UPDATED with latest: ESPN senior NBA writer Zach Lowe is the latest to be let go from the sports network amid ongoing belt tightening at the Disney-owned outlet. The Athletic, which first reported the news, said the well-respected Lowe’s departure is “part of the network’s fiscal year planning that will wrap up at the conclusion of September. He is thought to be the last person who will be laid off in this round, according to the Athletic.
The 12-year ESPN vet was let go just days after the dean of NBA reporters, Adrian “Woj” Wojnarowski, made the stunning announcement that he was retiring after seven years at the network.
That leaves ESPN without two of its best basketball writers with the NBA season tipping off in less than a month and amid the company’s pricey 11-year rights extension with the NBA a few weeks ago. The new agreement, which Disney CEO Bob Iger called a “tremendous value,” came at a significant increase in costs over the previous deal.
PREVIOUSLY on August 15, 2024: ESPN has parted ways with Robert Griffin III and NFL Countdown host Sam Ponder, Deadline has learned.
The Athletic, which first reported the news, said Griffin had two years left on his deal while Ponder was about to enter the last year of her three-year deal.
Griffin’s exit from ESPN comes as the sports network signed retired Philadelphia Eagles player Jason Kelce as host for Monday Night Countdown.
Sources tell us that the decision to cut both on-air personalities was based on a business decision to reduce costs and will be paid off for the rest of their contracts.
PREVIOUSLY on July 31, 2023: Longtime ESPN NBA announcer Mark Jackson has joined the ranks of on-air talent laid off of late by the network. Almost exactly a month ago, Jackson’s broadcast partner (and former coach) Jeff Van Gundy was among the 20-odd boldfaced names let go by the network. See the list below. Since then, speculation has abounded about Jackson’s fate. That speculation came to an end today.
PREVIOUSLY, June 30: On the same day ESPN ran special extended coverage of player comings and goings during NBA Free Agency, about 20 of the network’s top on-air talent found out they would be on the move, as well.
A person familiar with the cutbacks told Deadline they are unrelated to the multi-round Disney layoffs implemented in recent months. The source indicated that many of those affected by the new cuts have contracts beyond June 30 and will be paid out accordingly, but parting ways will enable ESPN to avoid wider layoffs.
Here is the list of those reported to be departing, some of whom had been previously announced:
Zach Lowe
Robert Griffin III
Sam Ponder
Jeff Van Gundy
Jalen Rose
Keyshawn Johnson
Max Kellerman
Suzy Kolber
Chris Chelios
Matt Hasselbeck
Steve Young
Rob Ninkovich
Neil Everett
Ashley Brewer
Joon Lee
LaPhonso Ellis
Todd McShay
Jordan Cornette
Jason Fitz
David Pollack
Below are some of the tweets from on-air talent announcing their departures.
ESPN issued the following statement about the layoffs:
“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,” ESPN said in a statement. “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 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.
For fuller analysis of these personnel moves, see this piece from Deadline’s Dade Hayes.
Dade Hayes contributed to this report.
