This story has been corrected from an earlier version to reflect that ESPN's layoffs affected writers as well as on-air personalities, and that ESPN is 37 years old. Deadspin argues Wednesday's layoffs aren't really meant to be a permanent fix for ESPN's problems but to act as "symbolic sacrifices" to buy "a little more slack from investors".
Tweet Embed: https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/857225944221831168 After 17 years reporting on #NFL, I've been informed that I'm being laid off by ESPN effective immediately.
Even the National Review had a takeaway, saying the layoffs are the result of ESPN becoming "a left wing sports network".
In a note to employees, ESPN president John Skipper mentioned the changing habits of viewers. Skipper said those laid off will include "anchors, analysts, reporters, writers and those who handle play-by-play".
It's been a dark day in Bristol as the news of ESPN's layoffs have been made public. Disney hopes to come up with a fresh direct-to-consumer, ESPN-branded, multi-sports subscription streaming service this year, and is currently focused on launching ESPN on all new multi-channel services, including Sling TV, DIRECTV NOW, Hulu, and PlayStation Vue. He also stated that despite the upheaval, ESPN would strive to maintain 'an unparalleled and diverse talent roster that resonates with fans across all our platforms'.
"ESPN was wrapped in Teflon for many years, but big payouts for rights fees plus significant losses in their subscriber base were like punches to the gut and head, and now the company is trying to make sure they are strong enough to fight in the future".
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The large cut comes as the expensive "Worldwide Leader in Sports" hemorrhages subscribers in the cord-cutting era.
Central to today's staff cuts are the changing economics of the sports media industry, as Skipper alluded to in his memo.
Some of the names trickled out on social media.
ESPN put out a statement via its in-house "Front Row" website to provide further context on the company's strategy going forward.
Former morning host Jay Crawford, football columnist Jane McManus, ESPNU host Brendan Fitzgerald, hockey reporters Pierre LeBrun, Joe McDonald and Scott Burnside, soccer reporter Mike Goodman, baseball analyst Jim Bowden, college basketball reporter C.L. Brown and baseball reporter Mark Saxon were among the others to announce their departures.
Danny Kanell Tweeted that he was a casualty - "Poured my heart and soul into ESPN for last 8 years".
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