Pure transparency around “High Noon’s” cancellation was too much to ask ESPN for but it’s easy to imagine. “It was no ratings disaster, but it was no ratings juggernaut either and you know, Bomani’s and Pablo’s contracts are up at the end of March and we’d like to keep them if we can but for less money! We can’t cancel pretty much our only studio show without at least one caucasian without blaming something so we are blaming the TV ratings.”
Also, as Andrew Marchand notes, John Skipper wasn’t there to give the show some cover.
I’m guessing the communication of the cancellation to those involved with “The Jump” goes something like “RELAX! Sure, your ratings are usually worse, BUT you’re in a worse time slot [mostly BS] AND you’re an integral part of our programming strategy/relationship with the NBA [which is no BS.]” No shade intended to the fine folks at “The Jump.”
I’m bummed about the “High Noon” cancellation and feel bad for the people who worked on the show, particularly those behind the scenes.
Speaking purely for myself here, but I ended up liking the show without ever watching a single minute of it in real time. I only got to watch snippets of the discussions (and the rapport) between Bo and Pablo through the clips that Bo would post on his feed from time to time. Otherwise, work prevented me from being able to tune in live.
It does seem like the show was done in by an unfavorable time slot and a lack of institutional support (which are almost certainly linked to each other), but as I said on another site, a part of me also wonders whether there really is room anymore for sportswriters and commentators to discuss sports in a nuanced way and dissect complex storylines from multiple angles, and whether the cancellation of shows like High Noon (and The Sports Reporters before that) represents the logical conclusion of the idea that people watch sports to “get away from the real world.”
ESPN diversity show. Can’t have more white people do a show. Liberals at ESPN don’t understand that people like personality or character rather than black or white.