Skipper Out at ESPN

[TKG]

Substance abuse issues.

http://www.espn.com/espn/story/_/id/21804776/john-skipper-resigns-espn-president

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

Substance abuse issues.

http://www.espn.com/espn/story/_/id/21804776/john-skipper-resigns-espn-president

Hey, it wasn't sexual assault! Yay!

/seriously, hope he gets the help he needs

[UrinalCake]

I hope this means I can finally bring all of my clever signs into the UNC game this year.

[arnie]

I hope this means I can finally bring all of my clever signs into the UNC game this year.

Also, will see if Bilas finally agrees that UNC was/is corrupt. Guess that depends on Skipper’s replacement.

[UrinalCake]

Yeah it will be really interesting to see how UNC coverage changes if a non-alum is in charge.

[mattman91]

Addiction is no joke.

Hope he is able to get the help he needs.

[53n206]

Good luck to Skipper
ESPN has problems, but ESPN has provided me with many enjoyable hours.

[sagegrouse]

Good luck to Skipper
ESPN has problems, but ESPN has provided me with many enjoyable hours.

Nice responses, all. Impressive.

[PackMan97]

Skipper did his job and is not needed any longer.

[madscavenger]

STREET JUSTICE. It can raise its its head in many forms.


But honestly, mattman91 is right. He needs to get help and confront this head on ASAP.

[Dukelogger]

Nice responses, all. Impressive.

Agreed. A topic that shouldn't devolve into personal, petty attacks, because none of us, either personally or by association to someone close to use, are immune to the pitfalls of addiction.

[elvis14]

First, I hope he gets the help he needs and gets healthy.

For most of us, this is too little too late as ESPN always ignored the cheating done my OJU/UNCheat. It's not like they can show up on SportsCenter and say "hey guys UNC cheated for decades and we helped sweep it under the rug...sorry about that...no harm, no foul". It was foul and there was harm.

You have to figure that UNCheat will make up a job for Skipper to pay him back.

[Billy Dat]

Hey, it wasn't sexual assault! Yay!

/seriously, hope he gets the help he needs

There are a lot of cynical takes that this is some kind of diversion from a soon-to-come sexual harassment explosion at ESPN.

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

There are a lot of cynical takes that this is some kind of diversion from a soon-to-come sexual harassment explosion at ESPN.

Nothing surprises me anymore, but lots of things disappoint me.

[WiJoe]

better health

good riddance

[UrinalCake]

Delivering sports programming to 18-35 year old males should be a pretty straightforward and easy gig. Back in the day, ESPN had a virtual monopoly over the market. But they failed to adapt with the times. They invested heavily in NASCAR and fringe sports like the X Games and women’s soccer. They failed to make their content available to cable cutters, trying to force people to buy cable TV subscriptions. And they adopted a tone that was more in-your-face, let’s argue about everything rather than just showing us sports. Those were the reasons for the network losing so much market share IMO.

No idea how much control the Skipper had over these types of decisions. As others have said I wish him well in his recovery, but based on how he swept UNC’s cheating under the rug I am glad he is gone. ESPN literally sent out a memo before every UNC-Duke game in Cameron that prohibited signs referencing the scandal, threatening to throw out any fans who brought them. This was the largest case of academic fraud in the history of college sports, and the “worldwide leader” completely ignored it.

[TKG]

No idea how much control the Skipper had over these types of decisions. As others have said I wish him well in his recovery, but based on how he swept UNC’s cheating under the rug I am glad he is gone. ESPN literally sent out a memo before every UNC-Duke game in Cameron that prohibited signs referencing the scandal, threatening to throw out any fans who brought them. This was the largest case of academic fraud in the history of college sports, and the “worldwide leader” completely ignored it.

I am sure John Swafford and Erskine Bowles will provide a nice landing spot as a reward for a job well done.

[cato]

Delivering sports programming to 18-35 year old males should be a pretty straightforward and easy gig.



Should it? It was when I was 18, but I’m now out of that demographic and have been for a while. I also never watch any sports channel except to watch actual sports.

At any rate, the young men I know in the 18-25 range basically never watch ESPN, unless they are watching actual sports. And they seem to watch a lot less of that than I did.

When my brother and I watch sports over the holidays, my 21 year old nephew will at some point end up in the gaming room playing video games with his friends.

[flyingdutchdevil]

Delivering sports programming to 18-35 year old males should be a pretty straightforward and easy gig. Back in the day, ESPN had a virtual monopoly over the market. But they failed to adapt with the times. They invested heavily in NASCAR and fringe sports like the X Games and women’s soccer. They failed to make their content available to cable cutters, trying to force people to buy cable TV subscriptions. And they adopted a tone that was more in-your-face, let’s argue about everything rather than just showing us sports. Those were the reasons for the network losing so much market share IMO.

No idea how much control the Skipper had over these types of decisions. As others have said I wish him well in his recovery, but based on how he swept UNC’s cheating under the rug I am glad he is gone. ESPN literally sent out a memo before every UNC-Duke game in Cameron that prohibited signs referencing the scandal, threatening to throw out any fans who brought them. This was the largest case of academic fraud in the history of college sports, and the “worldwide leader” completely ignored it.

I know he's hated around here, but some really good insight from Bill Simmons on the ESPN downturn: https://nypost.com/2017/05/31/bill-simmons-here-are-the-big-mistakes-espn-made/

The leadership dynamics between Bodenheimer and Skipper is really interesting.

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

Delivering sports programming to 18-35 year old males should be a pretty straightforward and easy gig

Today I learned I am no longer ESPN's target demographic. This explains a lot actually.

[throatybeard]

Should it? It was when I was 18, but I’m now out of that demographic and have been for a while. I also never watch any sports channel except to watch actual sports.

At any rate, the young men I know in the 18-25 range basically never watch ESPN, unless they are watching actual sports. And they seem to watch a lot less of that than I did.

When my brother and I watch sports over the holidays, my 21 year old nephew will at some point end up in the gaming room playing video games with his friends.

The viewership for just about every sport but MMA is getting older.

My son (8) and his friends have absolutely no interest in watching sports. Some of them play soccer. They don't watch it. Unless you can figure out a way to stage the NCAAT in Minecraft, he'll never be a college basketball viewer.

[throatybeard]

Also, is anyone laughing their butt off at Cowherd and Whitlock and all these people who thought they showed ESPN by defecting to Fox Sports where they could be even louder and more abrasive...and then the Mouse goes and buys most of Fox, including the sports wing of the company.

[UrinalCake]

My son (8) and his friends have absolutely no interest in watching sports. Some of them play soccer. They don't watch it. Unless you can figure out a way to stage the NCAAT in Minecraft, he'll never be a college basketball viewer.

I think that’s part of what ESPN failed to recognize - they needed to get away from the traditional cable subscription model and deliver content through online streaming, mobile devices, social media, etc. and utilize shorter highlight clips, gamification, and other forms of consumption that are appropriate for the younger generation. Even their main website, which should be a hub for everybody to visit daily, has been terrible for a long time. And they have 8,000 different podcasts and twitter streams that are impossible to keep track of, so I just don’t subscribe to any of them.

[DangerDevil]

http://www.espn.com/espn/story/_/id/22655913/james-pitaro-named-new-president-espn

Apparently he isn't a Tarheel!

James Pitaro named as the new ESPN president, Cornell undergrad and St. John's law school. He was previously the head of Yahoo!Media.

[devildeac]

http://www.espn.com/espn/story/_/id/22655913/james-pitaro-named-new-president-espn

Apparently he isn't a Tarheel!

James Pitaro named as the new ESPN president, Cornell undergrad and St. John's law school. He was previously the head of Yahoo!Media.


Hmm, espn and yahoo. Nice combination :rolleyes:.

[HereBeforeCoachK]

Also, is anyone laughing their butt off at Cowherd and Whitlock and all these people who thought they showed ESPN by defecting to Fox Sports where they could be even louder and more abrasive...and then the Mouse goes and buys most of Fox, including the sports wing of the company.

No, because a whole lot of what they said about ESPN is largely been borne out. The article I saw about Cowherd was one of sorrow for the talented people let go, and he blamed it mostly on the combo of cord cutting and way over paying for the NBA contract. I think he's 2 for 2 on that. I also think Whitlock had a point about the agenda being forced into the programming. I think their shrinkage is due to all three factors.

Meanwhile, I believe Cowherd and Whitlock still have their show.

[DangerDevil]

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/features/john-skipper-details-espn-exit-cocaine-extortion-plot-1094657

[jv001]

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/features/john-skipper-details-espn-exit-cocaine-extortion-plot-1094657

Part of me wants to condemn Skipper because I think he had a lot to do with the negative Duke stuff commented on by their employees. But that's not the way I'm supposed to be. I'll just pray for the guy and hope he get's his life back together. He probably wouldn't need to work another day of his life but no matter what he said in that interview, he has a problem with the drug. In the end our sins will find us out. GoDuke!

[flyingdutchdevil]

Part of me wants to condemn Skipper because I think he had a lot to do with the negative Duke stuff commented on by their employees. But that's not the way I'm supposed to be. I'll just pray for the guy and hope he get's his life back together. He probably wouldn't need to work another day of his life but no matter what he said in that interview, he has a problem with the drug. In the end our sins will find us out. GoDuke!

I don't believe this for a second. Just cus Skipper went to UNC doesn't mean he has an anti-Duke agenda. I find that ridiculous.

ESPN has helped the Duke brand and vise versa.

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

I don't believe this for a second. Just cus Skipper went to UNC doesn't mean he has an anti-Duke agenda. I find that ridiculous.

ESPN has helped the Duke brand and vise versa.

Shush, you are destroying some of our best message board talking points! Next thing you know, you will be claiming Jay Bilas isn't in the bag for UNC.

[sagegrouse]

Attempted extortion over cocaine use led to Skipper's resignation https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/features/john-skipper-details-espn-exit-cocaine-extortion-plot-1094657

By his dealer? Yeah, why endanger his business? I don't believe it. Somebody else knew though, and the secret couldn't be kept. Well, in the usual explanation of "sex, drugs and rock-and-roll" maybe we should look at the first item.

[MarkD83]

I don't believe this for a second. Just cus Skipper went to UNC doesn't mean he has an anti-Duke agenda. I find that ridiculous.

ESPN has helped the Duke brand and vise versa.

But his background did contribute to the lack of discussion of the academic scandal

[luvdahops]

But his background did contribute to the lack of discussion of the academic scandal

Yeah, I agree with that. I highly doubt Skipper was actively encouraging an anti-Duke bent among his commentators, especially since it is hardly unique to ESPN. But there is no doubt in my mind that he actively suppressed any honest discussion or reporting on the UNC scandal.

[elvis14]

Sorry but I've watched too many Duke games on ESPN and seen how they are edited and announced (not to mention the inappropriate GA hype) to believe that they treat Duke right or that their anti-Duke slant is coincidental.

People think that ESPN loves Duke because we are aired on their network. They don't, ESPN loves ratings, not Duke. They play our games because people tune in hoping to see us lose (and they almost always get disappointed).

[WiJoe]

Sorry but I've watched too many Duke games on ESPN and seen how they are edited and announced (not to mention the inappropriate GA hype) to believe that they treat Duke right or that their anti-Duke slant is coincidental.

People think that ESPN loves Duke because we are aired on their network. They don't, ESPN loves ratings, not Duke. They play our games because people tune in hoping to see us lose (and they almost always get disappointed).

Bingo! Nail on the head.