If you’re wondering who at ESPN can feel safe following the network’s layoffs in recent years, you’re not alone.
According to one ESPN historian, employees at the company are currently feeling more insecure in their job statuses than they ever have before.
On Monday, author James Andrew Miller joined The Bill Simmons Podcast to discuss Saturday Night Live‘s 50th anniversary special. The conversation, however, eventually shifted to another institution both the show’s host and guest are plenty familiar with, as Simmons asked Miller about the current vibes in Bristol among ESPN employees.
“Freud — one of his definitions of maturity is the ability to handle ambiguity. So I think there are a lot of people becoming mature. Or else they’re drinking themselves silly on the weekends,” the Those Guys Have All the Fun: Inside the World of ESPN author said. “Because it used to be — you know this — particularly because ESPN’s in Bristol, Connecticut, you gotta move your ass up to Central Connecticut. You put your kids in school. Everybody’s there for 25, 30 years. I mean, if you’re at CBS Sports and you don’t like it, or you get recruited to NBC, you’re just going across town.
“So a lot of people are there for 25, 30 years. Those jobs aren’t as safe as they used to be. And a lot of people were having a very difficult time, particularly since some real legends were laid off during these layoffs. So I think there’s a level of insecurity, a palpable level of insecurity, Bill, that’s never been there before.”
Miller and Simmons were on the same page.
“That’s what I’m hearing as well,” the ex-ESPN columnist added.
In many ways, Miller’s comments are academic.
If high profile names like Samantha Ponder, Robert Griffin III, Zach Lowe, Steve Young, Suzy Kolber, Jalen Rose, Jeff Van Gundy, Mark Jackson, Max Kellerman and Keyshawn Johnson aren’t safe from the chopping block in Bristol, then it’s hard to imagine who is. Factor in the departures of high-ranking executives like Norby Williamson and the organizational restructures that have followed, and it’s easy to understand why ESPN employees hardly view the company as a beacon of stability at the moment.
Miller also noted that 2025 possesses the potential to be a transformative year for ESPN with the “Flagship” streaming service set to launch this fall. With the company set to go direct-to-consumer for the first time in its history, it will be interesting to see how the product affects both the company’s business model and the impact that ultimately has on employee morale.
About Ben Axelrod
Ben Axelrod is a veteran of the sports media landscape, having most recently worked for NBC's Cleveland affiliate, WKYC. Prior to his time in Cleveland, he covered Ohio State football and the Big Ten for outlets including Cox Media Group, Bleacher Report, Scout and Rivals.