ESPN's effect on viewers

On the surface, ESPN is a great thing for sports fans. Now granted I agree with that, but what nobody seems to realize is the effect, both negative and positive, ESPN has on its viewers and the casual sports fan.

On the positive side, ESPN is everything that a sports fan can ask for. With constant coverage, including what seems like an endless amount of games, it is exactly what someone who wants to know about sports and loves certain teams wants. The ability to watch pretty much every sport is just one plus.

Creating ESPNU is one of the smartest things they could have done, especially with the popularity of college sports skyrocketing in the past decade. Now a college sports fan can watch at least three different games every Saturday during football and basketball season. What is even better with this station is that during the fall, winter or spring, you can watch sports you normally wouldn't get a chance to see on TV like volleyball, soccer, baseball or softball.

Another genius idea by ESPN was the idea of ESPN 360. This allows people who don't have cable or aren't in the certain coverage area of a certain game to watch their teams play. And if you miss a game, you can watch it for free up to a month after it is played. If you love your team, whether it be college, pro or high school, along with NASCAR, golf, tennis, etc. you can watch it. And isn't that what any sports fan wants?

And now the bad...While ESPN has done some great things for the sports world, it has also been influential in what can be considered negative ways. As we talked about in class, there is a definite East Coast bias, as well as what may be becoming a slight West Coast bias as well. But it isn't just that. Sadly enough, in today's world, some people will turn on ESPN, watch it and believe every word that is said b/c ESPN is the 'world's sports leader.' Even look at the amount of times they put the "best" teams or ones they know will draw interest on TV. They throw big names on TV like Lou Holtz, Chris Berman, Mel Kiper Jr., Todd McShay, Digger Phelps, Jay Bilas and Joe Morgan. All of these people are considered "experts" by ESPN. Now, true that most of them were standout players or coaches, but that does not make one an expert on anything. More knowledgeable? yes. Expert? no.

All the things that alot of these analysts say may be true, but b/c of the station they work for, people think that they are the all-knowing of their sports. The station drubs these things through a person's head so much that it is like they brainwash you into thinking that everything they say on the station is true. How many times a game do they advertise/promote for future programming? Seeing this all the time likely plays in a role in a person's decision to watch. Someone who may not originally watch the, let's say a Kansas State-Oklahoma basketball game, would consider watching the game after seeing promos for it every half hour they are watching. The more people see something, the more likely they are to be intrigued. Also, could ESPN have done a better job marketing their games on certain night? Big Monday? Super Tuesday? "Game of the Week" during college football and baseball season?

Now don't get me wrong. I love ESPN and always will. I have even bought some of their books that they have published. I would, however, like to do w/o them trying to convince me what I should watch. But like I said, it's awesome and will be interesting to see what happens in the future.