Sports broadcasting giant ESPN is in the midst of a major shakeup within the organization. Over the past few months, some of the biggest on-air personalities from both football and basketball have been fired in what has been deemed a vicious summer purge by the network.
As it turns out, ESPN isn’t done just yet.
ESPN Sacks Another High-Ranking Executive Amid Summer Purge
Apparently, it’s a top-to-bottom revamping for ESPN, which also includes some of the most prominent names behind the scenes. Dan Zaksheske of OutKick reports that high-ranking executive Lee Fitting is the latest casualty of the network’s unforgiving firing spree:
“Senior Vice President Lee Fitting is no longer with ESPN, multiple sources confirmed to OutKick on Monday. Head of Event & Studio Production Norby Williamson informed employees that Fitting is out,” Zaksheske wrote.
Fitting is one of the top brass in ESPN and he was the man tasked to oversee both the NFL’s Monday Night Football as well as College GameDay. Zaksheshe also adds that “essentially, if the programming included football, Lee Fitting was in charge.”
The reason behind the network’s decision to part ways with Fitting is currently unclear, but what cannot be denied is that ESPN has lost faith in his vision up top.
ESPN’s NBA Crew Also Went Through Vicious Cycle in Offseason
Fitting is just one of a multitude of employees that were given the axe this summer. While Fitting may have been the highest-ranking individual to lose his job, there were a handful of more high-profile names that were also sacked over the offseason, particularly with regard to ESPN’s NBA coverage.
The network’s “A-Team” will now be revamped with both Mark Jackson and Jeff Van Gundy shown the door. Only Hall of Fame broadcaster Mike Breen will remain part of ESPN’s NBA Finals coverage. Reports suggest that former Philadelphia 76ers head coach Doc Rivers and veteran broadcaster Doris Burke are set to take on the roles that were recently vacated by Jackson and Van Gundy.
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