F... ESPN.com

ESPN.com is a really really busy site (full disclosure: I was pretty heavily involved with the early stages of the redesign). So much good information but it ain't all that easy to find nor worth the time.

Which page are you seeing autoplaying on?

I clicked on a 160 word snipet about Cassel accepting the Pats' franchise tender, and got autoplay from both the caption picture that turned into a Transformers 2 trailer (can't wait for that movie), as well as the right column of the page selling Powerade Zero. Not to mention the NASCAR banner ad scrolling across the top of the screen.

I understand the financial crunch and how important marketing dollars are right now. However, when you have to hunt around the ads and trailers, and other miscellaneous revenue pieces begin to overpower the great content of the site, it just gets kind of annoying. Maybe I'm overblowing it. I dunno. Just a thought I guess.

Another big FU to ESPN (http://blog.wired.com/business/2009/02/espn-stands-fir.html)

ESPN Monday Night Football crew is horrible.
I can't watch NFL pregame or highlight because I can't stand Berman.
Now this Internet bullshit?

ESPN has turned into MTV.

Another big FU to ESPN (http://blog.wired.com/business/2009/02/espn-stands-fir.html)

ESPN Monday Night Football crew is horrible.
I can't watch NFL pregame or highlight because I can't stand Berman.
Now this Internet bullshit?

ESPN has turned into MTV.

Not sure how ESPN has turned into MTV but anyway...

What's this Internet bull you're talking about

I clicked on a 160 word snipet about Cassel accepting the Pats' franchise tender, and got autoplay from both the caption picture that turned into a Transformers 2 trailer (can't wait for that movie), as well as the right column of the page selling Powerade Zero. Not to mention the NASCAR banner ad scrolling across the top of the screen.

I understand the financial crunch and how important marketing dollars are right now. However, when you have to hunt around the ads and trailers, and other miscellaneous revenue pieces begin to overpower the great content of the site, it just gets kind of annoying. Maybe I'm overblowing it. I dunno. Just a thought I guess.

They'vecut back a lot on the autostarts, particularly on the homepage. But yeah, unfortunately, you'll still get those other autostarts for at least a while because as you say times are tough.

Not sure how ESPN has turned into MTV but anyway...

What's this Internet bull you're talking about
i kind of hear what he is saying. a whole lot of glitz swamping over the real info

I agree with the MTV comparison. ESPN has definitely compromised their core competencies to appeal to the lowest common denominator.

ESPN now = glitzy, over produced content

ESPN 5 years ago = best source of information and more quality content of interest. I'd say ESPN's current trajectory has it heading towards joke territory like MTV.

I gues guess much of the news industry is heading the same way though. This isn't confined to ESPN at all.

ESPN, unlike MTV and music, is still about sports. And it's, more often than not, the first place people go to.

They'vecut back a lot on the autostarts, particularly on the homepage. But yeah, unfortunately, you'll still get those other autostarts for at least a while because as you say times are tough.

I did notice that. The right hand column of the main page used to have an autostart that annoyed me to the point I would mute my laptop speakers before going to the site. You guys dropped that, which is nice. You gotta do what you gotta do.

I bought ESPN Insider a few years back, and it's probably the main reason I visit the site. Great stuff on Insider, especially this time of year when the combine/draft gets rolling.

Not sure how ESPN has turned into MTV but anyway...

What's this Internet bull you're talking about

For MTV Comparison, See FRPLGs Post.

The internet bull is ESPN is only making it' ESPN360 product accessible to people who have an ISP that pays ESPN for their product. I'm my opinion this goes against everything the Internet is about. I understand if they want to charge customers for their product but they should not be extorting ISPs.

But its not ESPNs fault. They are owned by Disney and they are doing the same thing with some of their sites.
Hell, Even the NFL does it.

As long as ESPN has journalists like John Clayton, Buster Olney, Tim Kurkjian (who I've talked to at the gym a few times- super nice guy), Peter Gammons, and Bill Simmons, I'll continue to navigate around ads/autoplays for their content.

Jamf, I agree that the whole ISP/ESPN360 issue is annoying. I had Verizon internet a year ago at this time, and I got to watch a lot of Gator bball on the computer with 360. Now with stupid Comcast I can't.