ESPN began a new round of layoffs Tuesday, cutting on-air talent and staff as the company continues absorbing the NFL Network operations it acquired from the league earlier this year.
Chairman Jimmy Pitaro told employees in a memo Tuesday that the company had “made some difficult decisions about job impacts” tied to the integration. Mr. Pitaro said most of the cuts stem from the NFL Network acquisition, but added that employees in other parts of the company would also be notified of layoffs Tuesday. ESPN declined to comment on the scope of the cuts.
Karl Ravech, who formerly served as ESPN’s lead voice for Sunday Night Baseball from 2022 to 2025 before the network dropped that broadcast package, is among those let go. Mr. Ravech had been with the network since 1993 and previously hosted “Baseball Tonight” and “SportsCenter.”
Ryan Clark’s departure was first reported by The Athletic’s Andrew Marchand, with Sports Business Journal’s Richard Deitsch confirming that ESPN moved up the timing of Mr. Clark’s notification after word began circulating publicly. Mr. Clark was pulled off the air mid-broadcast of “NFL Live” Monday and did not finish the show. He addressed the moment in an Instagram post Tuesday, writing that his “peace is with God, and my humility comes from within.”
NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero, who joined the network in 2017 after covering the league for USA Today, was also expected to be laid off, Front Office Sports reported.
ESPN completed its acquisition of NFL Network, RedZone and NFL Fantasy earlier this year, with the NFL taking a 10% stake in ESPN valued at roughly $3 billion. Under terms of the deal, as reported by TheWrap based on Disney’s regulatory filings, Disney could reacquire the NFL’s stake after July 2034, or the league could acquire up to 4% more equity in ESPN — both options priced at 70% of ESPN’s fair market value at that time.
Tuesday’s cuts follow an earlier round of roughly 30 layoffs at ESPN in the spring, part of broader companywide reductions at Disney.
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