ESPN is allegedly set to lay off a number of employees, and high-profile names might be on the chopping block, the New York Post reported Monday.
Disney CEO Bob Iger announced in February that the corporate giant would be slashing 7,000 jobs, and Disney-owned ESPN is not exempt, according to the NY Post. Disney aims to save $5.5 billion through corporate cost-cutting measures, the outlet reported.
The world leader in sports entertainment will allegedly confirm a round of layoffs within four to six weeks. The employment cuts will reportedly come across all divisions, meaning high-profile on-air personalities may not be spared, according to the NY Post.
ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro has reportedly informed department heads to “scrutinize” their staff for the sake of efficiency.
ESPN commentator Stephen A. Smith spoke about the reported round of layoffs on a recent episode of his podcast, “K[no]w Mercy.”
Stephen A. Smith expects ESPN to layoff some employees
“They’re going to have cuts coming. Hell, for all I know, I might be one of them,”
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“Have you all been paying attention to the business landscape? Disney itself announced that over 7,000 employees are going to be let go,” Smith said, according to Front Office Sports. “ESPN is under the Disney umbrella. They’re going to have cuts coming.”
“Hell, for all I know, I might be one of them. Now, I doubt that. But it’s possible. No one knows,” Smith added.
In a previous high-profile layoff, ESPN let go of sports personality Britt McHenry in 2017. McHenry later alleged her “openly conservative” viewpoints were the reason she was cut from the network, according to a since-deleted Tweet cited by USA Today.