Well, they're going broke because nobody is watching and advertiser fees are based on TV ratings. The only thing they broadcast that gets watched are NFL and college football games.
ESPN has fired half their administrative staff and on-air talent to compensate.
This is pretty common knowledge actually.
Not replying specifically to erod here...just quoting his post in order to speak to this specific sub-topic
That being said, you can't objectively compare television ratings of football to other major sports. They play 16 regular season games in the NFL, so viewership is concentrated. They play 162 games in MLB (82 in the NBA, and 80 - I think - in the NHL), and viewership is diluted due to the sheer number of games. Just as individual games in those sports are less likely to sell out, it naturally leads to the conclusion that baseball, basketball, and hockey won't have the same level of viewership (again, due to sheer number of games). Advertisers are also well-aware of this, and you can bet they all employ analysts and advisers to help them make informed decisions.
The NFL is unique in that there are far fewer opportunities to view. Any advertiser who makes a decision on an apple-to-apples comparison is going to lose money.