Cable sports network ESPN is set to lay off another 30 employees after experiencing what it has called an “unexpected revenue dip,” a report says.
The revenue decline is reportedly due to the carriage dispute the company had with YouTube, according to the New York Post.
The issue came after the dispute spurred YouTube to block ESPN’s programming for 15 days last November, right in the middle of football season — both college and pro. Fans lost YouTube access to SEC games and Monday Night Football, including popular games featuring the Chiefs and the Cowboys.
Disney, ESPN’s owner, said it lost $100 million during the 15-day blackout.
YouTube TV serves about 10 million subscribers, making it the fourth-largest cable provider in the nation.
The payoffs are reportedly unrelated to ESPN/Disney’s recent merger with NFL Network.
ESPN bought the NFL Network in January for $3 billion. The deal included the RedZone and NFL Fantasy Football channels.
As a result of the deal, the NFL gained a ten percent stake in ESPN, a move that caused some to worry that ESPN would lose its reporting edge and begin to favor the NFL’s corporate line.
The last layoffs at the sports network came in June of 2023, ending the careers of commentators including Jalen Rose and NBA game analyst Jeff Van Gundy. ESPN saved millions in salaries and benefits after laying off 20 employees at that time.
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