Karl Ravech and Tom Pelissero Laid Off At ESPN

ESPN laid off longtime on-air talent Karl Ravech and NFL insider Tom Pelissero on Tuesday as part of a new wave of job cuts following the network’s acquisition of NFL Network.

The dismissals are the first major staff reductions since ESPN finalized its purchase of NFL Network in January. Most of the cuts were anticipated at NFL Network, primarily affecting behind-the-scenes roles, according to sources familiar with the moves.

In an internal memo Tuesday, ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro said the network has “made significant progress integrating the NFL assets that we acquired into ESPN.” He added that while most impacts stem from the acquisition, additional employees in other parts of the company were also notified their positions were affected.

On Monday, ESPN NFL analyst Ryan Clark was informed he had been laid off while taping “NFL Live” on Monday, learning the news during a commercial break and not returning to finish the program.  

Clark was appearing via Zoom when he was notified during the break, according to TheWrap. He and the network mutually agreed he would not come back on air afterward.

ESPN had intended to follow its standard notification process for affected employees but accelerated Clark’s notification after receiving a media inquiry indicating a story about his departure was about to publish. The network wanted Clark to hear the news directly from ESPN rather than see it on his phone, a person with knowledge of the decision said.

The network also severed ties with former NFL MVP Cam Newton, longtime SportsCenter anchor David Lloyd, injury expert Stephania Bell, former All-Pro linebacker Bart Scott, and NFL Network analyst Charles Davis.

Ravech, 61, had been with ESPN since 1993 and served as the network’s lead Major League Baseball play-by-play voice, host of “Baseball Tonight,” and a longtime “SportsCenter” anchor. He called Monday night’s Phillies-Dodgers game in Philadelphia.

Pelissero was a prominent on-air presence at NFL Network. With the integration of ESPN’s Adam Schefter and NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the network chose to part ways with Pelissero.

ESPN declined to comment beyond the internal memo. ESPN’s parent company, Disney, is also expected to conduct its own round of layoffs in the coming period.