10. Pool: Why is pool on television? It is not on ESPN all the time, but when it is, I cannot imagine that the ratings are very good. How bored do people need to be to watch pool?
9. Poker: It is a card game!!!!!!!!! Anyone can play it. Lets show people with athletics abilities rather than people who sit around all day and play cards. Sure, they make alot of money and are very wealthy as a result of poker, but I don't want to spend my time watching people play cards. Poker is becoming very popular across the nation and I don't see why. Someone please explain it to me?
8. Speaking of no athletic abilities, why is "Madden Nation" constantly on ESPN2?: Who in Bristol, Connecticutt came up with the brilliant idea of taking men, who failed at thier day jobs because they sat at home and played video games all day, and putting them on national television? I'm glad that at least one person who wastes his life playing video games will end up with $100,000. Good for him. If you are willing to go on the show you might as well win the stupid thing.
7. The Scripps National Spelling Bee: It used to be on ESPN, but now moved to ABC. Does anyone actually watch this? Great for the kids involved they are smart and that will get them far. The also have the chance to be on national tv. Not many get that amazing opportunity. But, this show has to be a ratings killer. In the very least it is a self esteem killer for the rest of the nation as we all realize that there are 12 year olds smarter than us.
6. Fishing: The classic father-son activity. But why is it on tv? It is very slow paced and very hard to get into. There is plenty of things that I would rather watch on television instead of men cruising around trying to catch fish.
5. Tennis: Incredibly boring. Yes, it is a sport and does require athleticism, but it lacks the appeal of sports such as baseball, football, basketball, and hockey.
4. The WNBA "Super Woman" Commercials: We have all seen them. The commercials that have players saying things like "Your rec team could beat us because we are soft" and other things like that. It then says, "We know you wouldn't say that, neither would she." Guess what ESPN? Many of us would say that. There aren't many people that care about women's basketball. That was proven when the ABL (American Basketball League for women) folded due to bankruptcy.
3. College Softball: There has been nothing but softball on for the past few days. Softball is not fun to watch. Is there really anything else that needs to be said? Except I dont understand why ESPN is flooded with softball, but there is no trace of the men's college world series? People would much rather watch men play baseball then women play softball. There is no professional softball league for a reson!
2. Golf: Nothing to say. It is probably the most boring thing that they could put on tv. Period.
1. MLS: Yes, soccer is very popular. However, noone cares about the MLS. Soccer is not very popular in the United States and the true soccer fans watch European soccer as the competition is better. There aren't many people that watch soccer in America except for the casual fan who could live without it fairly easily.
Others that just missed my list: Nascar, Bowling, Horse Racing, Volleyball (people only watch for the girls), The Great Outdoors Games, World's Strongest Man.
I am with you on many of these, including pool and poker, but I think soccer and tennis merit at least an ESPN2 time slot. Maybe not prime time, but at least a showing. But ESPN really needs to clean out the house. Get rid of Jim Rome and the stupid NFL live crews with the washed up players that talk like they have 2 fat lips and a couple cold ones in their bellies. I think there needs to be more showing of sports teams that don't always garner national attention. What if I want to see an Oakland A's game? I live in NY. I some how am stuck watching Boston, Chicago and New York teams play every night when they have their own stations to play on that I can go to. Very good post thought. Look foward to more.
I agree with your list; I've made similar lists about 'sports' that are unwatchable on TV. Here's one you missed though; bull riding and rodeo. They show that stuff every weeknight on Classic, and I still scratch my head as to why.
I had a longer comment but Fox deleted it when I tried to post.
Leave on 9 (but only show it once), 5, 2,1.
Remove the rest immediately but beach volleyball can stay as long as good looking women in small bikinis are playing.
Big Poker fan and player, but I agree, don't get why it's on ESPN. Not complaining since I enjoy it, but makes more sense on the other channels its on: GSN, Travel, Bravo, etc.
Guess it comes down to fitting niches while accounting for 24 sports programming. You can only loop Sportscenter so many times.
While I don't like to watch tennis, softball and soccer they are real sports that require athletic ability and conditioning so I have no problem with them being on a sports channel for the little air time they get to begin with. As far as the WNBA goes, yes I think the commercials weren't carefully thought out but most of us rec ballers would get creamed by them and pulverized by a group of all-stars so they do belong on the sports channel.
I second the nominations of Stuart Scott and Stephen A. Smith and would like to add Nascar, drag racing and monster truck shows. Isn't there a channel especially for that now?
World's Strongest Man? really? Maybe they show too many out of place reruns so you can never get your bearings just right but it is still fun to watch nonetheless and those dudes are athletes.
Why are you the judge and jury of what America wants to watch? While most of these are unpopular-they are obviously getting ratings or they would not be on. These are the type of sports that got ESPN started when they didn't have broadcast rights to the NBA, NFL, MLB, etc. I would rather them play these sports than have more commentary AKA talking heads. These 3 hour sportscenters are what I would get rid of.
I am currently in high school. I will try to post reguarly, but at the very least I will comment your blogs daily. I am aspiring to become a sports writer or broadcaster and plan to attend collge and major in journalism or broadcast journalism.
