After eight years with the “Worldwide Leader,” Dianna Russini has decided it is time to move on. The longtime National Football League reporter and host is reportedly set to depart ESPN to join The Athletic as its lead NFL insider. Sources told Andrew Marchand of the New York Post that Russini was offered a raise to stay, but she instead chose to depart the entity.
Russini’s work with the outlet is expected to begin shortly as kickoff for the NFL season approaches. Her role is multi-faceted in scope, including traditional reporting, writing and appearing on video series and podcasts. ESPN reportedly desired to keep Russini, but it will now look internally at other candidates to fill the role, including Lindsey Thiry, Jeff Darlington and Kimberley Martin.
ESPN laid off several members of its on-air talent team, including several prominent NFL personalities such as Booger McFarland, Suzy Kolber and Keyshawn Johnson among others. These layoffs came after The Walt Disney Company’s mandate to lay off 7,000 employees across the enterprise, cutting $5.5 billion in operating costs. Upon the return of chief executive officer Bob Iger, the company endured a strategic reorganization, resulting in ESPN being viewed as its own business entity.
The network is in the midst of building a direct-to-consumer offering as its cable subscribers dwindle, last estimated at approximately 74 million households. Moreover, it recently inked a contract with PENN Entertainment to launch its own sportsbook, ESPN BET, which is set to be released to the public before the Thanksgiving holiday.
The Athletic is set to serve as the primary sports arm of The New York Times after the company decided to eliminate its venerated sports department. The decision is being actively opposed by The New York Times Staff Union, which filed a grievance against the company for its decision. This move did not result in any employees losing their job; rather, they are set to be reassigned within the company.
Earlier in the summer, The Athletic cut 4% of its newsroom, alarming sports journalists and consumers of the subscription-based product. In its quarterly financial report, the company divulged that operating losses decreased to $7.8 million thanks to more revenue from subscriptions and advertising. The revenue grew 55.3% in Q2 2023 to $30.4 million but was accompanied by rising operating costs due to marketing, digital delivery and product development costs. Its adjusted operating loss, however, decreased by 38.1% to $7.8 million year-over-year, a positive trajectory the company hopes to maintain. The New York Times Company is trying to render the outlet into a profitable venture, which it purchased in January 2022 for $550 million.
