Just like NBA teams often dump salaries, major corporates often lay off personnel. ESPN recently engaged in a chain of mass firings. The seven percent drop in revenues for the Disney-owned company triggered this decision and getting rid of multimillion-dollar contracts was a way of recovering some costs. Many of these firings have been unprecedented. They abruptly released people who carried the torch at the network for decades.

One of the personalities laid off by the network is someone with an unabashed approach, much like Stephen A. Smith. Firing this former coach of the New York Knicks was a particularly shocking move. 

Revered NBA legends and analysts booted over profits

The influence of Disney on the market is well-documented. Their legacy production Walt Disney Studios has produced some of the most renowned content. In addition to that, they own a host of formerly independent media outlets and mammoth production houses. They saw a drop of 7% in their revenues, which was mostly due to the underperformance of their cable networks which includes ESPN.  Bob Iger, the CEO of Walt Disney Company aimed to cut additional costs by saving $5.5 billion through the firings of commentators and crew personnel.

 This process engulfed Jalen Rose, Kendrick Perkins, Vince Carter, and most notably, Jeff Van Gundy.

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The move to lay off Gundy came as a shock because of his reputation and contributions. The criteria for doing away with personnel such as van Gundy or Jalen Rose is unclear. Van Gundy was reportedly earning more than $1 million per year. Rose was making about $3 million a year. After the moves, it seems that Stephen A. Smith might take the central role in ESPN’s structure moving forward. 

While the company re-configures, Jeff Van Gundy must start figuring out the next steps. 

What is the road ahead for Van Gundy?

As the co-commentator with Mike Breen and Mark Jackson, Van Gundy has a catalog of sparkling moments. He has called 17 NBA Finals games and has narrated 100s of games. The brilliant analyst couldn’t stand “flops” and advocated for fines. He believed in “saving time” and looked perturbed when in-game reviews took a lot of time. He wasn’t afraid of criticizing refs and frequently engaged in banter.

However, the prospects aren’t all that glum for the former ESPN commentator. As per the Athletic, the NBA is going to sign a new media partner before the 2025-2026 NBA season. If the highly rated analyst is available by then, there is an enormous chance that he may land another huge role with the league.

ESPN is planning to choose among Doris Burke, JJ Redick, and Richard Jefferson to replace Van Gundy. Will they offer them less money than the former New York Knicks coach’s contract? 

Did you like how Jeff Van Gundy narrated the game? Do share in the comments below.

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