• Loading stock data...
Wednesday, July 9, 2025

The Athletic Rolls Back Coronavirus-Driven Salary Cuts

  • The Athletic will rescind 10% salary cuts for staffers.
  • It is good news for the sports media industry on the same day ESPN announced the worst job cuts in its history.
New Guy on the Field
Athletic.com

On the same day ESPN announced the worst job cuts in its 41-year history, The Athletic rolled back coronavirus-driven salary reductions for its workforce of 570 people.

With live sports essentially shut down for months due to the COVID-19 pandemic, The Athletic asked all of its employees on June 5 to take at least a 10% salary cut for the remainder of 2020. Those making an annual salary of $150,000 or more took an even bigger pay cut. 

At the same time, The Athletic further reduced costs by laying off roughly 8% of its staff — and cutting back on nearly 100% of its freelancers. 

But the return of live sports has boosted The Athletic’s bottom line, said sources. 

During a conference call with employees on Nov. 5, The Athletic announced it was restoring all employee salaries back to their pre-COVID levels. It retroactively dated the change to Oct. 15 — giving staffers an additional pay boost heading into the holiday season. 

The Athletic declined to comment. 

Meanwhile, company morale at ESPN was shaken Nov. 5 after President Jimmy Pitaro announced the company was cutting 300 staffers and eliminating 200 open job positions. The cuts fell mostly on behind-the-scenes workers involved in remote production. 

But ESPN’s on-air talent will be impacted too. The company is taking a hard-line negotiating stance, declining to renew the contracts of some talents. Or offering reduced salary options for others if they want to stay employed.

After struggling through the COVID-19 storm, ESPN was forced to reach an “inflection point,” wrote Pitaro in an internal memo to staffers.

He added in a public statement: “For some time, ESPN has been engaged in planning for its future amidst tremendous disruption in how fans consume sports. The pandemic’s effect on ESPN clearly accelerated our thinking on all fronts.  

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Jun 28, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh (29) bats during the game between the Texas Rangers and the Seattle Mariners at Globe Life Field.

The Torpedo Bat Business Is Still Going Strong: ‘Here to Stay’

Demand for the oddly shaped bats has stayed strong across the sport.
Brooklyn, NY - June 25, 2025 - Barclays Center: Chiney Ogwumike on the set of NBA Today during round one of the 2025 NBA Draft

ESPN’s Chiney Ogwumike on Her Post-WNBA Second Act: ‘I Still Have to..

In her next chapter, Ogwumike is embarking on her new “greatest adventure.”
Paige Bueckers
exclusive

Women’s March Madness Expansion Wouldn’t Yield More ESPN Money

ESPN is not required to pay extra if women’s March Madness expands.
Feb 7, 2025; Storrs, Connecticut, USA; UConn Huskies center Tarris Reed Jr. (5) reacts after his basket against the St. John's Red Storm in the first half at Harry A. Gampel Pavilion.

After Decade Apart, ESPN and Big East Rekindle Media Rights Relationship

After a decade-plus apart, the network will stream hundreds of conference events.

Featured Today

American Celebs Want to Be Sports Owners. Soccer Is Where They Start

As U.S. team prices climb, investors set their sights abroad.
July 5, 2025

Baseball’s Celebrity Row: Behind MLB’s First-Pitch Ritual

Often planned, sometimes spontaneous, the ritual throw is baseball’s celebrity row.
July 4, 2025

3,000 Hot Dogs, $20K in Prizes: Behind the Nathan’s Eating Contest

Nathan’s serves up thousands of hot dogs and $20,000 in prize money.
July 3, 2025

Geoffrey Esper Can’t Catch a Break at Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest

“Hot dogs is not one of my favorite competitions of the year.”
Jul 6, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Mexico forward Marcel Ruiz (14) heads the ball in front of United States midfielder Brenden Aaronson (11) in the second half during the 2025 Gold Cup Final at NRG Stadium.

USMNT Struggles Still Produce Big Gold Cup Ratings for Fox

The U.S. team’s recent issues culminated in a loss to Mexico.
Leo Messi
June 27, 2025

TNT, Club World Cup Ride Messi to Surprisingly Solid Debut Ratings

TNT Sports carries about a third of matches in the U.S.
July 2, 2025

Paramount Settles Trump Suit Ahead of NFL Season, Skydance Merger

The deal likely allows the much larger Skydance merger deal to proceed.
Sponsored

Game On: Portfolio Players Stories, Brought to You by E*TRADE from Morgan Stanley

Dealmaker Jeffrey Kaplan maps the evolution of sports as an asset class
June 24, 2025

Fever vs. Aces Draws 5th-Largest TV Audience of 2025 WNBA Season

ESPN will carry seven more Indiana Fever games this year.
June 23, 2025

NBA Finals Game 7 Is Most-Watched Since 2019, but Series Drops 9%

Game 7 drew 16.35 million viewers, the most-watched NBA game since 2019.
June 19, 2025

Pacers Force Game 7, Could Spark Big Ratings Boost for NBA Finals

Game 7 could boost NBA Finals ratings after a slow start this year.
June 17, 2025

Stanley Cup Final Delivers Drama but Struggles for Eyeballs in U.S.

U.S. viewership fell while Canadian audiences for the event rose slightly.