ESPN creates their own monster in promoting certain faces to the public. When those faces take off in the popularity of mainstream culture, of course this is going to increase their personal value and therefore cost ESPN more. If no one was bigger than the network, they would continue to focus on sports and not some of the other crap they have taken to focusing on.

I agree though that they don't want to keep certain high priced talent, and it boggles my mind. As an example, they keep Mike Greenberg who supposedly is making north of 5mil a year to develop a pop culture show with him and kill Mike and Mike in the morning, one of there most popular properties mainly dealing with sports??? It is a sports channel...that's what people tune in for.