Jalen Rose Laid Off by ESPN

Submitted by BursleyHall82 on June 30th, 2023 at 12:27 PM

Huge purge today at ESPN. Jalen and Jeff Van Gundy were let go, along with a bunch of other on-air personalities.

STORY.

MacaroniParty

June 30th, 2023 at 12:55 PM ^

As a Michigan fan that cheered them on as players, I find both Jalen and Desmond to be terrible on air personalities. Jalen brought nothing to the NBA show with Steven A and Wilbon. Don’t wish for anybody to lose their jobs though but I’m sure he will be fine. 

JHumich

June 30th, 2023 at 1:22 PM ^

Horrible takes on both counts. And I have no idea why you would drag Desmond into this too. Next you'll be hating on Woodson.

Disney is a tire fire, and ESPN is a tiny little corner of its tire fire. I hope Jalen either works for himself or finds a better employer.

ThisGuyFawkes

June 30th, 2023 at 3:12 PM ^

By anti-establishment forced propaganda - you are referring to the fact that a company which came out publicly against a bigoted piece of legislation that didn't reflect its values or where the majority of its workforce and customers are on an issue - then faced a campaign of harassment, threats and punitive actions by the state in which they are domiciled -- I'm sorry, but I think it's you that doesn't remember or perhaps never knew in the first place. But all of that isn't as catchy as saying go woke... go broke

Cool buddy

The Oracle 2

June 30th, 2023 at 6:03 PM ^

Maybe if ESPN stuck to sports, instead of trying to force feed sports fans a political agenda, business would be better and massive layoffs wouldn’t have been necessary. You don’t like the comment, but I’m pretty sure you also wouldn’t enjoy getting your sports news from an outlet that was pushing politics you did t agree with.

When they got away from presenting just sports, they started their own decline. I stop by their site occasionally, but every time I see a WNBA story as the lead it reminds why I don’t go there more often. A business succeeds when it provides what its customers want. It fails when it it tries to provide what it thinks the customers should want.

ThisGuyFawkes

June 30th, 2023 at 6:47 PM ^

Or maybe ESPN has stuck to sports and it's viewership is largely as strong as could be expected, but they've made horrible decisions around prioritizing on-air personalities rather than throwing their capital at getting more football on air, and are getting crushed by larger competitors (e.g., Fox, NBC, CBS - and its own sister company ABC) coming in to their space and buying up primetime slots to air football and all other desirable sports. 

Nah, that would be crazy -- must just be getting too woke

https://playtoday.co/blog/stats/espn-viewership-statistics/

The Oracle 2

June 30th, 2023 at 7:30 PM ^

On any given day, there’s are many other sports stories that are of far greater interest to the consumers of sports news than whatever is happening in the WNBA, a league that, relatively speaking, almost no one cares about and which exists only because its kept afloat financially by the NBA. That ESPN so often features WNBA stories isn’t based on fan interest, it’s based on advocacy. And if you think what I said means I believe women shouldn’t play sports, it’s yours that’s the “dumb position to take.”

4th phase

June 30th, 2023 at 8:37 PM ^

You said featuring an article about the WNBA on the front page was part of a political agenda. Frankly, that’s so insane that I’m flabbergasted by first that statement and secondly your attempt to justify it. 
 

Espn headlines articles based on what gets clicks. Who knows what else was going on that day, but it’s not like a WNBA article is on the front page the week leading up to the NFL draft. The WNBA purposely plays their season at a time to avoid all the larger sports. And I’m willing to bet that article was up for a matter of hours before some other breaking news thing happened. Espn broadcasts the wnba, therefore they have a monetary reason to promote it, not a political one. 

tsunami42080

June 30th, 2023 at 7:41 PM ^

The way I read it was the same way I feel. I'm simply not interested in the WNBA whatsoever. I haven't done research, but I would guess that it's pales in comparison to how popular the other major sports are. It strikes me as very odd they get that many headlines as I believe there would be at least 15-20 other sports that are much more popular and generate much more $$, yet they seem to get a disproportionate amount of headlines. It's something I've noticed as a longtime ESPN sports consumer. 

It doesn't offend me in any way, nor would any rational person believe woman shouldn't play sports. Can pointing out a fact that they probably get more coverage than they merit be made without it having to be reduced to "politics" and "woman shouldn't play sports"?? 

4th phase

June 30th, 2023 at 8:40 PM ^

His comment literally said it was a political agenda to write articles about the wnba, a political agenda with which he disagrees. 
 

You could try to make an argument about how much coverage is warranted, but that’s not what he did. And also wnba viewership is on the rise and espn is partnered with both the wnba and the nba which owns it. This isn’t some political conspiracy and trying to make it one shows how far off the deep end you guys have gone. 

Bill22

July 1st, 2023 at 1:15 AM ^

One article on ESPN.com over the course of an entire season, during a time where most other big name sports are not being played, is not “probably get more coverage than they merit.”

I agree with the guy that ESPN has a business interest in supporting the WNBA, and not a political interest.

Darker Blue

June 30th, 2023 at 7:01 PM ^

I'll never understand you fucking people. Bud Light, Disney, and every other motherfucking corporation under the sun doesn't give a fuck about wokeness. They care about taking your money and will use any method they can to take it. 

Stop being so goddamn stupid

bdogg46

July 2nd, 2023 at 11:24 PM ^

You people (yes, you people)

Will constantly say freedom of speech does not equal freedom from consequences.  

Same is true of these WOKE companies who force feed propaganda.

Promote what you want but enjoy the results like a 30-40% loss of revenue.

F Anheiser Busch.

 

mackbru

June 30th, 2023 at 5:32 PM ^

Love the idiot who tries to connect everything to wokeness. Most major companies could be defined as "woke" -- which is to say supportive of racial and social justice. Most of them are booming, and Disney's recent -- and no doubt brief -- struggles literally have nothing to do with wokeness. You'll note how your line of logic is working for Ron DeSantis, who is absolutely dying on the vine.

tsunami42080

June 30th, 2023 at 2:47 PM ^

There are few, if any commentators that really add to my understanding in any sport. All boilerplate euphemisms that any of us could spout off ourselves. 

When Taylor Lewan, RG3, Mannings et al did the sideline and couch reporting/commentary that was the best viewing experience I've ever had with commentating. Humor, off the cuff, unscripted. It was a beautiful thing and would love to see more of it.

blueandmaizeballs

June 30th, 2023 at 12:57 PM ^

Stephen A. SMITH Should have been let go.  Guy is so annoying and constantly yelling and thinking he is the smartest person in the room.   I turn the station anytime he is on .  

 

Rose was good and many others that are laid off and that is because they paid SAS so much 

blueandmaizeballs

June 30th, 2023 at 3:58 PM ^

I don't get why people like to watch Steven A Smith a normal conversation is him yelling and then when he gets worked up it's freaking unbearable to listen to and Pat Mac and see I just don't like him he lets guest few nonsense on her show all the time and doesn't even speak up Plus he likes Aaron Rodgers who I freaking hate