ESPN is doing a weekly WWE “top moments” segment. Forbes magazine called it a “game-changer.”
It’s not.
It’s a continuation of a grand illusion promulgated by both entities as they find themselves in decline. Big? Yes. As big as before? No. Slipping enough to cause worry? Sure. As evidenced by the partnership, which will see ESPN provide on-site coverage at big events like WrestleMania.
That last part, I get. WWE has bad ratings and poor house-show business and hasn’t hit original projections for Network subscribers. But WWE is still primo when it comes to big events. That’s when everybody shows up: All the marks, all the Superstars, all the celebrities, all the media, and now ESPN.
Other times, not so much.
How will legit sports guys like Bob Ley act when they pitch to a WWE package? How far will this go? When Vince McMahon sets his hook, he doesn’t let go. But he’s never before worked with an organization equally egomaniacal.
I don’t see the upside for ESPN. Any gain in viewership will be offset by a loss in credibility. WWE is the big winner. ESPN’s Jonathan Coachman, ex- of WWE, may be an even bigger winner. Coachman seems the point man for all this, working for Stamford at the same time he works for Bristol. The old-double dip. I bet McMahon put a check in Coachman’s pocket.
If not, shame on Coachman. Because this will bite him in the ass with ESPN. Somebody at ESPN will come to their senses, and blame Coach.
Yeah, I know: The “E” in ESPN stands for “entertainment.” Recent WWE ratings don’t suggest that many are being “entertained.”
I love wrestling. I love sports. But I don’t like this. It’s a weird blend. Plopping down predetermined results and choreography in the middle of legit sports feels wrong. For hardcore sports fans, it could be a channel-changer.
It’s another example of social media putting the boots to common sense.
WWE’s social media impact is impressive. That has people fooled. So does coverage by Deadspin, Grantland, Forbes, Rolling Stone, etc., most of which is done by low-level employees or interns. WWE got all that because those entities want clicks. Social-media success carries the promise of clicks, if not dollars.
But that coverage, and ESPN’s involvement, doesn’t equate to success for WWE. The ratings tell the story: 3.27 this past Monday, a new non-holiday low.
ESPN is also in decline. Ad revenue is slipping. So is viewership. Budgets are being hacked: Witness the departures of big-ticket performers Colin Cowherd, Keith Olbermann and Bill Simmons.
This is desperation, not synergy.
