ESPN Plans 30 Layoffs at Bristol Headquarters

ESPN, the leading sports broadcaster, is preparing to lay off approximately 30 employees at its headquarters in Bristol, Connecticut, in the coming weeks, according to reports from media analyst John Ourand of Puck.

The reductions, primarily affecting off-camera and back-office roles, stem from persistent financial pressures in the industry. Ourand reported that the cuts are driven by a decade-long decline in cable and satellite subscribers, which has eroded ESPN's traditional revenue base. The network, once available in nearly 100 million U.S. households, now reaches about 60 million, reflecting broader cord-cutting trends as viewers shift to streaming services. This subscriber loss has resulted in hundreds of millions of dollars in reduced affiliate fees each year.

Compounding these challenges was a costly carriage dispute with YouTube TV last fall. In November 2023, ESPN's channels went dark on the streaming platform for 15 days amid negotiations over fees, depriving subscribers of key college football and NFL games, including Monday Night Football matchups. Disney, ESPN's parent company, reported a $100 million revenue hit from the blackout, which Ourand described as an...