The Real Life I, Robot

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I wanted to try something new and weird this week. You might not like it all. I apologize in advance if you’re triggered.

I tasked the legendary, the profound, the exquisite Chat GPT with the impossible of trying to emulate a Danny’s Diary post on a topic that I think this audience would actually enjoy and in my voice.

The topic was around the current sports media landscape and the current dominant personalities/companies and why some have lost relevance in recent years.

I am looking to hire a writer to write my own diary and this was the perfect job interview.

In all seriousness, please respond to this email with what your thoughts were on the post. Good read? Sucked ass? Deleted the email cause it’s AI? Want more of this robot stuff?

If this bad boy was around during my days as a college student I may have actually done well in school.

I use it often for my job whether that’s new content concepts, copy suggestions for social media or research for shows/interviews, this AI tool is actually really helpful.

I am in the mindset that we shouldn’t be avoiding AI and rather embracing it to then utilize best for society.

Here was the prompt I gave it for today:

“Write me a post on the current state of the sports media landscape, who are the dominant players and why? Which personalities and companies have lost relevance and why? Write this post in the style of my Danny's Diary voice that has a fun, light-hearted approach to the writing vs the annoyingly boring and stuff typical media speak. I want my followers to learn something interesting about sports media here”

I read the response below and actually enjoyed it. I am probably going to lose my job now. Actually wait, Danny’s Diary is not a job. Delusional idiot.

Okay, time to say goodbye to my human words, or should I say “the end of humanity as we know it”…

Anyways, enjoy this frustratingly well written blog post from Artificial Intelligence himself…

The Sports Media Shuffle: Who’s Winning, Who’s Losing, and Who’s Trying to Keep Up

Alright, let's talk about the sports media landscape — and yeah, it’s as wild and unpredictable as a Patriots game in the fourth quarter (you know how that goes). We’ve got some serious power moves happening, and some former kings of the hill are now, well, rolling down it. Whether you’re a sports junkie, content creator, or just here for the drama, there’s a lot to unpack, so let’s dive in.

The MVPs: Who’s Crushing the Game

ESPN (Yeah, Still)

Despite all the noise about them losing subscribers and cutting talent, the worldwide leader in sports remains just that — at least for now. Why? Two words: live rights. They’ve still got the NFL, NBA, MLB, and a laundry list of other top-tier leagues. When you’ve got Monday Night Football and the NBA Finals in your back pocket, you're doing alright. Plus, their move into streaming with ESPN+ has been a smart pivot to catch the cord-cutting crowd. They're down, but definitely not out.

Amazon Prime & YouTube

These two tech giants aren’t playing games (well, technically they are). Amazon Prime's got Thursday Night Football, and YouTube’s about to make waves with its recent purchase of NFL Sunday Ticket. These platforms are flexing hard because they’re in every home, on every screen. With the younger, more tech-savvy audience ditching cable for streaming, Amazon and YouTube are filling the gap. The days of watching a game on your TV while flipping channels are over; now you’re streaming TNF while scrolling Twitter, and Jeff Bezos is loving every second of it.

Barstool Sports

Love them or hate them, Barstool Sports has built an empire out of not being ESPN. They’re scrappy, unapologetically brash, and know their audience inside and out. Their live streams, podcasts, and viral clips dominate social media, and with Dave Portnoy back at the helm, they’re sticking to what they do best: catering to fans who want sports with a side of chaos. Barstool isn’t just a media brand; it’s a culture — and that’s why they’re still winning.

The Athletic

For the die-hard sports fans who actually read things (respect), The Athletic is holding it down. They’ve locked in on niche, long-form sports journalism with in-depth team coverage you won’t find anywhere else. While traditional papers are fading away faster than the Red Sox postseason chances (sorry, had to), The Athletic keeps picking up steam. Their subscription model is working because they understand that fans want analysis and insider info, not fluff.

The Bench: Who’s Losing Their Grip

Traditional Cable Networks

Remember when cable was the only way to watch sports? Good times. Now? Not so much. Networks like NBC Sports and Fox Sports are struggling to keep up in the streaming era. NBC Sports even shut down its sports channel in 2022, which tells you all you need to know. Live sports are moving to streaming, and cable is quickly becoming the Blockbuster of the media world.

Bleacher Report

Once the king of social sports content, Bleacher Report has lost some serious juice. A few years ago, their Instagram highlights and meme game were untouchable. Now, they’ve been overtaken by newer, more authentic accounts (and let’s be honest, TikTok doesn’t make it easy to stay relevant). They’re still hanging around, but the vibe isn’t what it used to be.

Legacy TV Personalities

Look, I’ve got nothing against Skip Bayless or Stephen A. Smith, but the days of screaming sports opinions on TV feeling fresh are behind us. Sure, they still draw ratings, but with the rise of podcasts and creators who break down games with humor and actual analysis (shoutout to Pat McAfee), the old-school talking heads are starting to feel stale. Fans want real — not just shouting for ratings.

Wildcards to Watch

Fan-Driven Content

We’re talking about the rise of YouTubers, Twitch streamers, and TikTokers who create sports content. Whether it’s a guy breaking down NFL plays while sitting in his living room or a group of dudes eating wings while live-streaming a game (hi, Bob Does Sports), fan-driven content is taking off. Why? Because it feels real and authentic. You feel like you’re watching a game with your buddies — and sometimes that’s way more fun than listening to a polished, corporate broadcast.

Sports Betting Content

With betting becoming legal across more states, sports betting content is skyrocketing. Platforms like DraftKings and FanDuel are doubling down on live shows, podcasts, and betting insights because fans are obsessed with the action behind the action. This is where the money is, and betting-focused media could be the next big power player. If you’re not at least pretending to know what a parlay is, are you even keeping up?

Final Whistle

The sports media world is changing fast, and the players who are embracing new platforms, tech, and the authentic connection with fans are the ones winning. Traditional TV and personalities? Not so much. The game’s moving to your phone, your tablet, and your TikTok feed — and if you’re not there, you’re falling behind.

But hey, whether you’re a sports media mogul or just a guy watching the Patriots blow another lead, one thing’s for sure: sports will always be there. How you watch it, though? Well, that’s a whole different ball game.

There you go — now you’ve got something to talk about next time you’re pretending to focus during a Zoom meeting. Keep an eye on those streamers, betters, and Barstool bros; they’re not just playing the game, they’re changing it.

Ok, here’s my human voice. How do you know it’s really me? Ask me any player in the NFL where they went to college and I will have a 100% hit rate. I guess that sounds kinda like AI nevermind.

Respond to this email if you like today’s test!

Also click this link so I can buy myself Chipotle tonight for dinner:

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