ESPN Loses Over a Half Million Subscribers

[badrose]

http://www.breitbart.com/sports/2016/11/30/espn-loses-half-million-subscribers/

[dan_bgblue]

Have not lost me as the ESPN group is part of my Dish package, but if they are watching what I am viewing, those shows that were mentioned lost me a long time ago

[KSRBEvans]

I get the ESPN channels and SEC Network as part of Sling TV during basketball season. As soon as it ends, I'll drop Sling until next November.

I like the 30 for 30 documentaries, which I can see on Netflix, but I can't remember the last time I watched more than a minute of Sportscenter or any other ESPN shows. IMHO their whole approach to programming started getting skewed when they went to PTI and the other talking head shows.

[Darrell KSR]

I get the ESPN channels and SEC Network as part of Sling TV during basketball season. As soon as it ends, I'll drop Sling until next November.

I like the 30 for 30 documentaries, which I can see on Netflix, but I can't remember the last time I watched more than a minute of Sportscenter or any other ESPN shows. IMHO their whole approach to programming started getting skewed when they went to PTI and the other talking head shows.

I'd love to hear what package you have for everything. I'm probably close to a year away, but getting very close to cutting the cord as much as possible.

[Doc]

I get the ESPN channels and SEC Network as part of Sling TV during basketball season. As soon as it ends, I'll drop Sling until next November.

I like the 30 for 30 documentaries, which I can see on Netflix, but I can't remember the last time I watched more than a minute of Sportscenter or any other ESPN shows. IMHO their whole approach to programming started getting skewed when they went to PTI and the other talking head shows.

You like sling?? I'm still a direct TV guy but not a happy one. Looking for alternatives

[KSRBEvans]

The package I have is Sling Orange + the Sports package. Sling Orange is
A&E
AMC
FreeForm
Cartoon Network
CNN
Disney
ESPN
ESPN2
Food Network
Viceland
HGTV
History
IFC
Lifetime
Maker
TBS
TNT
Travel Channel
and some odds and ends (BBC America, etc.)

Sports Package basically gets you ESPNU, SEC Network & some odds and ends.

Sling Orange is $20/month, but you can only stream to 1 device at a time. Sports Package is an extra $5/month. I got a deal where you could get it for half price the first 2 months. They'll offer other deals, too--they just offered a deal where they'd give you a free Roku Streaming Stick if you signed up and pre-paid for the 1st month.

Sling Blue lets you stream to 3 devices and gets you some more channels such as NFL Network, Fox, Fox Sports, FS1, USA, etc. But there are some channels on Orange (such as ESPN & ESPN2) you can't get on Blue.

Here's a chart that shows the packages and channels:

http://www.techhive.com/article/2909572/streaming-services/sling-tv-channel-guide-all-the-programming-and-all-the-restrictions-all-in-one-chart.html

I don't really like the Sling interface, tbh. Maybe the interface is bad for the device I access it on (Amazon Fire TV Stick), but I find it awkward and will shut down a lot. The main reason I got it was I can then log into the ESPN app and watch games on it through my Apple TV. You can try it free for 7 days and see how you like it.

[Doc]

How does the service get to you? WiFi? And if so do need all smart TVs? I have 1 tv that is on the chimney so no way to get hdmi or any other cables to it. Currently it is direct TV wireless which does not support U HDTV. Also my outdoor tv isn't smart. Also, does sling have DVRing?

[KSRBEvans]

I get it by wifi. You don't need a smart TV, just a device like a Roku or Amazon Fire stick that you can load the Sling TV app. There's no DVRing that I know of but some channels have replay of some shows-it's in that chart I linked.

[CitizenBBN]

I wonder if my Hauppauge PVR box would let you configure something. If you could get HDMI inputs to it then the box and computer would do the rest. I've not had to use the feature but you can set it to record through the software and it's actually pretty nice, pulls up schedules of shows and such.

[MickintheHam]

I watch very little ESPN outsideof sports events. The shows are virtually unwatchable. Pure trash with a definite liberal bias. Deadspin has become the same trash. Three articles everyday bash Trump or people outside the major metropolitan news centers.

[KSRBEvans]

Update: I did some reading about Direct TV Now today and I'm very intrigued. We're paid up on Sling TV through December 15 but I think we're going to switch to Direct TV Now. They have a basic plan with about 60 channels for $35/month, but they also have a plan with 100 channels for $60/month that they're currently offering for the same $35/month. Here's a link to an article with the channel lineup:

http://variety.com/2016/digital/news/directv-now-full-channel-lineups-1201930124/

Apparently they said if you sign up for the 100 channel plan for $35/month you get to keep that $35/month rate as long as you keep the service. I'm going to confirm that.

Also, they're throwing in a current-generation 32 gb Apple TV if you prepay for 3 months in advance. Those go for about $150. So I'm going to look at that tonight, too.

Reading about the service, they don't have DVR capability yet but apparently they're looking to add it in 2017.

[CitizenBBN]

I'm intrigued BEvans. But no DVR box? that seems odd and confusing to me.

[KSRBEvans]

So I went ahead and signed up. Service rep says I keep the $35 month deal on the $60/month package forever, so between that and the "free" Apple TV I pulled the trigger. Will get all the channels I'm currently paying $25/month for through Sling TV plus some others (FS1, FS2, TCM, etc.). I haven't played around with the app on my Fire TV Stick yet but I'll give you an update.

As for DVR: Yeah, I'm not sure how that would work w/o a box. I read that one of the services (Playstation Vue?) is doing a cloud-based DVR, but I have no idea how well that works.

[PedroDaGr8]

So I went ahead and signed up. Service rep says I keep the $35 month deal on the $60/month package forever, so between that and the "free" Apple TV I pulled the trigger. Will get all the channels I'm currently paying $25/month for through Sling TV plus some others (FS1, FS2, TCM, etc.). I haven't played around with the app on my Fire TV Stick yet but I'll give you an update.

As for DVR: Yeah, I'm not sure how that would work w/o a box. I read that one of the services (Playstation Vue?) is doing a cloud-based DVR, but I have no idea how well that works.

Cloud based DVR is very common. Many cable systems actually switched to that because it allowed them to make the boxes smaller and more energy efficient (spinning-platter HDD are notoriously unreliable and power hogs). Some utilize both during a transitional period. Your primary is your device but it uploads to the cloud over time so you can view your DVR recordings from anywhere.

[KSRBEvans]

Update on DirecTV Now, after having played with it for a few days:

Mixed, I'd say. It has a lot of promise. The user interface is pretty intuitive and I like the channel guide, which you can also personalize into a Favorites guide. It has a good bit of On Demand choices, and picture quality is good.

But it tends to buffer and time out. I've played with it on both a Fire TV Stick, new generation Apple TV and iOS app. It does it a good bit on the Stick, less on the Apple TV and even less on the app. But watching the UK-U of L game on DirecT Now last night on the Apple TV last night I'd get an error message about every 10 minutes. Finally I gave up and switched to the Watch ESPN app on the Apple TV, and I had no problems whatsoever. So I think it's the app and not bandwidth or hardware.

Also there's no DVR yet--they say that's coming in 2017, but no firm date.

So overall, I like it better than SlingTV, and see the potential, but there are still some issues.

[Doc]

The dopes on ESPN (first take iirc) were hammering Tiger Woods for announcing he would PLAY GOLF with Donald Trump. According to them, the LEGITIMIZES, their word, Trump.

[badrose]

The dopes on ESPN (first take iirc) were hammering Tiger Woods for announcing he would PLAY GOLF with Donald Trump. According to them, the LEGITIMIZES, their word, Trump.

As the article pointed out, the leftist stances of its commentators is a part of the cause of their subscriber losses. Sports news should be free of politics.

[CitizenBBN]

The dopes on ESPN (first take iirc) were hammering Tiger Woods for announcing he would PLAY GOLF with Donald Trump. According to them, the LEGITIMIZES, their word, Trump.

Since he's the legitimate and legal President of the nation he is already legitimate, maybe they should show the office the respect it is due.

ESPN is a right coast entity with leftist coastal leaders. They're about to make the same mistake as the DNC, thinking that the rest of the nation, and paying consumers, are the same as those who live in the left and right coasts.

[Doc]

The dopes on ESPN (first take iirc) were hammering Tiger Woods for announcing he would PLAY GOLF with Donald Trump. According to them, the LEGITIMIZES, their word, Trump.

Here is a link to the story (http://www.espn.com/golf/story/_/id/18338412/tiger-woods-playing-golf-president-elect-donald-trump-florida)

I do find it amusing that folks are all in an uproar over Trump's golf course ownership, business interests, etc..... and he isn't even president yet. I wish those showing concern had the same level of interest when the former Sec of State was literally selling access. I have no concerns that by Jan 20th, Trump will be divested of his business interests.

[ukblue]

Only watch ESPN when the cats are on anymore. Their insistence to hire mostly rabid liberals or sports figures with impressive arrest records has wore extremely thin for me.

[catmanjack]

If UK is not on ESPN I never watch.

[catmanjack]

I myself would like to get out from the large cable bill but it seems like so much trouble
and the quality of product does not seem to be all that.

[suncat05]

Outside of football/basketball seasons, I seldom even look ar ESPN. I do, however, look in on the SEC Channel several times a week. Their sports news coverage is way better thsn ESPN's, or so I feel anyway.

[KentuckyWildcat]

I only watch them for UK games. If I'm watching delayed I'll sometimes wait to watch online on another site that is not ESPN.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Tapatalk

[BigBluePappy]

I have DirectTV and they lose me every time it even looks like it might rain.

[badrose]

ESPN is smart enough to put most UK games on the flagship where it gets the highest ratings. It's the talking heads that people are tuning out, just like the MSM.

[badrose]

http://www.libertyheadlines.com/espn-honor-first-fan-president-obama/?AID=7236

[Doc]

This makes me chuckle--ESPN, now they're racist too. link (http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2017/01/19/did-espn-announcer-make-racist-comment-about-venus-williams.html)