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Traina Thoughts: ESPN's 'Get Up!' Starts With Bad Ratings News
1. Let's be clear about something right up front: It’s foolish to judge something that’s three days old. Shows deserve time to find their way and iron things out. Having said that, despite everything you hear these days, facts are facts.
And right now, the fact is, ESPN’s new morning show Get Up! got off to a poor start when it comes to ratings.
Here’s the news on the ratings front for Monday's debut episode.
While it’s pretty surprising that a show that's been promoted so much would draw fewer viewers than a regular edition of SportsCenter, the bigger issue if these numbers don’t improve is the cost to ESPN.
The worst thing that could’ve happened to Get Up! and its three hosts—Mike Greenberg, Michelle Beadle and Jalen Rose—was The Hollywood Reporter printing their salaries in a big feature article a couple of weeks ago.
According to the piece, Greenberg makes $6.5 million per year, Beadle makes $5 million per and Rose comes in at $3 million for a total of $14.5 million per year.
That’s a rough figure for a show if it’s going to draw fewer than 300,000 viewers.
Like I said, the show is less than a week old and the ratings have a chance to grow, but you would’ve assumed more sports fans would’ve at least sampled the debut episode just out of habit of putting on ESPN in the morning.
However, it's harder and harder to find an audience in this age of niche networks, podcasts, video on demand, etc. That also makes it harder and harder for networks to get a return on their investments when they pay talent a massive sum of money.
2. The newest episode of the SI Media Podcast features interviews with FOX Sports' Kevin Burkhardt and WWE Superstar, Roman Reigns. Burkhardt discusses his career path, the differences between calling MLB and NFL, working with A-Rod and much. At the 38-minute mark, joins the show to talk about his match with Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania this Sunday, his relationship with WWE fans and plenty more.
3. Many sports traditions get played out very quickly, but for some reason, baseball players giving teammates the silent treatment in the dugout after a home run is still awesome. The Angels pulled off an extremely effective version of this prank on Shohei Ohtani last night.
Also, this call of Ohtani's dinger was awesome.
4. Hopefully Keith Hernandez will enjoy getting a million tweets about Seinfeld each day because the former Cardinals and Mets first baseman, who now calls Mets games for SNY, has joined Twitter.
5. There is a big radio feud going on in New York right now. It started last week when former WFAN hosts, Chris Russo and Mike Francesa, took a shot at the station's current shows while the duo co-hosted an edition of MLB Network's High Heat. One of the hosts of those shows, Boomer Esiason, responded to the remark by ripping Mike and the Mad Dog.
Chris Russo fired back yesterday by torching Esiason.
Esiason kept things going today with this rant.
6. The Rock was on Jimmy Kimmel last night and spoke about his relationship with John Cena. According to Mr. Dwayne Johnson, when the two feuded years ago in the WWE, it was more real than fake.
7. March Madness is over, but you still need to check out this bracket to determine the best episode of The Office.
To vote in each matchup, follow this Twitter account. I have "The Dundees" beating "Stress Relief" in the finals.
8. This week's SI Media Podcast will feature interviews with Kevin Burkhardt of FOX Sports and Roman Reigns, who is headlining WrestleMania 34 on Sunday. You can subscribe here or on iTunes to make sure you get this episode.
9. RANDOM WRESTLING VIDEO OF THE DAY: The beginning of the Hulk Hogan-Rock match at WrestleMania X8 is one of the most iconic moments in WWE history.
Traina Thoughts is the best of the Internet, plus musings by SI.com writer, Jimmy Traina. Get the link to a new Traina's Thoughts each day by following on Twitter and liking on Facebook. Catch up on previous editions of Traina Thoughts right here.And make sure to listen to and subscribe to the SI Media Podcast hosted by Jimmy Traina.
IN CLOSING: The Mets play the Phillies this afternoon. The only way the game can be watched is on Facebook. The game isn't even airing on TV in New York or Philadelphia. That is an absolutely awful job by MLB.
