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U.S. Open 2023: The simple and ugly truth of why this U.S. Open is so damn quiet

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It’s been quiet, perhaps too quiet, at Los Angeles Country Club, considering there is a national championship taking place. Those watching from home have noted the silence that’s permeated the broadcast, and those watching on site can confirm their ears do not deceive them. The players have provided the drama, but the beauty of big-time sporting events is that it’s those outside the playing field who insert the energy and angst and soundtrack to the proceedings, the fusion of which produces something that gives meaning and spectacle to what we’re seeing. Through three days at LACC, the second half of that equation is falling short.

 

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More controversy from the Open.

 

https://www.sbnation.com/golf/2023/6/18/23764994/us-open-wyndham-clark-lashes-out-usga-twilight-golf-rickie-fowler

 

The USGA did have the final group teeing off over an hour earlier today.  NOT surprising;  the article says the round ended around 8 last night.  Local sunset for LA tonight is...8:07.  It would've been almost identical last night.

 

 

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Huh.  Not earthshaking news but what looks to be a long-term trend.

 

Neil Everett has left ESPN;  his last SC was last night.  Speculation is it's cost-cutting, which has been a major ESPN theme for a very long time now.  Everett was likely one of their most senior anchors at this point, as he'd started in 2000.  And senior translates to expensive...and Disney's trying to cut costs *extensively*.

Personally, I think ESPN generally is in a downward spiral, and this is only a minor continuation.  They're going cheap, cheaper, cheapest, as far as I can see.

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https://www.marketwatch.com/story/disney-stock-nabs-a-downgrade-we-have-our-doubts-about-espn-and-more-9c7863d8?mod=search_headline&mod=article_inline

 

And now this?  Yeah, Disney is destroying them.  

 

I'd expect many of these to show up elsewhere, of course.  Steve Young...Sunday Night Football?  Heck, that might pay him more.  

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Side thought about ESPN.

 

It has seemed to me that they've shrunk their event broadcasters, in 2 ways...first, that I seemed to see a smaller collection of regular staff, and second...when they do need multiple people, like the CWS, quite often they're using what looked to be contract personnel...broadcasters with regular gigs outside ESPN.  Pay them a nice fee for the game, and done with em.  No overhead.  That is HIGHLY subjective, of course, and may be a messy, distorted perspective on my part..........

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Adam Yates has won the first stage of this year's Tour de France beating his twin brother Simon Yates into second place. Tadej Pogacar came in third. This is Adam's first Grand Tour stage win

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cycling/66076741

 

EDIT: Enric Mas and Richard Carapaz were involved in a crash. Mas had to abandon on the road. Carapaz finished but an X-ray revealed a fractured kneecap so he has had to abandon as well. This leaves both teams without their main GC contender.

Edited by death tribble
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On 7/1/2023 at 6:04 AM, Logan D. Hurricanes said:

I often listen to ESPN expat radio (Dan Patrick, Dan Le Batard) and they are baffled by what is going on at ESPN right now. Sounds like some new person has been put in charge that hates sports or what they do. I think it's just buyer's remorse over their ridiculous NFL contract. 

 

I'll always start with the simplest explanation:  the bean counters are making the decisions.  They probably expect they can replace most of em with people who cost 1/3 as much.  Of course, that begs the question of signing Pat McAfee...at, IIRC, $17M a year.  Of course, one can construct an argument for why...that couldn't be posted here.  

 

Won't argue that the MNF contract is part of it, but it's possible they're planning to use that as a cornerstone to transition to streaming.

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