ESPN underwent a drastic change on Wednesday, firing a number of well-known television, radio, and writing Personalities in a series of layoffs. While many were upset about being fired, reactions from staff members were almost unanimously gracious in being given the opportunity to work for the company at all. Reaction from fans and those who disapprove of the company may have been a lot more interesting, though.
Former ESPN employees react
Most of the people ESPN fired on Wednesday appeared gracious in defeat as they took to Twitter to announce the news.
Former Tennessee Titans reporter Paul Kuharsky, the first known cut, called his nine years with ESPN "great." Pierre LeBrun had "fun" during his nine years. Brendan Fitzgerald, an anchor with ESPN, claimed to have been treated well during his time. Same goes with MLB analyst Jim Bowden, college football reporter Brett McMurphy, and most of the others personalities on Twitter.
Not everyone could hide their frustrations about the layoffs, though. Dave Tuley, a sports gambling writer, waxed poetic while Tweeting about his lack of joy at the decision. SEC football reporter David Ching used the opportunity to start soliciting for work. ESPN Radio host Danny Kanell may have taken it the hardest. He expressed how disappointed he was to devote himself and his family to a job, only to see it crash down on him in a matter of minutes - it's a devastating Tweet.
The world reacts
Most of the sports journalism community - and the journalism community as a whole - reacted solemnly as the layoffs began to roll in at ESPN. An industry crumbling under the pressure of social media, financial losses, and shots from political leaders never wants to see their own suffer. It's saddening to see what happened at ESPN on Wednesday and wonder if it can be any other member of the tribe the next day.
Meanwhile, the rest of the world dissected the reasons behind the layoffs and the individual choices ESPN made. Many believe the network became too political, while others think the focus shifted from writers and reporters to on-air personalities that have become overpaid in comparison to what their actual monetary and intellectual contributions to the business are. No opinion or dissertation will change what happened in Bristol, Connecticut on Wednesday, however; the hounds got loose and took virtually every reporter they could find into journalism purgatory.
