UPDATED 8/1 3 p.m. ET: Mike Breenaddressed the recent firings of Jeff Van Gundy and Mark Jackson. The trio has called the last 15 NBA Finals for ESPN.
โItโs sad because we really thought we had something special and thatโs going to be the thought going forward is that we were able to do it a lot longer than anybody ever did,โ Breen told the New York Post. โItโs something weโll all treasure, but we just wish it was a little bit longer.
โYou donโt expect it, because it was such a great team and to have it completely broken up was a surprise.โ
ESPN is expected to replace Van Gundy and Jackson with Doris Burke and Doc Rivers.
See original story below.
Jeff Van Gundy and Jalen Rose have been let go amid a big round of layoffs targeting on-air personalities.
Van Gundy served as one of ESPN's top NBA game analysts for 16 years and has been let go as part of the company's efforts to save millions of dollars, The New York Post reports. While the 61-year-old Van Gundy's salary is not publicly known, he's expected to earn a figure in the seven digits. Prior to his broadcasting career, he served as a coach for the New York Knicks and the Houston Rockets.
Per Front Office Sports, a source has confirmed that NBA analyst and former basketball star Jalen Rose is also out. ESPN employees were informed of the cuts on Friday. It is expected that the on-air talents will be bought out of their guaranteed contracts, which means they will get their full pay but won't be appearing on ESPN across TV or radio anymore.
Other NBA and NFL on-air personalities are expected to be impacted by the layoffs, too. They include Max Kellerman, Keyshawn Johnson, Jay Williams, Steve Young and Suzy Kolber.
Big names such as Stephen A. Smith, Scott Van Pelt, and Joe Buck appear to be safe, however, The New York Post reported. ESPN will be reviewing contract renewals with on-air talent over the next year, the company said.
โGiven the current environment, ESPN has determined it necessary to identify some additional cost savings in the area of public-facing commentator salaries, and that process has begun," ESPN said in a statement. "This exercise will include a small group of job cuts in the short-term and an ongoing focus on managing costs when we negotiate individual contract renewals in the months ahead. This is an extremely challenging process, involving individuals who have had tremendous impact on our company. These difficult decisions, based more on overall efficiency than merit, will help us meet our financial targets and ensure future growth."
This story is being updated.
