More people want The Weather Channel than ESPN

Steven Clubb · 01 Mar 2005

In your face, jocks.

http://www.avclub.com/article/la-carte- ... muc-220979

Quote:

According to Digitalsmiths, a TiVo-owned research company, only 35.7 percent of cable subscribers would want ESPN—the smarmy jock of channels— added to their personal lineup of handpicked stations. That ranks the cable network 20th in the survey, behind Discovery Channel at 62 percent, History Channel at 57 percent, and—most sunnily—behind the Weather Channel’s 39.9 percent. Once more, it appears jocks’ arrogant belief that everyone loves them is undercut by the reality of most folks being kind of annoyed by them.

ESPN really does seem to be that channel that you either never watch or always watch.

Night Owl · 26 Dec 2006

I have no desire to watch weather forecasts on TV. I just want to know the basics - is it going to be sunny, rain, storm, snow. etc and I can get that online. It's funny how people will sit down every night and watch a 15 minute science lesson of high pressure systems and low pressure systems and cold fronts and all that just to find out what they really want to know - what is it going to do?

Li'l Jay · 28 May 2006

I think this survey may have over-represented homebound old people.

Hanzo the Razor · 24 Jun 2007

If it weren't for Monday Night Football I'd never watch that channel. News flash, ESPN -- Skip Bayless and Steven A. Smith are horrible.

Hanzo the Razor · 24 Jun 2007

Here's what I'd subscribe to --

Major Networks
TBS
HBO
ESPN
NFL Network
NFL Redzone
Gameshow Network
Animal Planet
NatGeo Wild
BBC America

TS Garp · **Joined:** 29 Dec 2006 **Posts:** 32251 **Location:** MN

If you want to see the weather you have:
The Weather Channel.

If you want to see sports you have:
ESPN
ESPN 2
ESPN News
ESPN Classic
Fox Sports One
Fox Sports Net
MASN
Comcast Sportsnet
The Golf Channel
The Tennis Channel
MLB Network
NFL Network
NHL Network
NBA Network
NBC Sportschannel
CBS Sportschannel
The Big Ten Network

Yes, it is weather that sells cable.

Hanzo the Razor · 24 Jun 2007

I just use a weather app.

Marcus · 27 Nov 2004

Li'l Jay wrote:

I think this survey may have over-represented homebound old people.

Li'l Jay · 28 May 2006

TS Garp wrote:

If you want to see the weather you have:
The Weather Channel.

If you want to see sports you have:
ESPN
ESPN 2
ESPN News
ESPN Classic
Fox Sports One
Fox Sports Net
MASN
Comcast Sportsnet
The Golf Channel
The Tennis Channel
MLB Network
NFL Network
NHL Network
NBA Network
NBC Sportschannel
CBS Sportschannel
The Big Ten Network

Yes, it is weather that sells cable.

Plus, sports is one of the main areas (along with news) that must be consumed live, and can't really be replaced by streaming it later.

Blasphemy that you left out SEC Network.

Li'l Jay · 28 May 2006

Hanzo the Razor wrote:

If it weren't for Monday Night Football I'd never watch that channel. News flash, ESPN -- Skip Bayless and Steven A. Smith are horrible.

It's one of those things - I'm not overstating when I say I have trouble imagining what my life would be like without it.

Steven Clubb · 01 Mar 2005

TS Garp wrote:

If you want to see the weather you have:
The Weather Channel.

If you want to see sports you have:
ESPN
ESPN 2
ESPN News
ESPN Classic
Fox Sports One
Fox Sports Net
MASN
Comcast Sportsnet
The Golf Channel
The Tennis Channel
MLB Network
NFL Network
NHL Network
NBA Network
NBC Sportschannel
CBS Sportschannel
The Big Ten Network

Yes, it is weather that sells cable.

And yet still cable is dying.

I'm not denying that sports channels are at the center of quite a few people's lives... but it is interesting to note that ESPN is only a few channels above SyFy in that poll.

James C. Taylor · 16 Aug 2004

I sense a bit of "high school" hostility here. I have never understood the nerd v. jock thing, but that is probably because I was a nerd who also was a jock.

Li'l Jay · 28 May 2006

I was a nerd who was not also a jock. But football occupies a major position in my entertainment life. About half of my social conversations touch upon it.

Simon · **Joined:** 26 Oct 2006 **Posts:** 59410

Li'l Jay wrote:

Hanzo the Razor wrote:

If it weren't for Monday Night Football I'd never watch that channel. News flash, ESPN -- Skip Bayless and Steven A. Smith are horrible.

It's one of those things - I'm not overstating when I say I have trouble imagining what my life would be like without it.

You'd become a housebound old person?

Steven Clubb · 01 Mar 2005

James C. Taylor wrote:

I sense a bit of "high school" hostility here. I have never understood the nerd v. jock thing, but that is probably because I was a nerd who also was a jock.

Nah, I mostly find it amusing.

Sports fans are really passionate which is why they're an important demographic. The Murdoch Empire is built upon the idea that the best way to sell newspapers is with a good sports section.

But as someone who habitually blocked sports channels since the Saints killed football for me (growing up with the Saints was a hope killer back in the day), I do find it interesting that in pure numbers interest is a bit weak.

Li'l Jay · 28 May 2006

Steven Clubb wrote:

But as someone who habitually blocked sports channels since the Saints killed football for me (growing up with the Saints was a hope killer back in the day), I do find it interesting that in pure numbers interest is a bit weak.

Those aren't really "pure numbers." It's one poll. Ratings still demonstrate a large number of viewers.

Simon · **Joined:** 26 Oct 2006 **Posts:** 59410

I hate the fact that polls seem to dominate how the world organizes itself these days. That was my mini-rant for the day.

Dr. Brian Fever · 10 Aug 2004

Hanzo the Razor wrote:

If it weren't for Monday Night Football I'd never watch that channel. News flash, ESPN -- Skip Bayless and Steven A. Smith are horrible.

Agreed.

Friggin' horrible.

Dr. Brian Fever · 10 Aug 2004

Simon wrote:

I hate the fact that polls seem to dominate how the world organizes itself these days. That was my mini-rant for the day.

A recent poll showed that people tend to agree with you.

Hanzo the Razor · 24 Jun 2007

Li'l Jay wrote:

Plus, sports is one of the main areas (along with news) that must be consumed live, and can't really be replaced by streaming it later.

Yep. You can get your weather online but tracking sports scores just isn't the same as watching the game live.

Even when you don't know the outcome, watching a recording of a game you DVR'd is slightly less exciting than watching it live.

Hanzo the Razor · 24 Jun 2007

Li'l Jay wrote:

Hanzo the Razor wrote:

If it weren't for Monday Night Football I'd never watch that channel. News flash, ESPN -- Skip Bayless and Steven A. Smith are horrible.

It's one of those things - I'm not overstating when I say I have trouble imagining what my life would be like without it.

I find their pundits mostly unbearable.

Hanzo the Razor · 24 Jun 2007

Li'l Jay wrote:

I was a nerd who was not also a jock. But football occupies a major position in my entertainment life. About half of my social conversations touch upon it.

That's a huge point -- I used to be the guy who didn't have anything to talk about with "normal people" at social gatherings. Having football knowledge has opened up a whole new avenue of conversations for me (at least with dudes). It's the perfect ice-breaker.

More people want The Weather Channel than ESPN

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