Based on the past week, we’ve officially reached a tipping point in internet-based sports media. The Lebron James dunk video, ESPN ignoring Ben Roethlisberger’s sex assault complaint and the Erin Andrews peephole fiasco are the top sports stories of the week, and those pieces were all initially generated on the web and subsequently picked up by non-ESPN main media.
(Mere Reporting Or Dig At Competitor ESPN?)
A year ago, or even six months ago, the main sports media, along with ESPN, would have completely ignored blog coverage on such topics. So does that mean the non-ESPN main sports media is embracing sports blogs in order to fight off the seemingly inevitable ESPN creep? Based on the above three, blog-generated stories, which are now officially mainstream, it sure looks like it.
The blog-MSM marriage seemed to start right around when ESPN barged into the Chicago market with ESPNChicago.com - something I addressed earlier this week. In three months, traffic to ESPN’s local web coverage of Chicago sports blew away the websites of the Tribune and Sun-Times. ESPN has since announced plans to start local sports coverage on the web in L.A., Dallas and New York.
So I’m not so sure that it’s a coincidence that suddenly main media sites are using blog-generated news like the Ben Roethlisberger case and Erin Andrews video against the building’s penthouse tenant - ESPN.
I’ve always wondered what would officially usher sports blogs into the mainstream, and it looks like we have our answer: ESPN’s overreach into local markets has likely prompted the remaining main sports media players to use the blogs as cover to fight back against Bristol.
The best example of this? The Erin Andrews video coverage.
First off, if Andrews’ attorney had not made a public statement about the peephole videos, the main media would more than likely have not picked up the story. But it’s clear the entire reason for the news release was Andrews knew the power of sports blogs, and that the videos would go viral anyway. So she went on the record through her lawyer.
I understand that not all media is using the Andrews video against ESPN, after all, it’s a titillating story that’s perfect for lechers like O’Reilly. But you’d be naive to think that main sports outlets aren’t drilling down on the story in order to turn the screw on ESPN.
Example: TBL notes this Tweet from highly-respected USA TODAY columnist Christine Brennan:
On the Erin Andrews situation, a quick thought for those who have asked: There are hundreds of women covering sports in this country who haven’t had this happen to them. I wish it didn’t happen to Erin, but I also would suggest to her if she asked (and she hasn’t) that she rely on her talent and brains and not succumb to the lowest common denominator in sports media by playing to the frat house.
Do I detect more than a little tinge of bitterness over Andrews’ ESPN-wrought popularity?
The non-ESPN media has also, and justifiably, covered the Ben Roethlisberger sexual assault case. But that case probably wouldn’t have gotten enormo mainstream coverage if the blog PRO FOOTBALL TALK hadn’t called out ESPN for not covering the civil complaint. More telling though has been the laughable, hypocritical pile-on by main media over ESPN’s cautious approach.
And finally, we all know about the Lebron James video, which enjoyed buzz created by Foxsports.com and subsequent blogger pickups, with ESPN left in the dust.
It’s gotten to the point this week where when you watch ESPN, you now are asking yourself: What am I missing?
That’s precisely the point. ESPN’s myriad MSM competitors are fighting back - with blogs as a good portion of their ammo. That development means that ESPN will more and more have to recognize the veracity of information disseminated by blogs - since it knows that if it doesn’t, the rest of the main media will blow up certain stories presented by blogs.
In other words, we’re witnessing a historical shift in sports coverage, and for the first time ESPN is getting lapped.
We’ll see if it lasts.
5:39 pm on July 23rd, 2009
What did I miss?? Erin Andrews and a peephole video?? Seriously, what are we talking about here? Can someone shed some light on this story??
5:56 pm on July 23rd, 2009
Sorry, I have to say this. I saw the Erin video. It’s way too blurry to prove it’s her. Unless she put out a friggin press release saying it WAS HER! Either there is more to this story than we know, or she and her lawyer are dumber than a box of rocks. What would you do if this happened to you? Work quietly with the local authorities to catch the criminal? Investigate hotel staff? Look into who had the ajoining rooms? NO! ALERT THE MEDIA!
6:02 pm on July 23rd, 2009
Andrews did the only thing she could. The video would not have faded away. Obviously you have no grasp of the traffic of blogs.
7:42 pm on July 23rd, 2009
You know where I first heard of the Erin video? A RIGHT-WING blog. (To protect the stupid criminal, I will not divulge the site name). This esteemed intellectual was getting much-deserved blowback for merely providing a link to what he assumed was the video. The intellectual tried to justify linking the video by bringing up the blogging rules of another right-wing blogger. Something along the lines of “Always post cheesecake.” He kept pushing this line until the other right-wing blogger said to him, in effect “Uh, you’re a potential accessory to a crime, here….”
Of course, no one has told said esteemed intellectual that he would be in righteous indignation if the GOP’s own Erin Andrews (do we need to say her name?!) were spotted on some beach with her husband and family in just a bathing suit. And yes, I fully expect some paparazzi freak to try and get such a picture.
9:14 pm on July 23rd, 2009
Did they ever take the vid down?
12:02 am on July 24th, 2009
She set it up herself. You’re telling me someone knew to get a room next to her and was able to set up a peep hole on a moments notice.
Rigggghhhhhht.
2:58 am on July 24th, 2009
an ESPN employee is the one who filmed E.A.
and besides that, ESPN is garbage, everyone knows it, all Mort does is fabricate stories (aka Shanahan is a DONE DEAL to be the Chiefs next HC, or Eli Manning is FOR SURE out for the next month, yet he doesn’t miss a game)…
and thats just Mort, the rest of the idiots there are more about their airtime and acting like people are tuning in to see them and not see sports news/highlights/games/etc…thats whats wrong with ESPN, talking heads and experts who know nothing (recent article about Mouse Davis where his coaching of the NY/NJ Knights isn’t even mentioned because THEY DON’T KNOW SH*T about sports) mixed with “insiders” who just fabricate stories for page views or face time….
f*** ESPN, I’ll stick to the stories on this site which are “different” and make me laugh/entertain me and for my football news its NFL Network all day everyday and for the rest of my news its a bunch of different blogs/sites for MMA news, bunch of different F1 sites for Formula 1 news and euro sites for soccer news, a sport that no US based site covers well at all…
3:29 am on July 24th, 2009
I wouldn’t mind seeing Christine Brennan nude.
8:56 am on July 24th, 2009
>>> It’s gotten to the point this week where when you watch ESPN, you now are asking yourself: What am I missing?
9:36 am on July 24th, 2009
“That development means that ESPN will more and more have to recognize the veracity of information disseminated by blogs - since it knows that if it doesn’t, the rest of the main media will blow up certain stories presented by blogs.”
This assumes that sports blogs present veracity. This is still a poor assumption.
http://sportsbybrooks.com/dispatches-from-ground-zero-ragbrai-evening-25204
http://sportsbybrooks.com/u-of-florida-asking-for-bailout-from-athletic-dept-23500
10:15 am on July 24th, 2009
oh the tables are turn now on the MEDIA NOW YOU KNOW WHAT CELEBRITY GO THROUGH.
10:38 am on July 24th, 2009
“She set it up herself. You’re telling me someone knew to get a room next to her and was able to set up a peep hole on a moments notice. Rigggghhhhhht.”
Seriously? Are you simple? So, she’s turned down Playboy and the like for tons of cash in order do it poorly and for free by herself? Yeah, it’s not like it could have been an employee of the hotel, or someone who tracked down what room number she was in and took it in the morning or anything like that. Come on, don’t be a complete @ss.
1:48 pm on July 24th, 2009
Try totallycrap.com for the full 4 min virus free video. After seeing the whole thing it reeks of setup.
3:09 pm on July 24th, 2009
“Seriously? Are you simple? So, she’s turned down Playboy and the like for tons of cash in order do it poorly and for free by herself? Yeah, it’s not like it could have been an employee of the hotel, or someone who tracked down what room number she was in and took it in the morning or anything like that. Come on, don’t be a complete @ss.”
Seriously…you’re an amazing @ss. Do you really think it’s that easy to set up something like that on the spur of the moment????? Get a room next to her, drill a whole in the wall without anyone knowing, without any evidence of debris on her side of the room and get a perfect shot of her completely naked. Seems resonable.
If she does Playboy, ESPN drops her. This happens, she gets tons of press without any repercussions. This is better for her career.
As East Coast Foresking wrote….”It reeks of setup.”