ESPN Announces Employee Layoffs

OutKick first reported in October that ESPN was bracing for cost cuts, including the potential layoffs of hundreds of employees. Today, ESPN announced that 300 employees will be laid off and 200 positions will go unfulfilled.

"Prior to the pandemic, we had been deeply engaged in strategizing how best to position ESPN for future success amidst tremendous disruption in how fans consume sports." ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro wrote in a memo to employees, obtained by OutKick. "The pandemic’s significant impact on our business clearly accelerated those forward-looking discussions.  In the short term, we enacted various steps like executive and talent salary reductions, furloughs and budget cuts, and we implemented innovative operations and production approaches, all in an effort to weather the COVID storm."

"We have, however, reached an inflection point," Pitaro's memo continued. "The speed at which change is occurring requires great urgency, and we must now deliver on serving sports fans in a myriad of new ways.  Placing resources in support of our direct-to-consumer business strategy, digital, and, of course, continued innovative television experiences, is more critical than ever."

"We are parting ways with some exceptional team members - some of whom have been here for a long time – and all of whom have made important contributions to ESPN," Jimmy Pitaro wrote in the memo to ESPN employees. "We’re very grateful for all they’ve meant to us, and I assure you we are taking steps to make their transitions easier. I am proud of the people at ESPN. Together, we have overcome tremendous challenges and adversity over these past several months and please know that the decisions and plans executed today were not made lightly. They are, however, necessary and I am convinced that we will move forward and effectively navigate this unprecedented disruption."