Lawsuit for ESPN/DISNEY

[dkosdros]

Just thought I would share since it is in a way Disney news. I live in Syracuse NY so this has been big news here locally as well as has made national coverage. Today there was a news conference held at Belhurst Castle. I believe the reason it was held at the castle was a direct shot at Disney and their castle.

You can click on the link to see our local news coverage of the event.
http://www.cnycentral.com/news/story.aspx?id=754432

They have a video you can watch of the event as well.

"Laurie Fine breaks silence, speaks out at Belhurst Castle"
"Laurie Fine to sue ESPN for libel, claims stories 'destroyed her reputation"

 

[nolatron]

While Disney owns ESPN, I see no reason to connect them to this. Disney isn't even mentioned in the article.

If you watch the clip they say they picked the castle simply cause it would be a 'comfortable place' and whatnot for the event and not just a cheap shot at Disney.

 

[dkosdros]

Disney OWNS ESPN. Soooo if ESPN is sued and loses the money loss will ultimatly effect Disney in one way or another. If you are a stockholder in Disney right now you are paying close attention. That is the connection to Disney!!! :kiss:

 

[maxairmike]

Personally, I view ESPN as a rising liability for Disney, and the source of a multitude of lawsuits of many varieties waiting to happen. There has been quite a bit of seeming impropriety going on in/emanating from Bristol the last few years, especially as the conference upheaval got underway (advising a certain conference what teams it should accept/let go? Yeah, that's got all kinds of unethical and maybe illegal written all over it). How they've reported on and handled many different issues across the sports world has also raised quite a few eyebrows, and now most people who really follow sports (not the bandwagon "followers" that like the flavor of the month teams, i.e. the Yankees, Lakers, whoever wins the SEC, the leading Big East team in basketball, etc.) view ESPN as a joke and blight on sports journalism and sports in general.

The suits in Burbank might want to think about keeping a closer watch on what goes on in Bristol, CT.

 

[DisneyMusician2]

Personally, I view ESPN as a rising liability for Disney, and the source of a multitude of lawsuits of many varieties waiting to happen. There has been quite a bit of seeming impropriety going on in/emanating from Bristol the last few years, especially as the conference upheaval got underway (advising a certain conference what teams it should accept/let go? Yeah, that's got all kinds of unethical and maybe illegal written all over it). How they've reported on and handled many different issues across the sports world has also raised quite a few eyebrows, and now most people who really follow sports (not the bandwagon "followers" that like the flavor of the month teams, i.e. the Yankees, Lakers, whoever wins the SEC, the leading Big East team in basketball, etc.) view ESPN as a joke and blight on sports journalism and sports in general.

The suits in Burbank might want to think about keeping a closer watch on what goes on in Bristol, CT.

They should definitely keep a close eye, but the revenue ESPN generates is INCREDIBLE.

I'm not sure which sports fans you are talking to or where the info is coming from, and it may be true locally for you, but most hardcore sports fans I know still turn to ESPN and ESPN commentators for much of their news.

 

[jcs4evas1298]

ESPN is very successful for Disney, and I'm sure ESPN has insurance for these types of things. People sue large companies all the time, this isn't all that noteworthy in the grand scheme of things.

Most telling of all - Disney's stock is up today.

 

[maxairmike]

They should definitely keep a close eye, but the revenue ESPN generates is INCREDIBLE.

I'm not sure which sports fans you are talking to or where the info is coming from, and it may be true locally for you, but most hardcore sports fans I know still turn to ESPN and ESPN commentators for much of their news.

Mostly college sports fans. It seems the pro sports fans haven't caught on to what ESPN is doing to college sports (and it isn't good), mainly because pro sports have always been pure entertainment, there's not really been any "professionalism" or motivation beyond just giving people an entertaining evening like there is with college sports, so its hard to turn off pro fans by creating fake/untrue controversies or stories, which is what ESPN has started to turn into.

Like I said, it doesn't really matter in the pro sports world, but ESPN is devolving into the equivalent of the New Yorker or *insert favorite tabloid*, and it isn't being received well among college fans. While I am B1G focused, and there has been a lot of angst between the two parties (I think a lot of this started after Delany told Shapiro to shove it and he was creating his own network, and has since spread to their whole coverage of college sports), ESPN is being widely criticized and made fun of across a wide swatch of team fan sites and is universally despised.

The revenue they generate is partly (if not mostly) what has led them down the path they're on. "Suggesting" to athletic directors in one conference (that they just made a new contract with) who to take and who not to take from a conference that just ended a deal with ESPN to pursue their own conference network. Yeah, that's not shady at all.

 

[DisneyMusician2]

Mostly college sports fans. It seems the pro sports fans haven't caught on to what ESPN is doing to college sports (and it isn't good), mainly because pro sports have always been pure entertainment, there's not really been any "professionalism" or motivation beyond just giving people an entertaining evening like there is with college sports, so its hard to turn off pro fans by creating fake/untrue controversies or stories, which is what ESPN has started to turn into.

Like I said, it doesn't really matter in the pro sports world, but ESPN is devolving into the equivalent of the New Yorker or *insert favorite tabloid*, and it isn't being received well among college fans. While I am B1G focused, and there has been a lot of angst between the two parties (I think a lot of this started after Delany told Shapiro to shove it and he was creating his own network, and has since spread to their whole coverage of college sports), ESPN is being widely criticized and made fun of across a wide swatch of team fan sites and is universally despised.

The revenue they generate is partly (if not mostly) what has led them down the path they're on. "Suggesting" to athletic directors in one conference (that they just made a new contract with) who to take and who not to take from a conference that just ended a deal with ESPN to pursue their own conference network. Yeah, that's not shady at all.

I would agree that ESPN does seem to have a lot of undue influence in college sports, but I blame the NCAA for most of that. They really are running a corrupt business in this country that most of us watch and somehow avoid getting taxes paid or being regulated for the most part. The decline of college sports as we know them, if it is happening, has to be placed on the NCAA as well for making something that was once great about a money grab.

 

[SMS55]

I would agree that ESPN does seem to have a lot of undue influence in college sports, but I blame the NCAA for most of that.

It has more to do with the Supreme Court. In 1984 the Supreme Court told the NCAA to stuff it when OU and UGA sued over television rights. Prior to that the NCAA decided who was on tv. After that decision the conferences could negotiate their own tv deals. You saw the death of the Southwestern Conference in college football and the first 12 team conference (SEC) and conference championship Game. Other conferences have grown as the revenues have grown. The NCAA is pretty powerless today. ESPN as one of the leaders in sports tv broadcasting has alot of swing power.

 

[Jimmy Thick]

ESPN has a weekly NFL game during football season. When people think ESPN is some kind of liabilty, simply point them to that, and walk away with a smile.





Jimmy Thick-NFL=$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

 

[maxairmike]

ESPN has a weekly NFL game during football season. When people think ESPN is some kind of liabilty, simply point them to that, and walk away with a smile.





Jimmy Thick-NFL=$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

They're a liability when their involvement in college football (right up there with the NFL) is turning heads, turning off fans, and sliding into the unethical (dare I say possibly illegal?).

Beyond the conference expansion tampering that's been hinted at, there's also the Craig James situation (CJK5H at SMU? What?), which is hardly good, and ESPN shouldn't have covered and continue covering for him. They're just lucky Leach is as eccentric as he is.

 

[Jimmy Thick]

They're a liability when their involvement in college football (right up there with the NFL) is turning heads, turning off fans, and sliding into the unethical (dare I say possibly illegal?).

Beyond the conference expansion tampering that's been hinted at, there's also the Craig James situation (CJK5H at SMU? What?), which is hardly good, and ESPN shouldn't have covered and continue covering for him. They're just lucky Leach is as eccentric as he is.

Unfortunately, I don't know about any of those things you are talking about, nor does it interest me, nor do I really care.

But I do know that ESPN has NFL football, and I care about that. The announcers are boring, but its football, and it makes huge cash for ESPN/Disney, and nothing good or bad will change that as long as they continue to broadcast NFL games.


Jimmy Thick-God I can't wait for the season to start!!!!

 

[maxairmike]

Unfortunately, I don't know about any of those things you are talking about, nor does it interest me, nor do I really care.

But I do know that ESPN has NFL football, and I care about that. The announcers are boring, but its football, and it makes huge cash for ESPN/Disney, and nothing good or bad will change that as long as they continue to broadcast NFL games.


Jimmy Thick-God I can't wait for the season to start!!!!

Which adds to what I said a few posts ago about pro sports fans pretty much not caring or realizing what ESPN is getting into in the college world.

As a shareholder you should be taking notice, because if ESPN manages to tick off the wrong set of people one too many times...lawsuits can be costly, even if they don't make it to a public courtroom. The guys up in Bristol are getting a little too wild, and the reigns need to be taken back.

 

[fractal]

ESPN is a Disney owned cash cow.

 

[flavious27]

Personally, I view ESPN as a rising liability for Disney, and the source of a multitude of lawsuits of many varieties waiting to happen. There has been quite a bit of seeming impropriety going on in/emanating from Bristol the last few years, especially as the conference upheaval got underway (advising a certain conference what teams it should accept/let go? Yeah, that's got all kinds of unethical and maybe illegal written all over it). How they've reported on and handled many different issues across the sports world has also raised quite a few eyebrows, and now most people who really follow sports (not the bandwagon "followers" that like the flavor of the month teams, i.e. the Yankees, Lakers, whoever wins the SEC, the leading Big East team in basketball, etc.) view ESPN as a joke and blight on sports journalism and sports in general.

The suits in Burbank might want to think about keeping a closer watch on what goes on in Bristol, CT.

I think that disney co should keep an eye on how much espn is paying for its content and the rising call for a la carte pricing.

As for ESPN's lack of quality journalism, deadspin exposes that with their Bristolmetrics.