ESPN = Wal-Mart

Yes? No? Why or Why not?

Discuss

An experiment on my part. Just throwing a topic out, letting the masses have at it, if they want to, and waiting to see what happens and how it develops.

 

espn appears to pay its employees a lot better.

 

Most people would take Wal-Mart over living in Bristol, Conn.

 

Fnord. Queef. Poot.

But I'll stop short of asking for the bunny, and say that ESPN is trying to be the ubiquitous brand, like Wal-Mart, but it doesn't appear to be cutting every little corner in its expansion; it's bucking up for talent, not hiring minimum wage.

 

I pose the question because it seems ESPN fits some of the talking points from the anti-Wal-Mart crowd (minus the poor pay) by being bigger, faster, cheaper and crappier in quality in many cases. It also seems to want to rule the world and dominate or drive out competitors.

 

Well, everybody wants to rule the world.

 

Wal-Mart is evil

ESPN is a drunken frat boy

 

Resistance is futile. Prepare to be assimilated.

 

Take it to the "Post a song you're listening to now" thread.

 

I guess I can see the resemblance:

 

I don't see that. I don't see anything predatory about hiring people from a variety of newspapers; it doesn't seem that they're picking on any one news organization in particular. And I think they would need to add about 800 reporters to be able to compete for news evenly with large papers in every decent-size pro and major-college market.

 

I don't think I can name one mom 'n' pop operation that ESPN has caused to fold. Most of the other major sports broadcasters seem to be doing fine as well.