Some profound changes are being made over at Disney’s ESPN. The sports giant announced that it is relieving 20 big-time stars of their jobs on the network following a year in which the company struggled to retain viewers. Judging from multiple statements, it seems that ESPN has been forced to make these decisions based on the pain felt on the balance sheet after the company ostracized part of its audience by going woke.
Over at ESPN Press Room, the company offered a statement on the recent firings and the plan for the future, saying, in part, “Given the current environment, ESPN has determined it necessary to identify some additional cost savings in the area of public-facing commentator salaries, and that process has begun.”
They explain that while the job cuts seem to be done for a while, the company will work to keep renewal costs down for returning employees. In a couple of months, another wave of ESPN exits is likely. The statement continues, “This exercise will include a small group of job cuts in the short-term and an ongoing focus on managing costs when we negotiate individual contract renewals in the months ahead.”
This is a jarring turn of events for a company that looked so indestructible just a few years prior. ESPN, once the undisputed leader in American Sports Media, says that these decisions have come purely from a place of financial necessity, saying, “This is an extremely challenging process, involving individuals who have had tremendous impact on our company. These difficult decisions, based more on overall efficiency than merit, will help us meet our financial targets and ensure future growth.”
Even the ESPN stars who are on the cutting edge of the company’s attempt to push social justice projects were not safe in this wave of budget cuts. Jalen Rose, who once sought to abolish the use of the term “Mount Rushmore,” was let go this week. For those who missed it, Rose said, “Can we retire using ‘Mount Rushmore?’ That should be offensive to all of us, especially Native Americans, Indigenous people who were the first people here before Christopher Columbus. That land was stolen from them when it was discovered that it contained gold.”
This should hopefully work as a good lesson to the many Hollywood stars and athletes who go woke with hopes of fitting in and maintaining good standing with their leftist leaders. Sure, they’ll like you a bit more if you go along with their ideology, but the moment that the balance sheet isn’t adding up, those same bosses will let you go without a second thought.
Among the other huge names that ESPN has let go are Jeff Van Gundy and Max Kellerman, both of whom have become some of the biggest names in sports television. Kellerman especially was a huge star, headlining “First Take” alongside Stephen A Smith for man years.
"*" indicates required fields