ESPN is suffocating its own brand.
Fans are tired of the network’s constant political messaging.
Now ESPN’s “woke” awards show just got some really bad news.
ESPN’s turn into far-left politics arguably kicked into high gear with the network’s annual ESPY Awards.
The network went full “woke” when Caitlyn Jenner was given the ESPY Award for Woman of the Year back in 2015.
Since then the show and the network have been fully dedicated to leftist politics.
And the ratings for the show have suffered.
From Outkick:
The 2022 ESPY Awards averaged 2.5 million viewers Wednesday night on ABC. This is the first year since 2019, when it averaged 3.8 million viewers. that the award show aired in its regular mid-July Wednesday time slot. Now, ESPN PR will tout this number to say it’s up year over year. While true, this inevitable spin-job will take the number out of context. See, ABC broadcasted the event last year out of place on a Saturday night, the poorest night of the week. This year’s version was always going to top a year that aired on a Saturday in July — no matter the interest…Head-to-head competition bludgeoned the ESPY Awards starting at 8 pm. Big Brother — yes, that’s still on — averaged 3.5 million viewers, while NBC toppled the ESPYs throughout the night with its Chicago franchise.”
The ESPY Awards have been on a steep downward trajectory since 2015, partly due to politics, and partly due to people cord-cutting.
Viewership for the show has tracked:
2015: 7.7 million
2016: 5.6 million
2017: 5.3 million
2018: 3.9 million
2019: 3.8 million
2020: 1.9 million
2021: 1.1 million
2022: 2.5 million
As mentioned before, the 2021 show was buried on a Saturday night, and the 2020 show was pre-recorded due to COVID.
Outkick added:
“The ESPY Awards were once a date that sports fans circled on the calendar. In 2015, 7.7 million viewers tuned in. The program is now dull and full of preachy athletes and commentators. ESPN is now a toxic brand. Sports fans see an event marked with ESPN branding and tune out. ESPN no longer celebrates sports. The ESPN brand has wrapped itself in political messaging to the chagrin of former fans.”
ESPN ramped up the politics after the election of Donald Trump, but briefly scaled back after former boss John Skipper resigned.
But the network has veered head-on back into politics.
Far-left personality Malika Andrews has had multiple meltdowns on camera over politics.
She was in tears after alleged rapist Jacob Blake was shot in Kenosha, Wisconsin, and almost broke down after Kyle Rittenhouse was acquitted of the bogus murder charges against him.
Andrews also went on a rant about abortion “rights” after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in the Dobbs decision.
ESPN might as well just fold their sports coverage into ABC News if this is how things are going to be moving forward.
