Slog - Comments on Is ESPN Running Out of Sports?

Comment by josh

josh — Tue, 10 Jul 2007 14:25:43 -0800

there was a pretty good story about this in the Believer a couple months ago [#]. I'm not convinced that it's a "sport", but after tagging along through the championships, Rod O'Connor seemed to be.

Comment by Lloyd Clydesdale

Lloyd Clydesdale — Tue, 10 Jul 2007 14:31:49 -0800

Arena Football has been enjoying the sports drought that is the All-Star break.

Then, there's every kind of Bodong-Ultimate-Cage Fighting that's everywhere on cable now, too.

Comment by cienna

cienna — Tue, 10 Jul 2007 14:35:46 -0800

I'm glad they provided these athletes with a mini boxing ring for their battles. Things look like they could get dangerous.

Comment by CodyBolt

CodyBolt — Tue, 10 Jul 2007 14:40:40 -0800

A true RPS champion can throw the Bomb. (blows up paper and rock while scissors snip the fuse) I'm not impressed...

Comment by angela garbes

angela garbes — Tue, 10 Jul 2007 14:41:21 -0800

i fully support espn airing arm wrestling, hot dog eating, world's strongest man, cheerleading, and lumberjack competitions. not everyone can be a real athelete.

Comment by angela garbes

angela garbes — Tue, 10 Jul 2007 14:44:23 -0800

and actually, it's this referee more than the RPS match itself that kills me here.

Comment by Mike of Renton

Mike of Renton — Tue, 10 Jul 2007 14:49:32 -0800

They're both single, so you know they've been practicing their pumps late at night.

Hilarious. The commentary is probably responsible for most of the ratings.

Comment by Katie

Katie — Tue, 10 Jul 2007 14:58:11 -0800

ESPN will show this, but not RUGBY??? That is a disgrace.

Comment by torrentprime

torrentprime — Tue, 10 Jul 2007 15:08:34 -0800

Arena Football and various MMA competitions are recognizably sports.

Comment by matthew.e

matthew.e — Tue, 10 Jul 2007 15:23:46 -0800

@8: ESPN doesn't show professional hockey any more, either. It probably costs them next to nothing to produce something like Rock-Paper-Scissors as compared to team sports they have to send large crews to and probably pay for the rights when relatively few people will watch anyway...

Comment by Lloyd Clydesdale

Lloyd Clydesdale — Tue, 10 Jul 2007 15:38:32 -0800

Katie @8 - I'd love to see Rugby on ESPN. Midday, late night, whenevs.

Comment by Giffy

Giffy — Tue, 10 Jul 2007 15:44:32 -0800

How exactly is this different form the national coin flip championship.

Comment by SeMe

SeMe — Tue, 10 Jul 2007 16:35:36 -0800

this is an event for ESPN ocho.

i wanna see wheelchair jousting.

Comment by angela garbes

angela garbes — Tue, 10 Jul 2007 17:25:52 -0800

yeah, SeMe. THE OCHO!!!

Comment by SeMe

SeMe — Tue, 10 Jul 2007 17:36:41 -0800

fucking a cotton, fucking a..

Comment by vooodooo84

vooodooo84 — Tue, 10 Jul 2007 19:24:15 -0800

Sports Illustrated invented the swimsuit issue to cover a lull in the sports world, maybe ESPN should do something like that