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First round of ESPN layoffs starts, includes 43-year vet Mike Soltys
This looks to be the first of three waves of ESPN layoffs, with another one also focusing not on on-air talent by the summer, followed by cutbacks to on-air talent.
Pat McAfee launches speculation after posting photo with Disney CEO Bob Iger
"#UpToSomethingSZN"
ESPN layoffs reportedly set to come in three rounds, with massive paycuts also floated for on-air talent
"I do think they're going to go to some other people who make big numbers and say 'You can stay, but we're going to cut you in half.' People are going to have decisions to make on that."
Adam Silver denies interest in running Disney, says ‘I have no intention of going anywhere’
"I love my job at the NBA. I have no intention of going anywhere."
NBA’s Adam Silver reportedly on short list to eventually replace Bob Iger
The NBA commissioner is notably among a list of names already being put forward as Bob Iger's next successor.
ESPN executive moves may further reduce Disney spinoff or sale discussion
A Disney spinoff of ESPN and ABC is again being floated, with one analyst calling it “reasonably probable”
"Spinning [off] ESPN/ABC is the best path forward, and we see it as a reasonably probable late-’23 event."
Bob Iger is reportedly “effectively running” Disney again amidst COVID-19 disruptions, with “dire” internal mood
"A crisis of this magnitude, and its impact on Disney, would necessarily result in my actively helping Bob [Chapek] and the company contend with it, particularly since I ran the company for 15 years!"
Disney announces parks chairman Bob Chapek as new CEO, with Bob Iger staying on as executive chairman through 2021
ESPN parent corporation Disney has found their next CEO.
ESPN+ has added another million subscribers since August
ESPN+ now has 3.5 million paid subscribers, as per Disney CEO Bob Iger.
Disney acquired Fox’s stake in DraftKings despite Bob Iger’s comments about not facilitating gambling
Disney CEO Bob Iger said in February "I don’t see The Walt Disney Company, certainly in the near term, getting involved in the business of gambling, in effect, by facilitating gambling in any way." Well, they're doing so at the moment thanks to their stake in DraftKings.
Disney has explored acquiring the rights to NFL Sunday Ticket for ESPN+ when DirecTV deal expires
In March, questions swirled surrounding what would be next for the NFL Sunday Ticket package. The NFL was reportedly...
Bob Iger leaves Brazil without regulatory approval for Disney-Fox deal, but it’s still going to happen
The deal is now being held up by anti-trust concerns in Brazil.
Bob Iger touts 2 million paid ESPN+ subscribers, hints at a bundle deal for ESPN+ and Disney+
As per Iger, ESPN+'s subscriber numbers so far are strong, and consumers may eventually be able to combine ESPN+ with Disney+ and Hulu at a discount.
Bob Iger says he and Jimmy Pitaro thought ESPN coverage “swung a little bit too far away from the field” to societal and...
"Jimmy felt that the pendulum may have swung a little bit too far away from the field. And I happen to believe he was right."
Disney sees Q3 year-over-year earnings growth, thanks partly to ESPN’s affiliate revenue growth and lower severance costs
ESPN actually saw an operating income increase this time around, a big change from the last couple of years.
Report: “tensions built up over time” between ESPN’s John Skipper and Disney’s Bob Iger, including missed flight, public comments
A Wall Street Journal report suggests issues arose between Skipper and Iger over time, which may help to explain why Skipper abruptly exited in December instead of being put on leave.
Michael Eisner showed an amazing level of Ducks and Angels fandom while running Disney, from meetings to duck calls to Prague
"We were trying to figure out where he was and how we could get a satellite feed to him so that he could watch his Ducks game in a hotel in Prague. I believe we succeeded."
John Skipper says he was extorted by cocaine dealer, leading to resignation from ESPN
Skipper said his cocaine habit had rarely interfered with work before an extortion plot forced his abrupt resignation.
Disney CEO Bob Iger says ESPN Plus will launch late March/early April, app will eventually be where most people “experience ESPN”
Iger also spoke about variable price plans for specific ESPN Plus services and about OTT entertainment spend replacing some spend in current bundles.
Bob Iger unveils $4.99/month ESPN Plus price, calls app ‘future of ESPN,’ after quarter where ESPN held steady relative to ABC
ESPN had a relatively good quarter, compared to both its past results and what happened at ABC.
James Andrew Miller speculates as to why John Skipper left ESPN, disregarding the original reason given
Could Skipper have been forced out in a corporate power-play?
ESPN execs Connor Schell, Justin Connolly reportedly among candidates to replace John Skipper
ESPN has always hired its presidents from within. Will that trend continue this time around?
Will Disney and ESPN be able to monetize Fox’s network of regional sports networks?
Will the newly-purchased networks form the backbone of ESPN's new streaming service? Or did Disney buy at the height of a bubble?