Saturday, October 24, 2026

Warner Bros. Discovery Cutting Back on Sports Workforce

  • Warner Bros. Discovery Sports cut more than 10% of its workforce on Tuesday.
  • The layoffs affected roughly 70 staffers.
Warner Bros Discovery Sign
Jennifer Dedman / USA TODAY NETWORK

Want more from Front Office Sports
in your search results?

Add Front Office Sports on Google

Warner Bros. Discovery Sports cut more than 10% of its workforce on Tuesday.

The layoffs affected roughly 70 employees across Turner Sports, Bleacher Report, and the company’s studio operations, with some open positions being eliminated.

Turner Sports, which became a division of Time Warner in 1996, handles broadcasts for leagues including the NBA and NHL and later acquired sports media company Bleacher Report for $175 million in 2012.

In an email to employees, Warner Bros. Discovery chair and CEO Luis Silberwasser referenced the changing industry.

“Our reality is we must evolve to position WBD and our sports division for long-term success against an environment that includes a challenging macroeconomic forecast,” he said.

The company will reportedly remain active in sports rights negotiations. 

  • In 2015, WBD struck an agreement with the International Olympics Committee for European rights to four Olympics from 2018-2024. 
  • It has rights to several cycling events including the UCI World Championship and UCI World Tour events.
  • WBD Sports holds rights across Europe for every Grand Slam.
  • The company also has rights in golf, winter sports, and motorsport.

Layoff List

The eliminations aren’t Warner Bros.’ first this year as the company looks to cut its spending by $3 billion. In October, six months after its $43 billion merger with Discovery in April, the company eliminated 125 jobs in its TV Group. 

Download the FOS App

The business of sports, in your pocket.

QR code to download the app

Scan the QR code to get the app now.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

A drone view shows the Paramount water tower at Paramount studios in Hollywood and the Hollywood sign, in Los Angeles, California, U.S., August 24, 2026.

Newly Formed Skydance Is a Force in Sports Media

The large-scale deal creates a sports media colossus.
David Ellison, CEO of Paramount Skydance, speaks during the Paramount Pictures presentation at CinemaCon, the official convention of Cinema United, in Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S., April 16, 2026.

Parent of CBS Sports and TNT Sports Gets a Name: Skydance

The media megadeal is set to close on Tuesday.
David Ellison Paramount

Paramount Settles Antitrust Suit, Clearing Path for WBD Deal

The deal would have significant implications for the companies’ sports portfolios.

Paramount-WBD Merger Fight Splits Red States and Blue States

Iowa’s AG took aim at her counterpart in California.
podcast thumbnail mobile
Front Office Sports Today

10/23/26 – JJ Watt Takes CBS Chair, FIFA Rights Shake-Up, Small-Market World Series

0:00

Featured Today

Football - NFL - Houston Texans v Jacksonville Jaguars - Wembley Stadium, London, Britain - October 18, 2026 The necklace of a Jacksonville Jaguars fan outside the stadium before the match

Die-Hard Sports Fandom Has Reached the Afterlife

Will fans pay $6,000 to memorialize their team loyalty?
October 20, 2026

Why Europe Is Pumping Out NBA Superstars

The NBA and NCAA have an increasingly European flavor.
October 15, 2026

College Flag Football Is Outgrowing Its DIY Era

Women have been building the college game themselves at the club level.
Oct 5, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas arrives at the arena before the Penguins host the Winnipeg Jets at PPG Paints Arena
October 12, 2026

NHL’s New Wave of GMs Is Built Different

“I am in the prediction business,” Devils GM Sunny Mehta tells FOS.
Action Images/Peter Cziborra
October 9, 2026

Is Leicester City’s $264 Million Price Tag Too Rich for Hungry Investors?

After falling from grace, how much is a former top club worth?
Aug 30, 2018; New York, NY, USA; Television personality Britt McHenry in the stands during a second round match between Novak Djokovic of Serbia and Tennys Sandgren of the United States on day four of the 2018 U.S. Open tennis tournament at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports

Britt McHenry Out at Trump Admin After Viral Drink-Throwing Incident

McHenry joined the State Department as a press advisor last month.
Zach Lowe Sean Fennessey The Ringer
October 22, 2026

Substack: No Deal With The Ringer, Even as Talent Flocks to Platform

Zach Lowe is the latest Ringer talent to launch a Substack newsletter.
Jan 12, 2026; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; ESPN Monday Night Football logo on an end zone camera before the Pittsburgh Steelers host the Houston Texans in an AFC Wild Card Round game at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
October 23, 2026

Ranking Troy Aikman’s Likeliest ESPN Replacements

ESPN has yet to formally offer Aikman a new contract.
Sponsored

Blake Griffin’s Plan for Media Domination

The former NBA star is building a second act across media & entertainment.
Troy Aikman
October 22, 2026

Examining Troy Aikman’s Options After J.J. Watt-CBS Deal 

Aikman has yet to receive a formal offer to return to ESPN.
NBC Sports Logo
October 22, 2026

Comcast-NBCUniversal Split Comes With $1B Cost, Layoffs

The NBC Sports parent company will take on a hefty restructuring charge.
October 22, 2026

FIFA’s World Cup Rights Shake-Up Could Favor NBC Over Fox

It’s bad news for Fox and great news for Telemundo’s parent, NBC.
Aug 3, 2024; Canton, OH, USA; Houston Texans former defensive end J.J. Watt in attendance at the Class of 2024 Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrinement ceremony at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
October 22, 2026

NFL TV’s Analyst Market Tightens as CBS Extends JJ Watt

Watt is officially Tony Romo’s full-time replacement at CBS.