ESPN Layoffs Tied to NFL Network

Afternoon Edition

July 21, 2026

ESPN’s first major layoffs in three years are largely tied to its acquisition of NFL Network, according to an internal memo obtained by Front Office Sports. The cuts come as Disney continues integrating the two media operations.

—Michael McCarthy and Ryan Glasspiegel

First Up

Caitlin Clark and Sabrina Ionescu are skipping this year’s WNBA 3-Point Contest in Chicago. Read the story.
First at FOS: Noah Eagle will handle play-by-play for Netflix’s NFL game in Australia. Read the story.
The Tour de France’s anti-doping crackdown intensified with overnight tests that angered riders and stirred controversy. Read the story.
The PLL quietly struck an exclusive deal with Polymarket, deepening prediction markets’ reach in sports. Read the story.

ESPN: Layoffs Mostly Tied to NFL Network Acquisition

Mpu Dinani / ESPN Images

Corporate mergers and acquisitions almost inevitably result in layoffs as the two companies discover dreaded “redundancies.” That is what is happening Tuesday with ESPN and NFL Network.

Nearly six months after ESPN parent company Disney finalized its acquisition of NFLN and NFL RedZone distribution rights from the league in exchange for a 10% ownership stake in ESPN, the network has launched its first major round of layoffs in three years.

Most of the cuts are being driven by the NFL Network acquisition, according to an internal memo from ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro obtained by Front Office Sports.

Pitaro’s memo reads:

“Over the past several months, we’ve made significant progress integrating the NFL assets that we acquired into ESPN. Throughout this process, we have taken the time to carefully evaluate our collective teams, resources and organizational structure to best position us for the future. As a result, we had to make some difficult decisions about job impacts that we will be communicating today.

“While most of the job impacts are tied to the acquisition, we will also notify colleagues in other parts of the company today that their positions have been impacted. We are committed to treating employees with compassion and respect and to providing support as they navigate this transition.

“Even in moments like these, the strength of ESPN comes from our people, our teamwork and our shared mission to serve sports fans.”

Separately, about 10 on-air talents are losing their jobs across multiple sports. What follows is a list of talents who have been impacted by the layoffs so far:

NFL analyst Ryan Clark
MLB play-by-play announcer/host Karl Ravech
NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero
SportsCenter anchor David Lloyd
Injury/fantasy football analyst Stephania Bell
NFL Network analyst Charles Davis
First Take contributor Cam Newton
Radio host/NFL analyst Bart Scott
Combat sports reporter Andreas Hale
ESPN.com staff writer Dan Hajducky

ESPN’s layoffs come amid wider cuts at Disney, which affected hundreds of company employees Tuesday.

Spend on the Kit. Save for the Kickoff

Being a sports fan isn’t just a passion—it’s a full financial commitment. The jerseys. The season tickets. The road trips. Every dollar you spend is a vote for the athletes and the future of the game. We respect that energy. We also know the math can often feel … lopsided.

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ONE BIG FIG

PGA Tour Hits LIV—Again

Nick Lachance-Reuters

$300 million

That’s how much money LIV Golf in 2022 committed to invest in the Asian Tour over the next decade. That deal created the International Series, which is a set of marquee events on the Asian Tour with elevated $2 million purses that has provided pathways for players to earn spots on LIV. The International Series also allowed LIV members to earn Official World Golf Ranking points before the league began receiving ranking points this year.

On Tuesday, the Asian Tour struck a new deal with the PGA Tour and DP World Tour that will see its partnership with LIV end after this season. It’s another blow for LIV as the league continues to search for new investors following the Saudi PIF’s decision to pull its funding after this year. Read the story.

LOUD AND CLEAR

Sellers No More

Eric Canha-Imagn Images

“I want to make history here.”

—Red Sox third baseman Caleb Durbin after Boston extended its winning streak to 14 games, its longest since 1946. One more win would tie an 80-year-old franchise record and further cement one of baseball’s most unlikely midseason turnarounds.

The timing could reshape the Aug. 3 MLB trade deadline. Boston has gone from a likely seller to a contender that may keep—or even add to—its roster, forcing other teams to rethink their own deadline plans. Read the story.

The New Era of Sports Media

Tuned In, presented by Elevate, gathers the biggest names in sports media in one room.

Joining us on Oct. 13 at The Times Center will be NWSL commissioner Jessica Berman, MLS commissioner Don Garber, Steve O’Donnell of NASCAR, Chris Berman of ESPN, Elle Duncan of Netflix, and Pablo Torre of the Pulitzer-winning podcast Pablo Torre Finds Out. Also, college sports broadcasters John Fanta of NBC Sports and Josh Pate of Josh Pate’s College Football Show will sit down together to discuss the growth of college sports and its impact on media.

Additional speakers will be announced soon. Don’t miss your chance to be in the room with the people shaping the future of sports media.

STATUS REPORT

One Up, Two Down, One Push

Soccer Football - FIFA World Cup 2026 - Final - Spain v Argentina - New York/New Jersey Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey, U.S. - July 19, 2026 Spain's Eric Garcia and Gavi clash with Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni, Thiago Almada and Leandro Paredes after the match

Kai Pfaffenbach-Reuters

Argentina ⬇ FIFA has opened a disciplinary investigation into the national team following a post-match brawl at the World Cup final. Leandro Paredes appeared to grab Spain’s Eric García by the throat before shoving another player to the ground, possibly earning himself a retroactive red card. Nahuel Molina is also expected to be investigated for his confrontation with Spain captain Rodri during the incident.

Australian Open ⬆⬇ Organizers will cap daily sales of its $34 general-admission ground passes for the first time at the 2027 tournament, after record crowds and lines at this year’s event. The 2026 Australian Open drew more than 1 million spectators in January, making it the world’s highest-attended Grand Slam.

Illegal streaming ⬇ The Department of Justice announced it seized more than 1,000 internet domains used to illegally stream World Cup matches during the tournament. The DOJ worked alongside FIFA for “Operation Offsides,” receiving supporting information from NBCUniversal, Warner Bros. Discovery, and UFC.

Topps ⬆ The trading card brand announced it will be releasing three 1-of-1 Gold Logoman patch cards of Shohei Ohtani, Aaron Judge, and Tarik Skubal. The cards, which honor the players’ back-to-back award wins, have two patches, while Ohtani’s and Judge’s will also be signed. Topps also announced a 1-of-1 card featuring the photo of Lionel Messi holding Lamine Yamal as a child.