ESPN Moving Some Operations West
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Found this interesting article at the LA Times. It appears that ESPN is sending some of its operations and people to Los Angeles in 2009.....
West Coast fans who have long suspected an East Coast bias from Bristol, Conn.-based ESPN can begin to rest easier, because the cable sports giant is on track to open by spring 2009 a full-fledged broadcast production facility across from Staples Center.I'm sure some people will be happy to get out of Connecticut, but this move makes a ton of sense from a business standpoint. I always thought it was crazy that people had to work through the night, especially if you're an anchor on the late Sports Center. Well now you move it to L.A. and those employees will be going to be 3 hours earlier than they were in Bristol.
The five-story ESPN building that is taking shape will house an ESPN Zone restaurant on the first two floors and two television production studios with digital control rooms on upper floors. One studio will become home for the late-night edition of its signature "SportsCenter" that now is produced on the busy Bristol campus. ESPN also will house its 710 radio station studios next door in an office building now under construction.
Now about that East Coast Bias?
16 Comments:
Sweet. Now we can have East-coast-and-L.A. bias.
There never was, never has been, and never will be an East Coast Bias.
There is, however, a Big Market Bias. That's where Los Angeles comes in, especially with USC and the Lakers. If you are in a big market, or your team is popular in a big market, ESPN loves you.
The reason why there's so much confusion here is that most of the big markets are on the East Coast.
And that's why ESPN gives no love to the Southeast or the SEC in general. ESPN doesn't care about Birmingham or Baton Rouge.
J.J. said ...
"And that's why ESPN gives no love to the Southeast or the SEC in general."
Not flaming or anything, but did you miss the ESPN full throttle propaganda campaign for Tim Tebow and the Heisman?
The first part of your comments was right. It's a big market bias.
I think this has been known for awhile. they started building it in last year I think.
But the setup for the building is sweet. It's right across from Staples Center and now with them building a concert venue right there, they're really trying to build up downtown.
If I see Berman at any of hangouts I'm throwing something at him.
I agree about Big market bias, but disagree with your SEC comment. ESPN sucks up to the SEC all the time. Look at the Big 12 and PAC 10 if you want unfair. Outside of Oklahoma, Texas and USC, they do not care at all about those conferences.
Jay, I still stand by my SEC comment. Florida has somewhat of a national following in the SEC. But outside of that and Kentucky basketball, nobody outside of Birmingham and Baton Rouge really give a shit.
Yes, I know CBS has the contract. But if ESPN wanted it bad enough, they'd have it. But they're more preoccupied with the big-market, national-following teams like USC, Michigan and Notre Dame (road games)
And when football season is over, good luck finding SEC basketball on TV. Unless Kentucky is playing.
Maybe He Whose Name Shall Never Be Spoken Again will go, since he's such a "West Coast guy". That, and the fact that he'll be able to fellate Pete Carroll on a daily basis.
Oh please let that be true Bruce. The further I'm away from him the better.
Can't you see what's happening!!! ESPN moving to LA is to accomadate Simmons!!! He's going to be everywhere taking half court shots at high school games now.
Can't you see what's happening!!! ESPN moving to LA is to accomadate Simmons!!! He's going to be everywhere taking half court shots at high school games now.
Considering an SEC team won the last two basketball titles they should be on more. Oh wait the ACC is just sooo overhyped.
Has Florida even been on TV this year? I know Michigan is on several times already, and they never even make the tournament!
rs - I'm sure you'll see Boomer around if Huey Lewis & The News are still touring.
Well saying there's a big market bias and an East coast bias is kind of the same thing right?
I mean outside LA most of the big markets are on the East Coast. Trust me, living in the Bay Area (and from Colorado) Yankees/Red Sox gets way more press than Giants/Dodgers. Mets/Braves gets more Press than Giants/Dodgers for that matter. It's not just the good teams either.
It's not just ESPN either, look at something ESPN completely ignores, i.e Hockey. Look at all the awards from last season, 2 of the major awards (out of 11) went to teams/players from the Eastern Conference. One of those two were from Detroit, which despite being in the Western Conference is in the Eastern time zone. All this despite the Western conference being widely regarded as the better conference.
It happens in all sports. Chase Daniels wasn't in Heisman talk until late in the season, even though his season was spectacular. 1 Bronco (6 Super Bowl Appearances) in the Hall of fame.
Chase Daniel has to do something extraordinary to finally be considered by late November, but if Mike Hart or Matt Ryan do something even remotely interesting...
The SEC is by most accounts the best conference in America, but Tim Tebow is only the conference's second Heisman winner after 1985 (widely known as "The ESPN Era"). At the same time, USC, Notre Dame, and Michigan have a combined six.
Ric Bucher needed a place of his own to start more Kobe rumors.