Sports journalist Michael Bradley has posted a new article at The National Sports Journalism Center criticizing ESPN for heavily covering WWE in the lead-up to WrestleMania 31. Bradley noted that while it isn’t out of line for ESPN to feature WWE, he does believe they have been covering it like a real sport in order to attract more viewers.
“Forging alliances with legitimate leagues is one thing,” Bradley said. “Trying to build an audience by making something that isn’t real sport seem more legitimate is far more cynical and potentially explosive. First comes the WWE. Then come full highlights of the Globetrotters’ next game. After all, that team has fans all around the world.”
He adds, “Viewers, readers and users already have enough trouble discerning what’s real news and what is promotional content, especially with ESPN, the master of blending the two into a self-aggrandizing stew. Giving WWE more than an occasional nod would be extremely risky, since the process would confer legitimacy on something that is clearly a show. What would come next, breakdowns of the previous night’s prime-time lineup? Coverage of the results of a movie’s sports storyline?”
You can read the full article at this link.
