Walt Disney Co is worth $162.88 billion as of July 2023, making it the 68th richest company in the world. Its sports network, ESPN, was a rating powerhouse in the U.S. last year, drawing 1.9 million viewers every night on its main channel, a 14% jump from 2021. ESPN2 also saw an 8% boost in its evening audience. But despite these impressive numbers, ESPN has been slashing its talent roster, saying goodbye to some of its biggest names, like Stephen A. Smith’s friends and co-workers.

ESPN said it had to cut about 20 on-air personalities to save money and grow in the future. The network said these moves were not based on performance, and they had nothing to do with the earlier Disney layoffs that hit other parts of the company. Interestingly, once Sr. sportscaster Marcellus Wiley chose to leave the network in 2018, now telling the truth.

ESPN’s talent purge

Marcellus Wiley shared his sorrow and shock over the fate of Stephen A. Smith’s friends and co-workers Jeff Van Gundy and Suzy Kolber, who were among the casualties of ESPN’s massive talent purge. On his podcast, Marcellus said: “Wish I was a lawyer, I got to tell the truth, and I gotta read this report. It breaks my heart, but you know me, I live through levity. If I ain’t dead, I ain’t down. I’m gonna be all right, and these guys will be too.”

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Marcellus continued, “ESPN has laid off some big names in the latest round of firing. Some of those confirmed names are Max Kellerman, Keyshawn Johnson, Jalen Rose caught me off guard with that one. Jeff Van Gundy really caught me off with that one, Suzy Kolber and LaPhonso Ellis.”

Jeff Van Gundy and Suzy Kolber had been with ESPN for years, working alongside Stephen A. Smith on some of the network’s most popular sports shows. Gundy had been with ESPN since 2007 and had called 17 NBA Finals. Suzy had been with ESPN for 27 years and most recently hosted Monday Night Countdown. They covered the NBA and the NFL with passion and insight, and they had a strong bond with Stephen A. Smith and the rest of the ESPN family.

The ESPN bloodbath: Big names axed

The ESPN bloodbath also claimed Todd McShay, Matt Hasselbeck, Ashley Brewer, Steve Young, Chris Chelios, Rob Ninkovich, Neil Everett, and many more. A source said that most of them will still get paid until their contracts expire. ESPN is struggling to adapt to the changing landscape of sports media, where more and more viewers are cutting the cable cord and opting for streaming options.

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“Given the current environment, ESPN has determined it necessary to identify some additional cost savings in the area of public-facing commentator salaries, and that process has begun,” ESPN said, per recent reports.

The network faces fierce rivals in the digital space, who are vying for the same sports fans and rights deals. ESPN hopes to survive and thrive by launching a full-fledged streaming service in the near future.

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