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Half a dozen employees of NFL Media and other arms of a league that generates roughly $20 billion in annual revenues were laid off Thursday, sources with knowledge of the situation tell Front Office Sports.
In a statement to FOS, an NFL representative confirmed the layoffs without specifying the depths of the cuts. But the aforementioned sources say that includes at least six NFL Network employees in New York and Southern California, and that the cuts come ahead of significant changes to the NFL Network’s programming in the coming months.
“Like any successful organization, the NFL regularly evaluates its workforce to ensure the proper support of strategic priorities including international expansion, the growth of flag football, and the evolution of digital and media platforms,” the league says. “We have made the difficult decision to part ways with some employees to allow us to further invest in these growth areas and ensure the continued strength of our game and the business.”
As the NFL chases those growth areas, other parts of The Shield are being reexamined. The layoffs inside the umbrella of NFL Media have most impacted the NFL Network, and noticeable lineup changes are expected when training camp and preseason start up this summer.
Good Morning Football—production of which is relocating from New York to the NFL Network’s L.A. studios—will continue to be a pivotal part of the league’s media ambitions, sources with knowledge of the situation tell FOS. But NFL Total Access, the NFL Network’s live weeknight studio show, will be canceled later this month, FOS confirmed. (The New York Post first reported the cancellation.)
As first reported by The Athletic, NFL Media laid off several on-air personalities in April, including Melissa Stark, Andrew Siciliano, James Palmer, and Will Selva. And at presstime, the NFL was still in strategic discussions with ESPN about off-loading its media business in return for a minority stake in the Disney-owned network, according to sources with direct knowledge of the negotiations.
Michael Irvin, who wasn’t part of the NFL Network’s draft coverage last week, didn’t have his contract renewed, the New York Post reported Friday. Irvin had worked as an analyst for the NFL Network since 2009.
Front Office Sports’ Michael McCarthy contributed to this report.
