ESPN Classic and your viewing habits

No. I get all the other espns, mlb, nfl, nhl, nba, golf, tennis channels, big ten, sec, fox sports, nbc sports. i should look into it, but i'm good with pretty much everything else. don't want any of the movie channels and other than sports i watch mostly history, a&e, nat geo and tru tv.

 

I'm not sure if I get it either. But like just about every channel on TV now, it got so far away from what it was originally designed for that it's probably not worth watching anymore. Hell, if I can't get weather on the Weather Channel, why in the hell would I expect to get classic sports on ESPN Classic? I checked in now and then when it was convenient, but I'm not big on watching full games that have already been played anyway. If the game was really worthwhile, I'll wait for the documentary.

 

Back in the early 2000s I would watch Classic if they had some old races I wanted to see or some old football game I was curious about. Can't even remember the last time I looked to see if Classic is still a channel I get. Besides, for old sports there is YouTube.

 

Classic also used to show some old sports-related movies, or at least they did a couple years ago. (I've been off cable for a few years now, which mostly kills my knowledge of the accessory channels.) However, I imagine that Netflix, Hulu, Amazon and other digital services attempting to bolster their services have probably made the available movies of lesser status, much like with the weekend movies on other channels.

 

The Wikipedia page explains a lot. There is no longer any original programing and the league networks have taken over playing old games.
The page also mentions that it is moving to VOD. I thought ESPN put a different channel in the Classic slot and had Classic moved to another tier.

 

From that Wiki page:

Current programming

• 30 for 30
• Bassmaster Elite Series
• Battle of the Network Stars
• ESPN First Take Classics (2014–present)
• Friday Night Lights
• Global Supercard Wrestling (originally aired on ESPN from 1991–1994)
• Home Run Derby
• Nine for IX
• The Top 5 Reasons You Can't Blame... (2009–present; originally aired on ESPN2 from 2005–2007)
• Who's No. 1?

No wonder the network is failing.

 

I have DirecTV but as far as I know, ESPN Classic is on the next package up from the one I have. And before that, the only chance I ever had to watch it was when I was visiting my parents.

I remember reading a few months ago that when DirecTV agreed to add the Longhorn Network (which is considered a regional sports network by DirecTV, so I don't get that either), it was part of the deal that ESPN Classic was going to be moved to an on-demand only service.

 

I have to admit, I enjoy watching the Battle of the Network Stars.

 

when this network started as Classic Sport Network I enjoyed it immensely because it showed so much from NFL Films, especially the late 60s and 70s, old Sports Challenge show, Greatest Sports Legends, etc. When ESPN took over thing changed a bit and when the NFL Network stared it seemed most all NFL Films programming was eliminated. Heck the NFL Network doesn't even bother to show NFL Films programming instead re-showing NFL Total Access over and over and over much like ESPN does with Sportscenter. I also like the Battle of the Network Stars but they don't have the entire package. Lots of repeats and they don't even show the best one ever featuring the match race between Robert Conrad and Gabe Kaplan when Mr. Kotter kicked Conrad's butt!!!

 

May be a threadjack but as a 60's pro football junkie I found a video of SuperBowl 1 on YouTube. Someone has taken the NFL Films recap and synched it to the NBC radio broadcast. This video is of virtually every play, After the play their is a freeze until the next play starts. The instant replays are shown but in that era they were not used as frequently.

The NBC radio team was their number two announcing team of Jim Simpson and George Ratterman and they did a competent job of analyzing the game. They talk over the frozen frames and are relatively interesting. I enjoyed it.

Also on You Tube is a black and white CBC tape of Super Bowl IV that is in pretty good shape. Jack Buck and Summerall are the announcers.