Based on Company Policy, ESPN Should Address Reporter Favoring 'F-Trump,' 'F-ICE' Post

OutKick has long argued that networks should allow sports commentators to discuss politics, provided the rules apply to everyone. Unfortunately, that is not the case at ESPN.

In 2018, ESPN Chairman Jimmy Pitaro publicly announced a "ban on politics" at the network. But in the years since, he has only ever enforced the policy against conservative voices.

Consider the following:

• ESPN suspended Sage Steele in 2021 for answering political questions during an appearance on an outside podcast.
• Management ordered then-SportsCenter anchor Ashley Brewer to delete a photo of a disabled Republican congressman attending a UFC event.
• Last month, Sam Ponder said network executives sent her an angry email after she "liked" a tweet from Megyn Kelly saying men don’t need gynecologists.

That brings us to ESPN ACC reporter Taylor Tannebaum.

ATLANTA, GA - AUGUST 31: Taylor Tannebaum on the pre-game show before the Saturday afternoon college football game between the University of Georgia Bulldogs and the Clemson Tigers on 08/31/2024 at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, GA.  (Photo by David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

On Sunday, Tannebaum "liked" a post from UCLA student Jamie Han in which she chants "fu** ICE" and "fu** the Trump administration" during her valedictorian speech.

Han originally shared the clip in June, though it started to receive attention again over the weekend. Han edited the caption on Instagram last week.

Under the precedent ESPN has set, Tannebaum should have already been contacted by network brass—if not disciplined. After all, Ponder was scolded for "liking" a tweet that stated a biological fact.

But don't expect it.

While ESPN ordered Brewer to delete her post, Mark Jones has had a photo of Barack Obama pinned to his X account for years. ESPN released a statement condemning Steele's professionalism after answering a question about politics, but declined to comment when Elle Duncan praised Michelle Obama on ESPN television in July. The list goes on and on.

Still, OutKick emailed both Tannebaum and PR rep Bill Hofheimer (Mark Jones' lap dog) to see if ESPN even acknowledged her post. As of publication, neither responded. We’ll update this piece if they do.

Admittedly, we'd also like to ask Tannebaum how she'd prefer the Trump administration handle the illegal immigrant crisis, which Democratic internal polling suggests cost Kamala Harris the election in swing states last November.

Anyway, expect to see more of Taylor Tannebaum on ESPN this fall.