Former SportsCenter anchor Neil Everett is a TV legend. But when the ex-ESPNer lost his hosting job with the Trail Blazers this week, he didn’t even get an email or phone call. Instead, he learned about his departure in a Maury Brown sports media column.
“I read about it in Forbes,” Everett tells Front Office Sports.
That’s no way to treat a talent like Everett, who gave five seasons to the Trail Blazers broadcasting team. But a cold-blooded approach seems to be the order of the day when it comes to sports media layoffs this week.
On Monday, ESPN analyst Ryan Clark, an 11-year veteran, was informed about his pending pink slip while on the air for NFL Live. ESPN anchor Karl Ravech, a 33-year veteran, learned about his layoff from The Athletic. Ravech got the bad news after calling Monday’s Phillies-Dodgers game in Philadelphia.
What’s going on? There has to be a better, more humane way to deal with employees when they’re losing their jobs. Ex-ESPNer Dan Patrick was not happy with the way the mothership handled its business this week.
