ESPN plans second wave of layoffs after NFL Media deal

ESPN is preparing for a new round of staff reductions this summer, according to reports, a move that is expected to impact both on-air personalities and behind-the-scenes personnel. This would mark the second wave of layoffs at the sports network in recent months, following a round this spring that affected approximately 30 off-camera employees as part of broader cost-cutting initiatives at parent company The Walt Disney Company.

The upcoming reductions are largely attributed to the operational integration following ESPN’s acquisition of NFL Media, which includes NFL Network, NFL RedZone, NFL.com, and NFL Films. The deal, which received regulatory approval earlier this year, brought numerous staff from the league-owned properties onto ESPN’s payroll, creating redundancies that the company is now seeking to eliminate. An ESPN spokesperson declined to comment on the scope or specific departments affected.

The layoffs align with a corporate emphasis on efficiency and technological adaptation under Disney’s leadership. New CEO Josh D’Amaro has communicated a company-wide focus on building a more agile and technologically-enabled workforce, indicating that role eliminations would be...