Massive layoffs have already begun at Disney. In total, the company is aiming to cut 7,000 jobs this year. ESPN will not be immune. Andrew Marchand says that the cuts are going to begin soon and likely will not happen all at once.
“I think there’s going to be three rounds, from what I understand,” The New York Post reporter said on the latest edition of the Marchand & Ourand podcast. “In the first round, there’s probably going to be less [on-air] talent, probably more normal people and executives, potentially. We’re speaking now, going into the podcast, and I don’t know exactly, I’ve heard different things about when the first will come in, but then I think there will be two other rounds of layoffs.”
ESPN is still spending money and signing some of its top-level talent to new contracts. Marchand says that others will not be so lucky. He has heard that some within the company are going to be asked to make a tough choice.
“I do think they’re going to go to some other people who make big numbers and say ‘You can stay, but we’re going to cut you in half.’ People are going to have decisions to make on that. They might end up just leaving and getting paid their full contract.”
It may not end up being as simple of a fix as it sounds. Marchand says anyone presented with either making money or being unemployed entirely is being asked to choose between two terrible options.
“That’s a tough decision to make, to keep working and make less versus leaving and getting your full number, but where does that leave you going forward?”
Andrew Marchand did not offer details on when the layoffs would begin. He also did not specify if it is only air talent that could be asked to take pay cuts.
