Rachel Nichols has been a long-tenured reporter for ESPN, mostly known for covering the NBA, and hosting her show “The Jump”. However, it seems as though that will not be happening in the future, at least not at ESPN.
Per an article in The Athletic, ESPN has pulled Rachel Nichols off of all NBA programming, and canceled “The Jump”. Rachel Nichols is still under contract for ESPN, but it seems as though she will not be appearing on-air any further.
ESPN has removed broadcaster Rachel Nichols from all NBA programming and will cancel “The Jump,” the weekday show that she hosts, according to multiple reports Wednesday. Sports Business Journal first reported the news.
Nichols has more than a year remaining on her contract with ESPN but will likely not appear on air for the company during that time, per reports
After recordings of some of her disparaging comments about colleague Maria Taylor surfaced and went viral, Rachel Nichols was notably under public scrutiny, which led ESPN to remove her from NBA Finals sideline coverage. The Athletic article also provided a statement from ESPN’s David Roberts on the most recent development.
“We mutually agreed that this approach regarding our NBA coverage was best for all concerned,” ESPN senior VP/production David Roberts told SBJ in a statement. “Rachel is an excellent reporter, host and journalist, and we thank her for her many contributions to our NBA content.”
Last month, Nichols was removed from ESPN’s NBA Finals sideline coverage and apologized on-air after comments about colleague Maria Taylor surfaced.
Rachel Nichols has issued a goodbye on her own Twitter account, suggesting that she has more in store, while thanking the producers and the crew.
Got to create a whole show and spend five years hanging out with some of my favorite people ❤️ talking about one my favorite things 🏀 An eternal thank you to our amazing producers & crew – The Jump was never built to last forever but it sure was fun. 😎
More to come… pic.twitter.com/FPMFRlfJin
— Rachel Nichols (@Rachel__Nichols) August 25, 2021
It looks as though there are going to be some changes at ESPN, though it is likely business will resume as usual once the company figures out what’s next after this news. Nichols’ time with ESPN has come to a close and it seems as though this is what the company deemed was the best course of action.
