Why does ESPN Classic show so much poker, billiards, and bowling?

[cloudeleven]

If you take a look at their schedule, they show many, many hours of poker, billiards, and bowling per week, but very little, if any, baseball, even in the summer. There's also very little hockey.

I don't think it's really ratings-related. I don't think people would rather watch bowling & billiards rather than baseball.

Is it just less expensive for them to show poker, billiards, & bowling instead of baseball? I'm not sure what their reasoning is behind it. I mean, there should be a vast library of classic baseball and hockey material at their disposal, no?

[Sultan_1895-1948]

I believe their contract with MLB limits the number of games they can show. They have designated nights and times for ball, like WED NIGHT doubleheaders and SUNDAY NIGHT baseball. I feel your pain. Everytime you turn to ESPN2, they often have tennis, fishing, volleyball, strongman, billiards, etc.

The poker wouldn't be so bad if they didn't replay the same shows over and over, recapping the world series and what not. Fox and the travel channel do it right, by having new tournaments every now and then; keeps things fresh. Overall I think ESPN is still the best sports channel out there, but it would be nice to see more games, I agree. Just think they can't do it cause of contracts. At least they have an excuse. What about MTV who used to actually play music videos instead of this BS "date my mom" and "sweet 16" and "that model show or whatever" and that "laguna show" and whatever else. Gotta be watchin' at like 4 or 5 in the morning to see videos nowdays.

Misread your title for the topic :o

You're talking about ESPN CLASSIC?

Right now they're showing a classic baseball game. From 1993: Philadelphia vs. Toronto, game 6 of the WS. They're interviewing Carter and Kruk in between showing the game, pretty cool.

I usually like most of their stuff, though they could put on more games. This game right here is kind of a rarity, don't usually see this. The sportscenturies are pretty good, and the who's #1's are alright if it's something you're interested in.

What would be cool, is if they had a website where fans could vote on the classic game they want to see. So you could vote for Game 1 of the '88 WS, or Game 7 of the 1991.

[Captain Cold Nose]

It might just be a matter of what they have access to and what they don't. They may not have the rights to the baseball and hockey broadcasts, although I am sure it wouldn't be too hard to get them. They were the original netwrok for the bowling, poker and billiard broadcasts. They're just starting to show some of the old boxing shows they've had over the years, although of mostly recent vintage, but that's an improvement. How many times can they show Muhammad Ali fighting Jurgen Blin?

[efin98]

It might just be a matter of what they have access to and what they don't. They may not have the rights to the baseball and hockey broadcasts, although I am sure it wouldn't be too hard to get them.

The other networks are strict when it comes to their programing, they don't let their games get rebroadcast without a hig price.

The only network ESPN could cheaply get access to would be their corporate cousin, ABC. Even then it's only a limited number of games and worse yet, games that weren't really noteworthy enough to bother showing.



Now if MLB was like the NFL and NBA they would have created their own network like NFL Films and The NFL Network to record, catelogue, and rebroadcast games and highlight videos of all of their games to allow them to be rebroadcast for a cheap price yet still retain the networks' broadcast rights...but that's not likely to happen.

[Rennie Stennett]

ESRN:

Entertainment Sports Re-run Network

[W_Marone]

It is bad enough you cant go three channels without seeing poker, just another one to add to the long list. Although cheap seats is a funny show, those guys are hilarious, anyone remembre a few years ago when they were trying to get Jose Okendo in the hall of fame, and they got him a plaque on the outside of the janitors closet. That was funny.

[Captain Cold Nose]

It is bad enough you cant go three channels without seeing poker, just another one to add to the long list. Although cheap seats is a funny show, those guys are hilarious, anyone remembre a few years ago when they were trying to get Jose Okendo in the hall of fame, and they got him a plaque on the outside of the janitors closet. That was funny.
My problem with the show is it seems like they only taped five or six episodes, which get played ad nauseum. It's very funny, though. Those two have been around, providing the voices for the conjoined twins on the animated show, The Oblongs, among other roles through the years.
The Oquendo show was funny, and was actually quite informative.

[digglahhh]

Extreme Sports and Poker Network Classic.

I feel you, man. Bowling and billiards all the time...

The only baseball game they show is the 93 Series, Joe Carter game... Seriously, the last five times I saw baseball on that channel was that game. I mean, it was a great game, but...

When, Tim McCarver says "In Canada, when you say PM they think of Prime Minister, but now they might start thinking Paul Molitor" That's priceless, possbily the corniest thing McCarver has ever said, and that's some stiff comp right there...

[wamby]

ESPN Classic did a decent job with baseball until the 2004 ALCS. While that series was going on they dropped all their programing and just showed Yankees/Red Sox games. Their library of Yankees/Red Sox games is extremely weak, it seemed like they were showing the same five games over and over. SInce then I have only seen two baseball games on the network. The Blue Jays/Phillies game mentioned above and the Bucky Dent game.

When they did show baseball, it reminded me why I liked NBCs coverage and hated ABCs coverage when I was a kid.

[cloudeleven]

wamby,

I've been reading their schedule for a few years now, and I noticed the same thing. Right after the 2004 postseason, they dropped almost all baseball off their schedule. They even stopped showing "This Week in Baseball" reruns in early 2005 (granted, they only had about 20 episodes in their library, apparently). In October last year, they showed several 1 hour World Series highlight films, but that and the 93 WS Game 6 & Bucky Dent game are about all we get nowadays.

Pre-October 2004, they showed a 2 hour game about every 2 or 3 days. What happened?

[wamby]

wamby,

I've been reading their schedule for a few years now, and I noticed the same thing. Right after the 2004 postseason, they dropped almost all baseball off their schedule. They even stopped showing "This Week in Baseball" reruns in early 2005 (granted, they only had about 20 episodes in their library, apparently). In October last year, they showed several 1 hour World Series highlight films, but that and the 93 WS Game 6 & Bucky Dent game are about all we get nowadays.

Pre-October 2004, they showed a 2 hour game about every 2 or 3 days. What happened?

I don't know. I used to check their schedule every week. I've recorded about 70 games of ESPN Classic.

Maybe the Yankees/Red Sox thing caused a hit in their ratings.

[grizzly451]

I would go on the theory that they probably do think poker reruns would bring in higher rating then ballgames. ESPN normally does run a little behind the times, slow to change kind of deal. To me all the ESPN networks have gotten too bogged down in their own 'custom' programming, stuff they thought up and think is good just because they made it.

Of course maybe they lost the rights to show that stuff? Its hard to say, but it was great to turn in and catch a classic game.

Anyone know if any of the dish networks have a channel that just shows old games like this? baseball, football, hockey? To me that seems like it would be an super obivious choice for a extra channel you could pay a few bucks a month extra for old games.

[wamby]

Anyone know if any of the dish networks have a channel that just shows old games like this? baseball, football, hockey? To me that seems like it would be an super obivious choice for a extra channel you could pay a few bucks a month extra for old games.

It sounds like you are describing the Classic Sports Network before it was acquired by ESPN.

[grizzly451]

It sounds like you are describing the Classic Sports Network before it was acquired by ESPN.


Ah, that does sound familiar, its been so long since I've even had cable I forgot. The only games I get to watch now are online.

[redbuck]

ESPN is the ultimate home of cliches, ignorance, nonsense, ******** on top of more nonsense.

Somewhere in the 1990s ESPN started loading its programming with "analysis" which is worthless drivel that is nothing but annoying, worthless ******** to anybody who cares to think about it and not just take it.

So ESPN has reached the point where it appeals only to its insiders, those who like the terms "web gem" and find all the little Dickie V doopey doo diaper dandy stuff even moderately amusing.

"Cliches are the soldiers of ignorance" -Bill James

Fight the ignorance. Fight ESPN.

[W_Marone]

I'm not gonna bag on ESPN, its the channel that is on most of the time in my house. I love baseball tonight, web gem has become almost a country wide word for a good play with the glove, I have heard an uncountable amount of people say web gem after seeing a play. I must admit, some analysis of stuff, like one of Barry Bonds everyday is quite annoying and unnecessary, but some of the stuff they report on is quite informational or heartwarming. Dicky V, I could do without him sometimes.

[Go Bravos!!!#1]

Does it seem to you all that on Mike and Mike in the morning there could be the biggest baseball story ever, and they would smother it with minor news about the NFL, NBA and College Sports?

I like Mike and Mike, I just think they could spend more time on MLB.

[JohnGelnarFan]

:radio I agree. They're very good at covering any subject but Baseball does seem to get cut off pretty quickly. This is the time of year that they should feature it too. Maybe if Golic had been a pro Baseball player and greeny had played something other than high school tennis. I love those commercials!






Does it seem to you all that on Mike and Mike in the morning there could be the biggest baseball story ever, and they would smother it with minor news about the NFL, NBA and College Sports?

I like Mike and Mike, I just think they could spend more time on MLB.

[theAmazingMet]

I heard they may add paint drying and lawn mowing to their extensive network, can't be much more boring than watching cards, bowling or billiards! Sorry fans of those games, but they are plain BORING, people say baseball is boring but watching some hack contemlating over a piece of cardboard just doesnt excite me, not enough of a degenerate gambler. Next on ESPN alcoholics pounding beers...

[64Cards]

ESPN is the ultimate home of cliches, ignorance, nonsense, ******** on top of more nonsense.

Somewhere in the 1990s ESPN started loading its programming with "analysis" which is worthless drivel that is nothing but annoying, worthless ******** to anybody who cares to think about it and not just take it.

So ESPN has reached the point where it appeals only to its insiders, those who like the terms "web gem" and find all the little Dickie V doopey doo diaper dandy stuff even moderately amusing.

"Cliches are the soldiers of ignorance" -Bill James

Fight the ignorance. Fight ESPN.
Great post Redbuck, couldn't agree more. About the only way I can tolerate having it on is with the sound off, just to see some highlights.

[ACrank]

it was that channel where i finally got to see Jackie Robinson steal home against Yogi Berra and the Yankees, Sandy Koufax against the Minnesota Twins, and Gibson and Lolich going pitch for pitch in a world series....

and all in glorious black and white....

now it seems the only baseball games they show are games i have already seen - thats no fun

i really think its more a ratings issue - but i can't remember the last time i watched ESPN Classics

(does anyone remember the channel before ESPN bought them - was just Classic Sports and it seemed all they did was show rebroadcasts of various games)

[digglahhh]

I Next on ESPN alcoholics pounding beers...

Finally, I can consider myself an athlete!:D

But, when it comes to alcoholism, life as a Met fan may be considered a "performance enhancement..."

[Brownie31]

Don't forget that ESPN also serves as Barry Bonds' Ministry of
Propaganda.

Brownie31

[digglahhh]

Don't forget that ESPN also serves as Barry Bonds' Ministry of
Propaganda.

Brownie31

ESPN classic?

This thread is about how they don't show baseball and rather bowling and poker.

Do tell how Dick Weber's 300 game from 1984 is Barry Bonds propaganda.

Oh, and Bonds just flopped the nut HGH, I doubt he'll slow play it...

[Brownie31]

ESPN classic?

This thread is about how they don't show baseball and rather bowling and poker.

Do tell how Dick Weber's 300 game from 1984 is Barry Bonds propaganda.

Oh, and Bonds just flopped the nut HGH, I doubt he'll slow play it...

Well excuse me! If you check Redbuck's April 24 post you
will find I am not the only one to comment on ESPN as a
whole.

Brownie31

[wamby]

I've noticed that EPSN Classic has been showing some baseball. I wasutterly shocked to discover that they are showing Yankees/Red Sox games, the biiggest rivalry in three states.

[Redondos]

it was that channel where i finally got to see Jackie Robinson steal home against Yogi Berra and the Yankees, Sandy Koufax against the Minnesota Twins, and Gibson and Lolich going pitch for pitch in a world series....

and all in glorious black and white....

now it seems the only baseball games they show are games i have already seen - thats no fun

i really think its more a ratings issue - but i can't remember the last time i watched ESPN Classics

(does anyone remember the channel before ESPN bought them - was just Classic Sports and it seemed all they did was show rebroadcasts of various games)

Yes, the old Classic Sports Network was a great channel until ESPN took it over. Now they show blocks of programming (WSOP, Sportscentury, etc.) that they hope will catch the attention of channel surfers. Sad.

Happily though, if you want to see Sandy Koufax in the 1965 series, or Gibson and Lolich dueling each other in the 7th game of the 1968 series, I have 'em all,... and a whole lot more. Unedited. Check out my website if any of you want to trade for these classic games.

[W_Marone]

I think one big reason they show the world series of poker a lot is, well Its not too big as it was, but it's the popular thing right now, every channel has poker now, next nickelodeon will have thier cartoons playin poker.