ESPN Cancels 24 Hour Hoops Programming

[Muskie]

Link (http://collegebasketball.nbcsports.com/2017/10/09/espn-pulling-24-hour-hoops-marathon/)

College basketball fans and insomniacs aren’t going to have their annual evening of overlap this fall.
ESPN’s 24-hour tip-off marathon of hoops is going away this year after nine seasons on the college basketball landscape, The Associated Press (http://collegebasketball.ap.org/article/espns-annual-tip-marathon-wont-happen-season) reported Monday.
The network said the event, which featured a dozen games spread over a full day, “presented programming challenges and won’t be part of this year’s schedule,” according to the AP.
While certainly a logistical challenge, the event did provide college basketball with something of a television and marketing foothold early in the season when interest, beyond other made-for-TV matchups like the Champion’s Classic, can be hard to garner for the sport when college football and the NFL are in their home stretches.

[Muskie]

One of my favorite events. Sad to see it go. Not sure I'm buying "logistics".

[XMuskieFTW]

Maybe it's because ESPN cut all their good college basketball writers, so they're just going to slowly cut the sport all together.

[xukeith]

As a Disney shareholder, I am well aware of ESPN's troubles and losing subscribers in droves. Not that ESPN is losing popularity, it is because the viewing market is shifting sharply to NetFlix, Hulu, etc.

ESPN and other traditional cable channels can't keep the money programming and cutting staff is logical.

Hope Fox Sports 1 can get bigger but I have doubts.

Wish a great college basketball season for all of us.
Going to Madness, Oct. 20..

[GIMMFD]

Maybe it's because ESPN cut all their good college basketball writers, so they're just going to slowly cut the sport all together.

That and they'd rather talk about "Should LeBron disapprove of Tristian Thompson's relationship with Khloe Kardashian" instead of actually talking about sports. Only time I watch ESPN is if a sports event is on, otherwise it's useless to me. I can't even bare Sports Center these days.

[atljar]

That and they'd rather talk about "Should LeBron disapprove of Tristian Thompson's relationship with Khloe Kardashian" instead of actually talking about sports. Only time I watch ESPN is if a sports event is on, otherwise it's useless to me. I can't even bare Sports Center these days.

Ditto. I used to watch it daily. And at this point in time, I havent had it on for a few years. I rely heavily on internet based articles for my sports knowledge/upkeep

[JTG]

I really like Cowherd and Whitlock on Fox. They are good together.

[Olsingledigit]

I really like Cowherd and Whitlock on Fox. They are good together.

Cowherd lost me several years ago when he would not get off the politics. Anymore I immediately turn off any radio or tv show the minute they veer into politics. As a result I don’t listen to or watch much sports programming. Most of these idiots can’t even get the sports things right. I don’t want my politics from those dunderheads.

[GIMMFD]

Cowherd lost me several years ago when he would not get off the politics. Anymore I immediately turn off any radio or tv show the minute they veer into politics. As a result I don’t listen to or watch much sports programming. Most of these idiots can’t even get the sports things right. I don’t want my politics from those dunderheads.

I just think that shouldn't mix in general, I agree. There's a reason I'm watching ESPN and not CNN/FOX, you know? Just break down statistics, analyze strategy, I don't particularly care about external factors. It's becoming saturated with crap shows, there's not really a lot of shows I enjoy watching anymore. I might catch Around The Horn or something every once in a blue moon, but even that's gotten a bit stale.

[xukeith]

Agree. No politics in sports. Bad ratings enough. Don't add politics!