Mariotti's website about me section is hilarious. It's the delusion and desperate need to let us all know how great his life is which is a giveaway. He's exactly like Richard Keys, a soccer presenter in the UK who was fired for being sexist and now works in the middle east, telling everyone daily what a great time he's having whilst consistent having bitter swipes at his former employers.
"ESPN will still own intellectual properties like Grantland and the wildly popular podcast, the B.S. Report. One executive was even heard starting to plan who else might host the B.S. Report." I mean, what in the actual fuck. They can't really be thinking about continuing the BS Report without Simmons, right? Do they really think it's "wildly popular" simply because it's associated with ESPN? How out of touch is this executive?
Not really out of touch. They know Simmons was the straw, but they their brand is so big and the shake is so large that they can find another straw...or just eliminate it since it doesn't really hurt them in almost any way. ESPN appeals to the sports fan, as much as many of us hate it we still are forced to watch it at many points in the year (unless you boycott sports) and it also will get every average to above average sports fan to tune in several times a week. Losing a few hardcores doesn't hurt their business model one fucking bit. They are a fucking juggernaut and until another comes along and captures the average fan (somehow, they need big money or a lot of things to fall their way) while appealing to the hardcore this same argument will continue to be made. They are not out of touch, they just don't give a shit (mostly) about real journalism or the hardcore fan. Which to their top owners doesn't matter with them swimming in the money.
Yeah, you're talking about big picture ESPN. I'm just referring to the BS Report. It's not like they're replacing Dan Patrick or Keith Olbermann on Sportscenter. Sportscenter kinda runs itself. This guy is talking about just plugging someone else into the BS Report as if people only listen to the BS Report because it's an ESPN podcast. That's far from the case.
BS Report has a shitload of subscribers and they are worth money. Why throw all the subscribers away without trying to retain them with a new host. Sure it's 90/10 you fail but you don't lose anything by trying.
I get your point, but I think its more of a ESPN way of telling him to fuck off and we don't need you. They always try to belittle the people that leave. It won't be as popular, but ESPN isn't about to say that. I mean (and I haven't read this thread beyond a part of the first page before jumping back in) they are big enough assholes to let everybody know they aren't resigning him anyway so he has 'less' negotiating power when he signs someplace else. It won't matter much in how large (very large) he signs a new deal, but the principle alone means they want him to burn (he won't, and I'm an average fan at best).
Also, BS Report subscribers will stay on and give new guy a chance. Likely will end badly but you got to take that chance.
Who could they possibly get to continue that podcast? I get what you're saying, but no one with any name recognition would want to carry that series on with that name, and any new person you put on there almost has zero chance for success if you're essentially saying "This is the replacement for Bill Simmons" by keeping the name.
Maybe they throw it at a Grantland employee like Lowe or one of the football guys. They could even change the name I would think. Or put Ruscillo on there, call it the Ruscillo show and give him and handpick a huge guest for the first episode to get people to listen. I'm not saying it would work but it's worth a try.
doesn't Simmons own the rights to be BS Report? unless ESPN execs can successfully argue in court that the "B.S." stands for NOT bill simmons?
Coleman and Coachman should be the new Mike and Mike. And ROFL at any company that re-ups Stephen A Smith and Skip Bayless and cans BS
Graveyard shift Freddy Coleman? Is good? He annoys me. Vanilla. His repetitive, patterned pacing when he speaks and responds to callers is a dead giveaway he's not really listening/engaged and just spitting out regurgitated bullshit to kill air time and get to the next commercial.
It's hard to know with Grantland whether it's really making money. Yes Deadspin might get 25 million monthly users vs 5 for Grantland but Grantland's video and audit output through YouTube and iTunes is a biggie and a better source of revenue than articles. A standard enough BS Report will get about 100k on YouTube and is one of the most popular podcasts on iTunes, I read in 2012 it was averaging around 600k downloads an episode. Jalen podcasts get similar YouTube numbers. It all comes down to what kind of costs Grantland has. Churning out those podcasts has fuck all marginal cost. It suits ESPN to put it out there that it doesn't make money tbf.
I'm upset that Bill Simmons has disappeared from social media for the time being. Enjoy his commentary on the NBA playoffs nightly.
Simmons has touched on this in podcasts. Pretty sure ESPN gives him shit over the finances of Grantland, but he felt they never let him monetize it well with multiple ads or inter-podcast ads. Not even touching on the youtube revenue they missed out on by not having hardly any ads.
Yeah suppose you're right. In comparison to other Pods it's very little - stamps.com and Subway. Many of the Grantland Pods don't have ads on them at all which makes no sense.
He's on Baseball Tonight so I doubt it. If Grantland does eventually get canned he'd just move to their main site or 538 full time.
Yeah I think the writers on Grantland that were already established before working for Simmons (i.e. Keri, Wesley Morris, etc.) aren't as big of threat to jump ship as those that he plucked out of relative obscurity (Rembert, Katie Baker, etc.). You never know though, I suppose. Probably depends on how petty this thing gets.
unless google is lying, this is her with their kids. thanks for making me feel creepy looking this up.
Kind of interesting look at some of Simmons' potential options. I know people want to make the connection with Turner because of the NBA, but I just don't see him caring so much about being with the NBA that he'd go there. Especially because he's kind of blasted Bleacher Report (who hasn't) over the years. http://www.forbes.com/sites/ericjackson/2015/05/11/bill-simmons-to-twitter/