Friday marks the end of an era at ESPN as several on-air stars from the "World Wide Leader in Sports" have been laid off. According to reports, long-tenure veterans such as Keyshawn Johnson, Max Kellerman, Jalen Rose, Jeff Van Gundy, Suzy Kolber, and LaPhonso Ellis were among the 20 names subjected to the company-wide cuts. This is surprising because Keyshawn and Max made up 2/3 of ESPN's #1 radio show in the morning (Keyshawn, JWill & Max), while the trio of Jeff Van Gundy, Mark Jackson, and Mike Breen were regarded as the company's top broadcasting team for televised NBA games. It is also being reported that ESPN is parting ways with Steve Young, Matt Hasselback, Ashely Brewer, Vince Carter, and NFL Draft expert Todd McShay.
There is growing speculation that one of the reasons behind the significant roster cuts is that ESPN is clearing budget space in the wake of the massive 5-year contract (worth $85 million) the company signed Pat McAfee to back in May. The transaction reportedly upset many of the employees at ESPN (according to Outkick). Shortly after the layoffs were announced, on Friday morning, the popular sports analyst received backlash on Twitter.
Ultimately, these budget cuts are expected to save ESPN tens of millions, which could be used in a recruitment effort to persuade Shannon Sharpe to sign with them following his departure from Skip and Shannon: Undisputed on FS1.
Source: Brobible
