Text

ESPN Contends With its Fracturing Business Model

About this Digital Document

This paper examines how ESPN’s business model is not conducive to success in the age of cord-cutting and digital media. The recent trend of cord-cutting, or television viewers moving from cable subscriptions to streaming, is having drastic effects on ESPN, one of cable’s biggest networks that commands one of the highest affiliate fees. Live sports, once an anchor of cable TV, is now readily available on streaming networks, and professional leagues are now agreeing on media rights deals with sites that will produce and package games in a similar manner to ESPN. ESPN also has to contend with the advent of digitally-native sites, which are more fit for the modern age of media consumption. Because sports fans can now get highlights, news, and updates in real-time, this destroys the niche originally carved out by ESPN’s flagship program- SportsCenter. Some igitally-native have business models more conducive to success, which include coverage tailored to specific regions and cities, as well as making use of video content. Social media and independent content creators are also finding success by providing coverage on topics that might not get air-time due to the constraints of live TV, and are more nuanced and in-tune with the wants of modern sports media consumers. ESPN is holding its position of “The Worldwide Leader in Sports” through the acquisition of live sports media rights deals, but as streaming services become the primary method that newer generations view TV, the network’s hegemony might continue to recede.

Full Title
ESPN Contends With its Fracturing Business Model
Member of
Undergraduate Theses and Capstone Projects
Contributor(s)
Creator: Lambridis, Constantine
Thesis advisor: Creech, Brian
Date Issued
2025
Language
English
Type
Text
Genre
theses
Form
electronic documents
Department name
Journalism
Media type
application/pdf
Keywords
Journalism
ESPN
cable TV
digital media

Citation


        
      

              

        
@mastersthesis{lambridis2025,
  title = {ESPN Contends With its Fracturing Business Model},
  author = {Lambridis, Constantine},
  year = {2025},
  keywords = {Journalism, ESPN, cable TV, digital media},
  abstract = {This paper examines how ESPN’s business model is not conducive to success in the age of cord-cutting and digital media. The recent trend of cord-cutting, or television viewers moving from cable subscriptions to streaming, is having drastic effects on ESPN, one of cable’s biggest networks that commands one of the highest affiliate fees. Live sports, once an anchor of cable TV, is now readily available on streaming networks, and professional leagues are now agreeing on media rights deals with sites that will produce and package games in a similar manner to ESPN. ESPN also has to contend with the advent of digitally-native sites, which are more fit for the modern age of media consumption. Because sports fans can now get highlights, news, and updates in real-time, this destroys the niche originally carved out by ESPN’s flagship program- SportsCenter. Some igitally-native have business models more conducive to success, which include coverage tailored to specific regions and cities, as well as making use of video content. Social media and independent content creators are also finding success by providing coverage on topics that might not get air-time due to the constraints of live TV, and are more nuanced and in-tune with the wants of modern sports media consumers. ESPN is holding its position of “The Worldwide Leader in Sports” through the acquisition of live sports media rights deals, but as streaming services become the primary method that newer generations view TV, the network’s hegemony might continue to recede.},
  language = {English},
}