ESPN pay cuts?

So much has changed since it began. The decline of local newspapers (they don't even shoot reporters in their newsrooms anymore), the decline of the local beat writer/columnist with scoops that were below the radar of the national people.

 

As lame and predictable as it has become I still hope PTI avoids the axe. It’s my daily accompaniment to my Peloton session.

 

You poseur! Did you buy one for your skinny wife so she can lose those extra three pounds of pino?

 

Today will be my 415th consecutive day of working out on it. I love it.

 

i am not proud of what it is i've done for 415 consecutive days

 

https://www.app.com/story/sports/20...ed-2025-espn-ath-pti-woody-paige/76478879007/

 

I can't imagine anyone having that passion for Around the Horn. However much sadness you have for local print media, those clowns weren't the best advertisement for its existence.

 

From the post: "ESPN continues to spend less and less on its content, and cable prices continue to climb. "

Uh, NBA contract? The noon-2 p.m. show? The NFL contract? The NCAA contract? The WNBA contract? The ManningCast?

 

I found this interview fascinating between Rome and LeBatard, it’s long.

 

Wow, Rome doesn't even look like the same person he used to be.

 

I watched a bit of that. Started listening to Rome when he started. Mid-90s. The guy, could - and really should - do a seminar on sports media. He's been "independent" most of his career. Began doing a local show, branched out to four affiliates or something and eventually went nationwide. And this was at a time when dedicated local sports talk stations were just starting up across the nation. Back then, the local beat writer and columnist, and maybe the local TV sports guy were the biggest deal in town. Since then, newspapers have nose-dived, local radio content has given way to national syndicators like Fox Sports Radio and ESPN. Rome has dabbled in TV with both Fox and ESPN, signed a big deal with CBS that put him on their sports radio network in order just to stay in terrestrial radio. In addition to appearances on NFL Today and a Showtime show. He had offers from Sirius and XM back in the day. Now he's on X, doing podcasts as well. (Along with just about everyone else) And that is all in just the last 30 years. Radio and newspapers "owned" sports media for a good 60 years up into the 90s. TV was a weekend thing.
Honestly, the media landscape has changed so much, so quickly in the last 30 years. Hard to keep track of it all.