Heath Bell: ESPN Bias

[Speedy]

Re: Heath Bell: ESPN Bias

Heath Bell just appeared on Baseball Tonight...and had a giant mea culpa. He now says it's one of his "favorite shows".

Thanks for manning the barricades, Heath.

Ah, the hypocrisy! I saw this last nite too and was appalled.

[BatsareBugs]

Re: Heath Bell: ESPN Bias

They probably gave him a king's ransom or whatever to get him on that show. Just to shut him up so they can resume their daily duties.

[Ewing]

Re: Heath Bell: ESPN Bias

It's the directors job to get the biggest ratings and give people what they want.

Wrong on so many levels. It's the job of the media to provide an informative, intelligent and unbiased news source. Sadly, with your logic, we get crap you see on television today from all news networks.

You remember when Anna Nicole Smith died? The media spent three months covering that crap. I don't care if it appealed to a lot of people. It's completely anti-intellectual and pointless.

[Misfit]

Re: Heath Bell: ESPN Bias

Wrong on so many levels. It's the job of the media to provide an informative, intelligent and unbiased news source. Sadly, with your logic, we get crap you see on television today from all news networks.

You remember when Anna Nicole Smith died? The media spent three months covering that crap. I don't care if it appealed to a lot of people. It's completely anti-intellectual and pointless.

You can think it's anti-intellectual and pointless all you want, but that doesn't change ESPN's primary goal which is to make money, and that is the only thing driving its programming. The "E" in ESPN stands for Entertainment, meaning that comes first.

Just about everyone is looking at this issue from an egocentric point of view. To ESPN (and just about every corporation) your individual voice means nothing. Only the collective, money making voice, matters. If you don't like ESPN's sports coverage then don't watch it, its about the only way you can make a statement. I don't watch it, just like I don't watch MTV. My favorite band is Danzig. Would I like to see my favorite band covered on MTV? Sure, but I'm in a niche audience and I know what I want isn't going to happen. Unfortunately, Padres, Rockies, Nationals, etc fans are in the same boat with ESPN as I am with MTV. You move on.

[bkrich83]

Re: Heath Bell: ESPN Bias

You can think it's anti-intellectual and pointless all you want, but that doesn't change ESPN's primary goal which is to make money, and that is the only thing driving its programming. The "E" in ESPN stands for Entertainment, meaning that comes first.

Just about everyone is looking at this issue from an egocentric point of view. To ESPN (and just about every corporation) your individual voice means nothing. Only the collective, money making voice, matters. If you don't like ESPN's sports coverage then don't watch it, its about the only way you can make a statement. I don't watch it, just like I don't watch MTV. My favorite band is Danzig. Would I like to see my favorite band covered on MTV? Sure, but I'm in a niche audience and I know what I want isn't going to happen. Unfortunately, Padres, Rockies, Nationals, etc fans are in the same boat with ESPN as I am with MTV. You move on.

That still doesn't explain Dodger fans. With their fan base and the #2 sized media market in the country, I don't believe them to qualify as a niche market. The Angels while technically in Anaheim, from a TV perspective are in the LA market as their coverage is all on LA channel's not to mention few teams draw better than they do, and they've been pretty successful over the last several years. I don't see them as a nice market either.

[choadler]

Re: Heath Bell: ESPN Bias

I think Cub, Red Sox, and Yankee fans extend beyond just their regional markets though. They really are national teams followed in every major city to a larger degree than other fan bases. It is ridiculous to see how many Red Sox fans are at Angels games when they come to town.

[bkrich83]

Re: Heath Bell: ESPN Bias

I think Cub, Red Sox, and Yankee fans extend beyond just their regional markets though. They really are national teams followed in every major city to a larger degree than other fan bases. It is ridiculous to see how many Red Sox fans are at Angels games when they come to town.

You can say that for a lot of fans from cold weather cities in the warm weather stadiums, not just in baseball.

It's because places like So. Cal get so many transplants from those areas.

You should see a Charger game when Pittsburgh, Kansas City, Denver or Green Bay play here.

A lot more people move in this direction than vice versa.

[yvesdereuter]

Re: Heath Bell: ESPN Bias

You can say that for a lot of fans from cold weather cities in the warm weather stadiums, not just in baseball.

It's because places like So. Cal get so many transplants from those areas.

You should see a Charger game when Pittsburgh, Kansas City, Denver or Green Bay play here.

A lot more people move in this direction than vice versa.

Actually, Denver sees more than its share of California transplants.

[choadler]

Re: Heath Bell: ESPN Bias

You can say that for a lot of fans from cold weather cities in the warm weather stadiums, not just in baseball.

It's because places like So. Cal get so many transplants from those areas.

You should see a Charger game when Pittsburgh, Kansas City, Denver or Green Bay play here.

A lot more people move in this direction than vice versa.

NFL games really cannot be compared to baseball as far as coverage. NFL does well everywhere. Baseball does not.

[bkrich83]

Re: Heath Bell: ESPN Bias

Actually, Denver sees more than its share of California transplants.

The disparity is huge however. There are a lot more heading this way than the other.

[bkrich83]

Re: Heath Bell: ESPN Bias

NFL games really cannot be compared to baseball as far as coverage. NFL does well everywhere. Baseball does not.

Baseball does quite well on the west coast. Look at attendance numbers.

Angels, Dodgers, Mariners, Giants and even Padres have drawn very well in the 2000's. Angels and Dodgers draw 3 million plus every year.

[Coug00]

Re: Heath Bell: ESPN Bias

Baseball does quite well on the west coast. Look at attendance numbers.

Angels, Dodgers, Mariners, Giants and even Padres have drawn very well in the 2000's. Angels and Dodgers draw 3 million plus every year.

Yep, during the early/mid 2000's MLB attendance leaders were top heavy with West Coast teams. In '02 and '03, four of the top five attendance leaders were from the West Coast. In '01 and '02 Seattle led the league in attendance.

It took franchise crippling collapses from the Giants and Mariners before the WC lost its grip. But even now, with lower attendance due to poor teams, the only WC team in the bottom 3rd of the league every year is Oakland.

[choadler]

Re: Heath Bell: ESPN Bias

Oh I definitely agree. West Coast does extremely well in attendance. I just feel because of time differential, the East Coast does not follow the West Coast and because of the large number of Red Sox, Yankees, and Cubs fans out on the west coast, ESPN chooses to focus on those teams, being large national fan bases as opposed to regional fan bases, as rating generators. They are able to get a national audience watching when these teams are on rather than a regional audience.

[bkrich83]

Re: Heath Bell: ESPN Bias

Oh I definitely agree. West Coast does extremely well in attendance. I just feel because of time differential, the East Coast does not follow the West Coast and because of the large number of Red Sox, Yankees, and Cubs fans out on the west coast, ESPN chooses to focus on those teams, being large national fan bases as opposed to regional fan bases, as rating generators. They are able to get a national audience watching when these teams are on rather than a regional audience.

I see your point. But they are ESPN, they are really the only game in town. Their going to get a national audience no matter what they show. There's no way you can convince me, that if they start providing balanced coverage all of a sudden their numbers are going to drop.

[SoxFan01605]

Re: Heath Bell: ESPN Bias

That still doesn't explain Dodger fans. With their fan base and the #2 sized media market in the country, I don't believe them to qualify as a niche market. The Angels while technically in Anaheim, from a TV perspective are in the LA market as their coverage is all on LA channel's not to mention few teams draw better than they do, and they've been pretty successful over the last several years. I don't see them as a nice market either.

I see your point, and it doesn't make sense from a logical standpoint based on what sports fans would likely want.

BUT, while the Dodgers (and Angels) both do well in attendance they are second fiddle to the Lakers (who are also huge nationally), which is part of it. The other part of it is the Dodgers have been an 80 something win team with very few players of interest (I'm speaking in general terms...not specific to baseball fans). The Dodgers get fair highlights by comparison almost nightly now. Why? They have a draw in Manny's antics.

ESPN is technically "national" and only interested in the bigger draws from that standpoint. I just don't buy the "east coast bias" stuff as the rule (it's there for some reporters though, I agree). If it's anything, it's "front-runner bias" or "sensationalized story bias"...lol. The Red Sox were rarely covered before they started contending again. The only times they were was to run a piece on the dreaded curse drama.

ESPN is after stories, drama, etc. They are a prime example of the sensationalized, ratings hungry, national media "coverage" of today. You seem to be basing this from the false (sadly) standpoint that ESPN cares even remotely about the sports coverage. They don't. They just want the headline grabbing story.

Look at the Cowboys. They grabbed more coverage in an hour on ESPN than all the eastcoast teams combined for a week...lol. It was a zoo...and ESPN only jumped in the cage with the monkeys and started slinging their own crap.

Everyone jumped on the Yankees fan, but what did he say that was so untrue? I don't believe he ever said it was right from sports standpoint (or even that he agreed with it personally), only that it made sense for what they do. Think of ESPN and national outlets like it as mirrors to our nation's soul...lol...it ain't pretty.

Plus, the other point he made about us holy recievers of the bias is spot on. I'm a Red Sox fan and can't stomach ESPN most times...and half of their staff are considered Sox supporters...lol. On a side note, I miss my NESN.

It sucks, it is anti-intellectual (as someone mentioned), and completely useless to most diehard sportsfans, but, the main audience (casual observers, etc) of ESPN would probably lose interest if the major stories (whether real or senstationalized) aren't covered. ESPN is just taking advantage of the main base's interest in front runners and train wrecks (the two primary things most national media outlets focus on...not exclusive to sports and ESPN either).

Most sports diehards I know only view ESPN out of boredom or for a glance at the ticker. We all know the deal with them. For the real news, you've gotta rely on your local coverage.

Thankfully (I know I was long winded...but it's early) we do have MLB Network which is a savior for me. ESPN is like Foxnews, MSNBC, etc. Out to grab their piece of the ratings through sensationalized media.

Unfortunately for you Padres fans...you aren't that dramatic or sensational. So go kill someone on the field during the 7th inning stretch...lol. (Or have your closer go on the show and sell out)