How would you compete against sportscenter?

[PokerFink]

A competitor has to find its own niche; it can't be ESPN reheated. I think the proper niche would be to cater to hardcore sports fans. If you can't atleast diagram a cover 2 defense or a zone blitz, you shoulden't bother tuning in.

Show highlights of plays that mean something, not just dunks, TD dances and homeruns. Actual analysis by people who know what they're talking about (ie Jaws instead of Hodge). Zero fluff, meaning no Mayne Event type segments. Just pure, unadulterated information for people that know sports.

Now that I think about it, Jaws is pretty much the only NFL guy they have that says anything useful on a regular basis. I still watch Berman, Young, Irvin and TJ do their thing every sunday, but it's not like I need to. I know you need to stop Shaun Alexander to beat Seattle. I know you need to rush the passer. Tell me something I don't know. Break down film. Highlight Faneca making a fanatic pull and block to clear the lane for Parker instead of praising Parker for running through a wide open space untouched to the endzone. Etc etc.

A hardcore sportscenter should show highlights of games, and breakdown some film of the major ones. It should have former scouts and players discussing things intead of talking heads like Skip Bayless. And don't bother with news unless it's big news.

Edit: I posted this before reading all the responses, which as it turns out, echo mine.

[PokerFink]

How many current ESPN anchors/talking heads would you want on a new, hardcore sports channel?

Jaws, Steve Young... um.... I'm thinking....

Seriously, do they have anyone else that brings something to the table?

(Not including the PTI guys, who are entertaining but not informative)

[Victor]

i dont think sportscenter can ever be usurped. it doesnt matter if other sports shows/networks are better they simply will not garner as many viewers thus advertisers thus money.

sportscenter/espn is following the path of mtv. do you see music on mtv anymore?

[NLSoldier]

Very nice post. Lots of good ideas. The obvious problem is that the majority of viewers are going to be bored by this kind of stuff and would rather watch highlights of TDs and Berman yelling "whooop!" Without the demand for such a high content, low fluff show, it will never be supplied.

[El Ishmael]

Budweiser Hot Seat should be 12 minutes minimum.

[VarlosZ]

Everyone so far has listed ways to make a 'better' show than SportsCenter, but I'm pretty sure that wouldn't work. If you want to compete with SC, you have to go the other way and make it 'worse.' You've got to make SC look like C-SPAN.

That's means louder, dumber, more combative studio hosts. More seizure-inducing graphics. More clichés. Melissa Stark reporting nude (her segment could be called "Melissa Stark Naked" -- get it?). And if you're going to pander to black audiences, no more half measures. Just get 50 Cent and Beyonce to do your NBA segments.

[PokerFink]

Thanks NL.

I agree most viewers would rather watch the ESPN clowns, but I think there are plenty of hardcore sports fans out there, and if the channel was put together well it would recieve a cult following.

The major problem I see with it is filling the hours. On one hand, I don't want to sit through a three hour show that breaks down every NBA and NHL game from the night before. On the other hand, without all the fluff, how do you fill the hours and keep it entertaining, especially after football season?

[TheRover]

[ QUOTE ]
That's means louder, dumber, more combative studio hosts. More seizure-inducing graphics. More clichés. Melissa Stark reporting nude (her segment could be called "Melissa Stark Naked" -- get it?). And if you're going to pander to black audiences, no more half measures. Just get 50 Cent and Beyonce to do your NBA segments.

[/ QUOTE ]

[dogreplacer]

[ QUOTE ]
maybe we could call him the vanilla ice of the sports industry. everyone owned the record - then everyone got tired and laughed at the record. the bad news is - stu's not going anywhere.

[/ QUOTE ]

Maybe someone should call Suge Knight and tell him that Stu ripped off that "cool as the other side of the pillow" thing from an artist on death row.

[Bigdaddydvo]

I wanted to kill myself when they did the mock GM press conferences for the Red Sox and Yankees.