ESPN sent a memo to employees on Wednesday saying that about 100 people, including on-air talent, will be laid off.
The memo was sent by ESPN President John Skipper, stating that they will “implement changes in our talent lineup this week.”
“Dynamic change demands an increased focus on versatility and value, and as a result, we have been engaged in the challenging process of determining the talent—anchors, analysts, reporters, writers and those who handle play-by-play—necessary to meet those demands,” Skipper said in the memo.
It was announced that many on-air talents were cut too, including Ed Werder, Danny Kandell, and Jim Bowden.
With a declining subscriber base for the network and an increased rights fee, budget cuts for ESPN were expected.
This is the second largest cut for the network, right after 300 employees were laid off in 2015.