Back in January, ESPN acquired the NFL Network in a deal that gave the league a 10% stake in the world wide leader in sports. At the time, this merger combined the on-air talents of some of the most respected (and also some of the most polarizing) figures in sports media.
It was soon clear, though, that there was not enough room in the sandbox for everyone. Over the past several months, ESPN has been configuring the talent it now possessed. Now, some of the longest-tenured and most beloved members of both networks are looking for new jobs.
ESPN fired Karl Ravech and Tom Pelissero, among others
On Monday, it was reported that Ryan Clark, one of the more controversial analysts at ESPN, was let go. His dismissal came while he actually filming a show, and the network defended its actions by saying that they did not want him to learn of their plans to fire him on Tuesday before they got the chance to actually do it.
Clark’s firing led many to speculate what other personalities were also going to be let go. On Tuesday, it was reported by The Athletic that Karl Ravech and Tom Pelissero were among those being fired:
“Karl Ravech, one of ESPN’s most prominent on-air voices for more than three decades, and NFL insider Tom Pelissero were expected to be part of the network’s latest round of layoffs on Tuesday, according to sources briefed on the moves.”
Ravech had been with ESPN for over 30 years. He first joined the network in 1993 and is one of the most beloved voices in sports, particularly Major League Baseball. Ravech has also hosted SportsCenter and many other shows at ESPN. He also called the Phillies-Dodgers game in Philadelphia last night.
Pelissero, a renowned and respected NFL insider, joined the world wide leader in sports when it acquired the NFL Network back in January. Both he and Ian Rapoport transitioned to ESPN, but it appears that only one of them is being retained. It is now obvious the plan is for them to move forward with Rapoport and long-time insider Adam Schefter, who just received a massive contract extension.
In addition to these highly respected sports reporters/journalists, ESPN is also firing:
- Cam Newton
- David Lloyd
- Stephania Bell
- Charles Davis
