ESPN Cancels Barstool Show

I think PFT is a really funny, clever character, but signing on with Barstool confused me the second I heard about that partnership.

 

That's called business, cutthroat style.

 

All depends on what the agreement with Barstool says and if they really want the 2 of them, how much they are willing to pay.

 

I raise a practical question, by taking Barstool, Hill, and others stories out of this...

...what the fuck is John Skipper and ESPN trying to accomplish as an entity?

I ask this as a general observation and question.

They jumped in bed with Barstool, knowing full well that their niche is not what ESPN "values". Then he said that they were not going to control the content of Barstool (IMO I think that's bullshit. ESPN wanted to control the content, but they wanted to see how far Barstool will go before ESPN would handcuffed them), but then turn around and say "Oh, well we were trying to distance ourselves from them, but it's apparent that we couldn't, so we decided to end ties all together."

ESPN has pimped Big Cat and PFT Commenter with most of their personalities from SVP to Bomani to Matthew Berry.

There is something inherently wrong with how all of this being played out.

It isn't that ESPN is this high moral ground when it comes to combating sexism. And Barstool kind of called them out on it.

Barstool interview with golfer Paige Spiranac

Barstool doesn't try to pretend to be something that they are not. They are crude and display some stuff that would turn people off.

It's starting to sound like ESPN is trying to have their cake and eat it too.

 

D-3, you're totally overlooking the most important point here: The ground shifted. When did they make that deal, six months ago? I don't know, I'm asking, but it seems like it would have had to be quite some time ago in order to develop the show.

So much has happened since then, what was acceptable no longer is.

 

ESPN was overtaken by the Weinstein story and that Barstool bro's collar-popping response to it.

That said, ESPN has always struggled with comedy and continues to do so.

 

Craigers did a pretty amusing "feel-good edition" of Sportscenter.

 

You didn't enjoy the sports guy cartoon?

 

Some formats - like Sportscenter or PTI, etc. - allow already funny people to be kind of funny.

In other cases - Kenny Mayne, Bill Simmons, a couple others - a funny person is set loose within the system and mines some laughs.

But anything purpose-built from scratch as a comedy vehicle has failed.

 

You didn't like Jalen vs. Everybody?

I know there are people here who abhor the Sklar brothers, but I thought Cheap Seats was damn good entertainment.

 

Meanwhile, Mike Tirico is wondering when his draft number is going to be called, for a rehash of his exploits.