James Andrew Miller talks ESPN layoffs

Episode 116 of the Sports Illustrated Media Podcast features writer James Andrew Miller, the best-selling author of books on CAA, ESPN and Saturday Night Live. In this podcast, we discuss the ESPN layoffs in full including: why ESPN laid off nearly 100 talented employees; what this means for the company heading forward; how the sports right deals – including expanding its NFL rights deal in 2011 for $15.2 billion through 2021 and the new NBA deal played into the decision; whether ESPN is still interested in the reporting of the NHL and MLB; whether paying $125 million for a new studio was a terrible investment in hindsight; the loss of key information people such as Andy Katz, Jayson Stark, Ed Werder, Brett McMurphy, Jane McManus and others and what that means for ESPN’s journalism commitment heading forward; the likelihood that The Vertical’s Adrian Wojarnowski is coming to ESPN and how that impacted those NBAers who were laid off by ESPN; anchor Linda Cohn’s comments that part of the layoffs were related to politics turning off viewers; whether politics has anything to do with the financials; the narrative issue for ESPN, pushed by competitors and others, that the network has become too left-leaning; reporting from Jim and Richard that ESPN management won’t negotiate buyouts if you get offered to work elsewhere, and much more.


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Episode 116 of the Sports Illustrated Media Podcast features writer James Andrew Miller, the best-selling author of books on CAA, ESPN and Saturday Night Live. In this podcast, we discuss the ESPN layoffs in full including: why ESPN laid off nearly 100 talented employees; what this means for the company heading forward; how the sports right deals – including expanding its NFL rights deal in 2011 for $15.2 billion through 2021 and the new NBA deal played into the decision; whether ESPN is still interested in the reporting of the NHL and MLB; whether paying $125 million for a new studio was a terrible investment in hindsight; the loss of key information people such as Andy Katz, Jayson Stark, Ed Werder, Brett McMurphy, Jane McManus and others and what that means for ESPN’s journalism commitment heading forward; the likelihood that The Vertical’s Adrian Wojarnowski is coming to ESPN and how that impacted those NBAers who were laid off by ESPN; anchor Linda Cohn’s comments that part of the layoffs were related to politics turning off viewers; whether politics has anything to do with the financials; the narrative issue for ESPN, pushed by competitors and others, that the network has become too left-leaning; reporting from Jim and Richard that ESPN management won’t negotiate buyouts if you get offered to work elsewhere, and much more.


You can subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, Google Play and Stitcher.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices