Karl Ravech Exits ESPN in Network’s Third Wave of Layoffs This Year
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ESPN has dismissed veteran broadcaster Karl Ravech as part of its third round of staff reductions in 2024, according to a memo distributed to employees on Monday.
Ravech, who joined the network in 1991, became a fixture on SportsCenter and Baseball Tonight and more recently served as ESPN’s lead play-by-play voice for college basketball. His 33-year tenure also included stints hosting NBA programming.
Layoffs tied to NFL Network integration
The latest cuts follow ESPN’s acquisition of NFL Network assets. In the internal message, ESPN Chairman Jimmy Pitaro wrote that the company has “made significant progress integrating the NFL assets” and, after reviewing staffing and resources, was “forced to make some difficult decisions about job impacts.” Pitaro added that affected employees will receive support during their transition.
High-profile names affected
Several on-air football personalities were also let go, The Athletic reported, including former NFL quarterback Cam Newton; longtime SportsCenter anchor David Lloyd; former linebacker and analyst Bart Scott; NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero; NFL Network analyst Charles Davis; and ESPN analyst Ryan Clark, who was informed while taping NFL Live on Monday.
In a previous slate of layoffs three years ago, ESPN released veteran NBA analysts Jeff Van Gundy and Mark Jackson. No major NBA on-air figures were reported among the latest departures.
Source: Hoops Wire
