In what comes as a shocking move, ESPN is canceling its national morning radio show featuring popular household names Max Kellerman, Keyshawn Johnson, and Jay Williams.
Per the New York Post, the move is part of the restructuring that the organizations will go through and includes “significant on-air layoffs.”
The report also added that while the trio won’t be let go, Kellerman would face a bit of trouble. “He is a big-money guy who now is going to be out on radio and the time slot for his TV program, “This Just In,” will be taken over by “The Pat McAfee Show” this fall.”
As part of the upcoming layoffs, the sports network is still expected to buy out some of the deals as a mode of reducing numbers on the books.
According to Sports Illustrated, should Johnson leave ESPN, he could find himself replacing Shannon Sharpe on Fox Sports’ Undisputed alongside Skip Bayless.
Williams’ contract is set to expire this summer, and the Post’s Andrew Marchand added, “The approach to non-needle movers is one ESPN is expected to take in the coming months and years ahead when contracts expire,” Marchand writes. “ESPN executives believe this will help save behind-the-scenes jobs because there are financial targets that the company is expected to meet by Disney.”
Stephen A. Smith Hinted About ESPN’s Incoming Layoffs Earlier This Year
Speaking on his K[no]w Mercy Podcast earlier in March, NBA analyst Stephen A. Smith had asked employees to brace for ESPN’s incoming layoffs.
“Have you all been paying attention to the business landscape?” Smith said. “Disney itself announced that over 7,000 employees are going to be let go. ESPN is under the Disney umbrella. They’re going to have cuts coming. Hell, for all I know, I might be one of them. Now I doubt that. But it’s possible. No one knows.”
Per a Front Office Sports detailed report, ESPN falls under Disney, and, as Smith explained will fall under corporate restructuring and which meant that the company was reportedly cutting off 7,000 jobs and $5.5 billion in costs. FOS also added that the layoffs could “amount to 3% of Disney’s global workforce.”
It appears massive changes are being rung, and it shouldn’t be a surprise if more shocking developments come through in the days to come.
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