes: pic.twitter.com/KmVxACZTlB
— Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) May 20, 2019
Fans Don’t Want It
Prior to Pitaro taking over in March of 2018, ESPN was suffering horrible ratings on both television and radio programming and the network was shedding employees – some of them prominent names – by the hundreds.
It was almost assuredly because of the politics finding its way into the coverage.
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You mean people tuning in to see sports highlights and analysis didn’t like being told that the President is a racist and they are too if they agree with him? That fans looking to escape the realities of the world for a brief period through sports didn’t appreciate anchors interjecting their personal politics? Who could have predicted such a thing?
Well, everyone really.
BS-PN
The average sports consumer used to go to ESPN to see highlights from their favorite teams. In the era of Trump, they got to see anchors refer to the President and his supporters as white supremacists.
They got to hear hosts blast the legendary Tiger Woods over his friendship with Trump, mocking him as stupid and claiming “he’s not black.”
Fans were even subjected to having a football announcer pulled from coverage of a University of Virginia game because of the crime of being named Robert Lee.
*
CRAZY but TRUE!
*
*#ESPN (96% DEM Voting)
pulled #ASIAN Sportscaster#RobertLee … from upcoming
college game broadcast b/c
of name. WOW pic.twitter.com/KoTaheZ5z8— PoliticalPOET (@POETreeOTIC) August 23, 2017
A top ESPN executive indicated in December of 2018 that the network’s pivot to political commentary was a “miscalculation,” something they had previously denied.
“I think we miscalculated a little bit,” the exec told the Washington Post. “The perception became that you could just roll a talent out there and it doesn’t matter what he or she is saying — that the content didn’t matter. I just never believed that.”
The network did believe it for a period of time, however. It’s good to see Pitaro steer them back to the core material that sports fans are seeking. Is it too little, too late?
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Sorry ESPN you lost me with your TDS & your support for the anti-American kneelers. They may have had a legitimate complaint but the National Anthem is not the place to vent
Yes, ESPN did go too far, and yes, they did lose us. Unfortunately, so did Pro Athletes. They lost us too. So, now, ESPN is going to do sports reporting to an audience, a large part of which, no longer exists. I am sure I am not the only one who doesn’t care if they never see another pro sporting event.
Yes, ESPN did go too far, and yes, they did lose us. Unfortunately, so did Pro Athletes. They lost us too. So, now, ESPN is going to do sports reporting to an audience, a large part of which, no longer exists. I am sure I am not the only one who doesn’t care if they never see another pro sporting event.
ESPN allowed it because they AGREED with it… End of discussion.. There is no news anymore.. It is all opinion… Leftist opinion.. Now we are all so much more ‘street smart’ and dissect everything we hear.. or not watch it — which is my choice..
Too little too late ~ He took over a year ago and should have Stopped it at that time ! No Stories !
Too little too late ~ He took over a year ago and should have Stopped it at that time ! No Stories !
ESPN, Starbucks, Dicks Sporting Goods, Nike have all lost some portion of their customer base by mixing politics with their respective businesses. Just because you have a good product or service doesn’t mean anyone cares about your political beliefs. Your success in business doesnt give you the right to tell others how to live their lives.
Just shut up, sell $5 coffee to the acolytes and bank the dough.
ESPN, Starbucks, Dicks Sporting Goods, Nike have all lost some portion of their customer base by mixing politics with their respective businesses. Just because you have a good product or service doesn’t mean anyone cares about your political beliefs. Your success in business doesnt give you the right to tell others how to live their lives.
Just shut up, sell $5 coffee to the acolytes and bank the dough.
“My job is to provide clarity. I really believe that some of our talent was confused on what was expected of them.” If they can’t figure out that ESPN is a sports station, then they’re neither intelligent nor talented. Fire the lot of them.
This all started long before Trump with Bob Costas. After he made his political opinions I never watched him again.
This all started long before Trump with Bob Costas. After he made his political opinions I never watched him again.
This all started long before Trump with Bob Costas. After he made his political opinions I never watched him again.
Too little too late. BSPN is dead to me.
ESPN, you have turned me away from the most vital interests of my entire life, and I will never look back. Enjoy your liberalism. It, and you, are disgusting.
ESPN, you have turned me away from the most vital interests of my entire life, and I will never look back. Enjoy your liberalism. It, and you, are disgusting.
They need to get rid of Keith Olbermann (again), Max Kellerman, and whoever runs the ESPN-themed Facebook pages. It’s time to ditch SJWs and SJW logic.
They need to get rid of Keith Olbermann (again), Max Kellerman, and whoever runs the ESPN-themed Facebook pages. It’s time to ditch SJWs and SJW logic.
…and arrogance.
…and arrogance.
Can’t remember when I last watched but its at least a couple years now. They pissed me off with their ignorance.
Can’t remember when I last watched but its at least a couple years now. They pissed me off with their ignorance.
I don’t want the corrupt leftist ESPN to lose massive amounts of viewers, I want them to simply dry up and blow away.
I don’t want the corrupt leftist ESPN to lose massive amounts of viewers, I want them to simply dry up and blow away.
Screw the POS ESPN. You made your bed now lie in it. I will NEVER watch ANYTHING you produce!!
Screw the POS ESPN. You made your bed now lie in it. I will NEVER watch ANYTHING you produce!!
Low rent gutter trash, one and all!
Notice the quoted comment, “miscalculated a little bit” a little bit tells me ESPN is not serious and if another lefty dem were elected ESPN would be right back to satisfying the so-called social justice warriors and bullying good patriots. No ESPN do not buy your dribble. I choose not to tune in.
Notice the quoted comment, “miscalculated a little bit” a little bit tells me ESPN is not serious and if another lefty dem were elected ESPN would be right back to satisfying the so-called social justice warriors and bullying good patriots. No ESPN do not buy your dribble. I choose not to tune in.
Notice the quoted comment, “miscalculated a little bit” a little bit tells me ESPN is not serious and if another lefty dem were elected ESPN would be right back to satisfying the so-called social justice warriors and bullying good patriots. No ESPN do not buy your dribble. I choose not to tune in.
No, don’t think it’s too little, too late. People like their sports. As long as ESPN really means it and follows through diligently, the fans will (mostly) come back.
No, don’t think it’s too little, too late. People like their sports. As long as ESPN really means it and follows through diligently, the fans will (mostly) come back.
we gave them the rope…they hung themselves…or a shovel and they dug their own grave….
we gave them the rope…they hung themselves…or a shovel and they dug their own grave….
PTI was my favorite tv show. Watched it every night. They may take the politics out, but I still can’t watch Tony and Michael anymore knowing that they hate me for my beliefs.
PTI was my favorite tv show. Watched it every night. They may take the politics out, but I still can’t watch Tony and Michael anymore knowing that they hate me for my beliefs.
PTI was my favorite tv show. Watched it every night. They may take the politics out, but I still can’t watch Tony and Michael anymore knowing that they hate me for my beliefs.
Thank you, pgillenw! I just call ’em like I see ’em.
Thank you, pgillenw! I just call ’em like I see ’em.
Great comment! Deserving of many, many thumbs up.
Great comment! Deserving of many, many thumbs up.
Great comment! Deserving of many, many thumbs up.
Ever since Pres. Trump got the Republican nomination, we’ve been learning just how HIGH a percentage of Leftist LOONS are in the broadcasting and entertainment industries. They weren’t quite so shameless and obvious about it, before they all came down with a raging case of TDS and lost what TINY iota of common sense they ever had. Now there is no putting that toothpaste back into the tube. They have exposed themselves for the biased, DISHONEST Leftist LOONS they are and always WERE, and we will NEVER view them the same way again! They will NEVER regain the credibility they THREW AWAY with their RELENTLESS attacks on our duly elected President, and their OBVIOUS contempt and hatred for anybody who does not share their insane Leftist views!
The political “conversations” are indeed, inappropriate. However, its the ideological BIAS that is so DISGUSTING AT ESPN. They are as bad, and in some cases WORSE than CNN!
The political “conversations” are indeed, inappropriate. However, its the ideological BIAS that is so DISGUSTING AT ESPN. They are as bad, and in some cases WORSE than CNN!
The political “conversations” are indeed, inappropriate. However, its the ideological BIAS that is so DISGUSTING AT ESPN. They are as bad, and in some cases WORSE than CNN!
Who besides racists make everything about race. Non-racists think about other things and do not give a second thought to someones color.
AKA Aunt Jemele.
AKA Aunt Jemele.
Jemele Hill
In many cases the biggest racists are those who accuse others of being racist – that was certainly the case with ESPN’s “star” commentator- what was her name?