The gutting of on-air talent at ESPN sounds a death knell over the Bristol Connecticut campus as 100 people are now predicted to be laid off due to the World Wide Leader in Sports Entertainment losing about 200,000 subscribers per month over the last five years.
ESPN attributes the bleeding of subscribers to viewers preferring to get their sports online. Yet, many former viewers insist that they are turned off by the network’s affinity for political correctness and the frequent advocacy of left-wing ideology by many of the broadcasters and writers.
On Wednesday, the president of ESPN, John Skipper, put out a memo to personnel saying: “Today, we are again focused on a strategic vision that will propel our vast array of networks and services forward … Dynamic change demands an increased focus on versatility and value, and as a result, we have been engaged in the challenging process of determining the talent — anchors, analysts, reporters, writers, and those who handle play-by-play — necessary to meet those demands.”
Skipper added, “These decisions impact talented people who have done great work for our company. I would like to thank all of them for their efforts and their many contributions to ESPN.”
Here’s the reaction of some of those who were laid off:
NFL Reporter Ed Werder
Hockey Insider and Writer Pierre LeBrun
College Football Insider Brett McMurphy
NHL Columnist Scott Burnside
Titans Reporter Paul Kuharsky
College Basketball Reporter Dana O’Neil
Big Ten Football Writer Austin Ward
College Basketball Writer Eamonn Brennan
MLB Analyst Jim Bowden
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