ESPN Monday Night Football analysts Suzy Kolber and Steve Young are among the more than 20 on-air hosts who have been laid off by ESPN in the last 24 hours.
Kolber announced that she had been laid off in a Twitter post, giving thanks for her 27 years with the company.
Today I join the many hard-working colleagues who have been laid off.
Heartbreaking-but 27 years at ESPN was a good run.
So grateful for a 38 yr career!
Longevity for a woman in this business is something I’m especially proud of.
Next step- a project that gives back. ❤️ pic.twitter.com/URitozP0LQ
— Suzy Kolber (@SuzyKolber) June 30, 2023
Young has not commented on the layoffs as of the time of this writing.
The dismissal of Kolber and Young is notable for two reasons: First, it shows that even ESPN’s highly valued NFL coverage is not immune to the financial squeeze the company is currently feeling as more customers shift away from cable. And secondly, unlike previous rounds of layoffs, which mostly claimed producers and behind-the-scenes personnel, this current round is hitting some of the network’s most highly paid and longest-serving on-air talent.
ESPN Monday Night Football Countdown announcers Suzy Kolber and Steve Young before an NFL game between the Washington Redskins and Kansas City Chiefs on October 2, 2017, at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, MO. (Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Other notable cuts include NBA analysts Jalen Rose and Jeff Van Gundy.
In all, the Walt Disney Company, of which ESPN is a part, is expected to lay off 7,000 employees this year.