Sports Illustrated layoffs

I'd certainly disagree on Deitsch. I like almost everything he writes, and he's become a respected voice when it comes to highlighting some of the best writing (not just sports) each week. His shtick on LeBron might be getting a little old, though.

 

Nobody does a worse job of trying to convince you he had to slog his way 270 feet (I'd say more like 310, but 270 is a rounder number for these purposes) around the bases than Sethie. And as others noted here, he'll be just as visible as ever, and nobody ever read his SI tripe anyway.

 

I feel bad for Schnell, I think she's doing some work for the Comcast cable outlet out of Portland now.

I kind of wonder if there is a "dream job" in sports writing anymore, when SI and ESPN can't be counted on to withstand the market. My guess is that writing and covering sports - even at, and especially at - the top levels will be like being a radio DJ, going from market to market, job to job as whims change.

Who knows what happens with the Fox empire when Murdoch moves along.

 

MMQB's Emily Kaplan is leaving for another job in sports media (Clip starts around 32:00 on this podcast with Albert Breer: Albert goes to New Orleans, a BIG announcement from Emily Kaplan and your tweets). She did really good stuff for them (like this Manziel piece: The Fall of Johnny Football: How did it go so wrong for Manziel? | The MMQB with Peter King).

 

He never takes a stand against anything but the lowest hanging fruit, like bayless or clay Travis. Have more balls. And the shit he pulled with the espn layoffs was a wimp move. You're a critic. Your job is to take positions and do things that piss people off. Nothing he writes or says ever moves the needle. And he has the backing of perhaps the most venerable brand in sports writing.

 

Good observation. Interest in college athletics is dying. Look at all the half empty bowl games. College football season is meaningless for 75% of the teams by week 6-7. College students would rather play on Twitter, Tinder, Instagram or Facebook than actually go to a game. Pro sports wag the dog now.

 

Noticed two things today:
1) buried in my latest SI is the news that "double issues" will be published almost every month with skipped weeks afterwards.
2) even though my subscription ran out a couple of months ago, I still haven't received any requests to renew. Usually they'd start hounding me six months before the subscription end-date. That's not a good sign for SI.

 

I received my renewal notice yesterday, months out. Not the first one.

 

There's still a market for college reporting if you want shovel shit and cover recruiting.

ESPN is propping up is NBA coverage because it has no choice, after overpaying for it.

ESPN is losing its TV share in college football, and is cutting accordingly.

With SI...I mean, they give away the coverage online. They just give it away.

 

Not ripping you, Doc, just wonder if everybody thinks your statements are true? Were the bowl games really half empty? Do students not go to the games? Cmon. I bet you they still go to games. Shit, they can play on twitter, facebook on their phones while watching the game. And is it true ESPN is beefing up its NBA coverage cause of a new contract and cutting down on college football? I just want to know if this stuff is really true or if you are making it up. Just wondering what everybody thinks on Doc's assertations.