WTF does ESPN have WNBA as the main story on landing page?

[NDohio]

Back to the topic at hand. Why would ESPN push content, even making it front and center, that has historically had very low viewership and by all measures will continue to do so? . . . I'll wait for the logical answers to what seems to me a very obvious question.

The problem though is that you are coming at this from a very direct route. You think that ESPN is promoting WNBA because they are woke. Full stop. No other explanation will do for you.

The reality is that ESPN is a business that owns the rights to the WNBA. Whether you believe the low viewership will always be the situation with this product is irrelevant. ESPN wants to grow the WNBA viewership. One way they can do that is to promote this product, that they own the broadcasting rights to, across their many media outlets. If ESPN can grow their WNBA viewership they can charge more for the advertising of that product and...wait for it...MAKE MORE MONEY!!

 

[notredomer23]

Something to note actually too, this was the last year of ESPN's media rights deal with the WNBA. It was $12MM/year for 10 years. Wonder what's next given media rights deals are getting out of hand.

 

[Jiggafini19Deux]

Airing opposite Thursday Night Football, Thursday’s Game 3 of the WNBA Finals (Las Vegas-Connecticut) averaged a 0.34 rating and 579,000 viewers on ESPN, up 17% in ratings and 9% in viewership from last year on ESPN2 (Phoenix-Chicago: 0.29, 524K). Game 2 on Tuesday night was higher a 0.40 and 649,000, but that was down 13% and at least 18% from last year (Chicago-Phoenix: 0.46, ~789K). Entering Sunday’s potential Game 4 clincher, viewership for the WNBA Playoffs is up 24 percent.

Ratings: Racing, MLB, WNBA Finals

Ratings roundup, including last weekend's results for the top motorsports series and low marks for Major League Baseball on FOX and ESPN.

www.sportsmediawatch.com

The WBNA Finals opened up at a five year high with ratings.

 

[Irish#1]

The problem though is that you are coming at this from a very direct route. You think that ESPN is promoting WNBA because they are woke. Full stop. No other explanation will do for you.

The reality is that ESPN is a business that owns the rights to the WNBA. Whether you believe the low viewership will always be the situation with this product is irrelevant. ESPN wants to grow the WNBA viewership. One way they can do that is to promote this product, that they own the broadcasting rights to, across their many media outlets. If ESPN can grow their WNBA viewership they can charge more for the advertising of that product and...wait for it...MAKE MORE MONEY!!

Agree, they're promoting to recoup their investment, realize a dividend and it seemed an opportune time.

 

[Domina Nostra]

The problem though is that you are coming at this from a very direct route. You think that ESPN is promoting WNBA because they are woke. Full stop. No other explanation will do for you.

The reality is that ESPN is a business that owns the rights to the WNBA. Whether you believe the low viewership will always be the situation with this product is irrelevant. ESPN wants to grow the WNBA viewership. One way they can do that is to promote this product, that they own the broadcasting rights to, across their many media outlets. If ESPN can grow their WNBA viewership they can charge more for the advertising of that product and...wait for it...MAKE MORE MONEY!!

Do you know this for a fact? From a pure profit perspective, there is a strong case that it doesn't make a ton of sense to promote a low income-stream investment when it requires you to divert time, energy, and money from your MUCH bigger investments. For example, ESPN3 lacrosse coverage doesn't get the front page very often.

And even profitable ventures can be bad business if they divert your money from more lucrative investments.

More to the point, lots of businesses take, say, their United Way donations very seriously and treat it as part of their overall marketing strategy even if it cannot be easily quantified in terms of profits. Why can't the NBA be something ESPN is committed to because they think its the right thing, even if it's a bad investment?

My guess is that ESPN wants to market itself as an ultra-diverse haven for sports, and that requires taking some hits by promoting women's sports. Sure they'd love to grow female viewership, but we'd all like lots of things. It doesn't make throwing money at it a strategy. They aren't worried about losing money because they think it is a source of good will.

 

[bobbyok1]

The problem though is that you are coming at this from a very direct route. You think that ESPN is promoting WNBA because they are woke. Full stop. No other explanation will do for you.

The reality is that ESPN is a business that owns the rights to the WNBA. Whether you believe the low viewership will always be the situation with this product is irrelevant. ESPN wants to grow the WNBA viewership. One way they can do that is to promote this product, that they own the broadcasting rights to, across their many media outlets. If ESPN can grow their WNBA viewership they can charge more for the advertising of that product and...wait for it...MAKE MORE MONEY!!

Thanks for a logical response, very refreshing in our current world.

Obviously ESPN as a business seeks to make money. However, the aim of the bottom line is not incompatible with having additional aims. In this instance, an aim by their top execs to be guided by "woke" ideologies. So, no, actually I do not see it as a "all or nothing" direct route with no other possibilities. I do think they have an aim to make money. But making money while furthering your ideological bents is a thing, yes?

Let's not ignore the fact that there are far easier ways to make money than make the WNBA your flagship.

 

[NDohio]

Thanks for a logical response, very refreshing in our current world.

Obviously ESPN as a business seeks to make money. However, the aim of the bottom line is not incompatible with having additional aims. In this instance, an aim by their top execs to be guided by "woke" ideologies. So, no, actually I do not see it as a "all or nothing" direct route with no other possibilities. I do think they have an aim to make money. But making money while furthering your ideological bents is a thing, yes?

Let's not ignore the fact that there are far easier ways to make money than make the WNBA your flagship.

But here is the thing. ESPN isn't constantly pushing the WNBA on their front page(hurry - check now) and they aren't trying to make them their flagship. That's just hyperbole. This discussion started because the WNBA was a focus on ESPN on a Thursday night when there was a NFL game on a different channel. Well, it makes a lot of sense that people will be going to a sports website to check up on the football game and - boom - that sports website is promoting one of their products.

Look, I don't think the ESPN of 3-5 years ago was below pushing their agenda above all else. I also think they realized that was hurting their brand and have made some adjustments based on that. They are a MUCH better overall product today than they were then. I really don't think your starting point for why ESPN had WNBA as their focus should be "woke".

 

[bobbyok1]

My guess is that ESPN wants to market itself as an ultra-diverse haven for sports, and that requires taking some hits by promoting women's sports. Sure they'd love to grow female viewership, but we'd all like lots of things. It doesn't make throwing money at it a strategy. They aren't worried about losing money because they think it is a source of good will.

I think this is very possible. And again, to my point, this in my view is being driven by the cultural streams of Marxist thought. In short this is an aim at Equity. Not Equality, or equal opportunity. But Equity which is required equal outcomes.

It is a very plan thing to understand, Equity/forced outcomes is Marxist in its formation. If people want Marxism guiding our cultural norms, so be it. History has proven it is for the worse, by far. But let's at least be honest and competent about what the cultural waters we all swim in.

Personally, I do not see promoting something people don't care to watch as a source of good will. It would be good will if people were not watching because they were sexist, racist, or for whatever other misshaped human response. It seems people aren't watching simply because they don't find it as entertaining as male sports. I see no injury in that response. And therefore I see no "good will" in trying to force an outcome American culture does not desire.

 

[bobbyok1]

But here is the thing. ESPN isn't constantly pushing the WNBA on their front page(hurry - check now) and they aren't trying to make them their flagship. That's just hyperbole. This discussion started because the WNBA was a focus on ESPN on a Thursday night when there was a NFL game on a different channel. Well, it makes a lot of sense that people will be going to a sports website to check up on the football game and - boom - that sports website is promoting one of their products.

Look, I don't think the ESPN of 3-5 years ago was below pushing their agenda above all else. I also think they realized that was hurting their brand and have made some adjustments based on that. They are a MUCH better overall product today than they were then. I really don't think your starting point for why ESPN had WNBA as their focus should be "woke".

Agreed on me exaggerating when I said they were aiming to make WNBA their "flagship."

Beyond that I think I think we are just looking through different lens. And that's okay.