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As the Covid pandemic keeps affecting sports, the business’s media side bore the most recent brunt. On Thursday, ESPN reported a vast decrease of 300 staff members, network president Jimmy Pitaro said in a memorandum to employees.
Considering the second an “inflection point,” Pitaro said 200 open positions at ESPN would not be filled. Likewise, the company will cut ties with some on-air talents when contracts expire.
“As you know, we value transparency in our internal dialogue, and that means in both good and challenging times. After much consideration, I have some difficult organizational decisions to share. We will be reducing our workforce, impacting approximately 300 valued team members, in addition to 200 open positions.”
ESPN president Jimmy Pitaro
Ivan Maisel, an 18-year ESPN veteran and profoundly regarded college football essayist, said he had been informed that his contract would not be granted renewal when it terminates January 31.
“I feel good about the stories I have told via writing and on video, on the college football podcast that I helped establish, and especially, my role in creating and producing the editorial, podcast and video content for College Football 150.”
Ivan Maisel tweeted
Disney, ESPN’s parent organization, has endured critical misfortunes because of the pandemic. Yet, even before COVID-19, cord-cutting and client conduct shifts made Disney look at its advanced procedure and start underlining direct-to-customer items and practices.
Disney CEO Bob Chapek alluded to a potential decrease in staff as the organization rebuilds its media and entertainment divisions into a solitary association responsible for content circulation, advertisement deals, and Disney+.
In the same way as other organizations, ESPN’s business has been attacked by the Covid pandemic. ESPN will pay more than $7 billion for the rights to show live games in 2020, the backbone of ESPN’s nine cable channels.
However, for a very long time this year, from March to July, there were no games to show. Indeed, even with school sports resumption, ESPN has confronted low viewership and a weak advertising market.
President Pitaro also expressed appreciation to employees.
“We’re very grateful for all they’ve meant to us, and I assure you we are taking steps to make their transitions easier. I am proud of the people at ESPN… Together, we have overcome tremendous challenges and adversity over these past several months, and please know that the decisions and plans executed today were not made lightly.”
Jimmy Pitaro
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