ESPN layoffs: Ryan Clark gone and more to come | (Updated: ) Tom Pelissero expected to be out at NFL Network

[Bill Lee]

legacy media is consolidating.
there are infinite opportunities in todays
someone like Clark, while he is not everyone's fave flavor, does have a legit group of followers, that would more than likely follow him onto pod's and you tube channels.
would prob be more lucrative for him as well

I'm a bit skeptical.

2-3 years ago people saw the success of McAfee, the Kelce Bros, etc and were pumping money into the podcast space like drunken sailors. A lot of that was tied to the opportunities created by the newly legalized gambling situation. Now, IMO, a lot of that has really quieted down.

As an aside, my favorite podcast is Heed The Call, started almost exactly 2 years ago by two former NFL Media employees, exactly in those circumstances. Underdog wanted to transition from fantasy into gambling and thought podcasting was a great way to gain exposure. They couldn't sustain it, though. They cut loose HTC right about this time one year ago and just wound down the rest of their shows this month including FFS.

Underdog was a real blessing for them, though. They provided the seed money to get the thing started and allowed them to hire a third host and a producer, both former NFLN employees as well. Once Underdog cut them loose they had to scramble a bit, but are now using Audacy to do a lot of the behind the scenes things, in particular managing relationships with advertisers.

As for Ryan Clark, he just lost a $2M/year contract where all he had to do was show up for work. Now he's gotta either find an equivalent deal from a big-time podcast network, or he's gotta do it from the ground up by hiring a producer, probably a side kick or two since it's hard to fill all the hours on a podcast by yourself, get himself plugged into the major podcast platforms, figure out the advertising space, etc.

It could become lucrative, but it could also take quite a while for him to be clearing $2M a year once again.

Hopefully he's banked a few pay checks along the way.

 

[rkarp1]

I'm a bit skeptical.

2-3 years ago people saw the success of McAfee, the Kelce Bros, etc and were pumping money into the podcast space like drunken sailors. A lot of that was tied to the opportunities created by the newly legalized gambling situation. Now, IMO, a lot of that has really quieted down.

As an aside, my favorite podcast is Heed The Call, started almost exactly 2 years ago by two former NFL Media employees, exactly in those circumstances. Underdog wanted to transition from fantasy into gambling and thought podcasting was a great way to gain exposure. They couldn't sustain it, though. They cut loose HTC right about this time one year ago and just wound down the rest of their shows this month including FFS.

Underdog was a real blessing for them, though. They provided the seed money to get the thing started and allowed them to hire a third host and a producer, both former NFLN employees as well. Once Underdog cut them loose they had to scramble a bit, but are now using Audacy to do a lot of the behind the scenes things, in particular managing relationships with advertisers.

As for Ryan Clark, he just lost a $2M/year contract where all he had to do was show up for work. Now he's gotta either find an equivalent deal from a big-time podcast network, or he's gotta do it from the ground up by hiring a producer, probably a side kick or two since it's hard to fill all the hours on a podcast by yourself, get himself plugged into the major podcast platforms, figure out the advertising space, etc.

It could become lucrative, but it could also take quite a while for him to be clearing $2M a year once again.

Hopefully he's banked a few pay checks along the way.

I am coming from a point of view that Clark already has an audience. a following.
he is not starting from ground zero
he also seems able to venture outside of football
of course he would need a producer, and most likely staff. he isn't starting off alone.
fill all the hours?
I assume he does 6 per month

 

[Bill Lee]

One more shoe drops:

ESPN expected to lay off Karl Ravech after three decades on air: Sources

More expected cuts Tuesday at ESPN would most widely impact staff at NFL Network.

www.nytimes.com

 

[rkarp1]

One more shoe drops:

ESPN expected to lay off Karl Ravech after three decades on air: Sources

More expected cuts Tuesday at ESPN would most widely impact staff at NFL Network.

www.nytimes.com

the Athletic is behind a paywall

 

[203Pat]

From The Athletic:

Clark was making more than $2 million per year, the sources said. He had been with ESPN for more than a decade and, while he was slated to be a large part of its Super Bowl LXI coverage next year, when the network is set to broadcast the event for the first time, the sources said there had also been talk internally since February that he might not return.​

​

ESPN executives soured on Clark because of issues with some of his choices, a dynamic that peaked with an on- and off-air incident this past season involving colleague Peter Schrager.​

​

On “Get Up” last September, after Schrager defended Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb’s performance in an opening-night loss, Clark said, “That’s the non-player in you.”​

​

Schrager asked Clark not to belittle him and mentioned there are other perspectives, to which Clark responded, “Peter, what I need for you to do is not get mad and let me finish.”​

​

Much later that day, Clark tweeted out an apology, saying, “Today, I had an interaction with my colleague (Schrager) both on and off the air that I regret.”​

Hmm, maybe he shouldn't have tangled with the golden haired boy....

A $2M mistake, perhaps?

I agree with Ken in that he is aging out of the talking head gig.

Add to that causing tension on and off the air, and taking $2M off the company after what the article says was a contentious contract negotiation, and you are setting yourself to get axed at the next major layoff.

If he's smart, he's been banking some of those pay checks. The NFL media world is consolidating. The big money being splashed around in the podcast space has come and gone. ESPN is now running NFLN. There aren't a lot of jobs out there.

PS: One thing released: Rich Eisen isn't going to be doing play-by-play any more. It kind of suggests his contract had a per-game payout in it, and ESPN decided they could get someone cheaper to do the games.

ESPN cuts ties with NFL analyst Ryan Clark, wider layoffs expected Tuesday: Sources

ESPN has cut ties with one of its most prominent NFL analysts, sources briefed on the move told The Athletic.

www.nytimes.com

While I never want to see anyone lose their job, I really can't stand Ryan Clark. I think part of his little back and forth with Schrager stems from an inferiority complex. Not so much on ESPN, but on his podcast, Clark seems to try and pass himself off as some deep thinker and asks these longwinded questions to guests and then starts talking over half their answer.

While I don’t think much of Schrager either, the non-athletes usually seem to learn how to play the politics game, and at ESPN, that is the key to a long career. Stephen A. Smith, Scott Van Pelt, Mike Greenberg, John Buccigross, Tony Kornheiser, Mike Wilbon, etc. All of those guys have pretty high profiles, and none of them played a sport at a high level. They know how the game is played, and they stick around for decades.

As for Eisen, I agree that ESPN figures they can get a cheaper play-by-play guy, and Eisen will still keep the other 15 roles he has there. He has actually been running a side project podcast called "This Was SportsCenter" where he talks with other anchors from the show's glory days. It seems pretty unanimous that even back then, ESPN was a difficult place to work, and management was constantly interfering with what they were trying to do on air. The one he did with Dan Patrick, they spend about half the episode taking not-so-thinly veiled shots at some of the ESPN higher-ups back then.

 

[neuronet]

wait he said that about Brady?! Has he seen Brady play? WTF.

 

[Ian]

the Athletic is behind a paywall

A quick snippett:

"Karl Ravech, one of the lead voices on ESPN for more than three decades, is expected to be let go as part of a new round of layoffs, sources briefed on the move told The Athletic.

On Monday, ESPN laid off NFL analyst Ryan Clark as part of the layoffs that will affect behind-the-scenes personnel. Most of the dismissals are expected at NFL Network, according to the sources, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss a sensitive matter.

Tom Pelissero, one of NFL Network’s top insiders, is expected to be let go, according to sources briefed on the moves."

Pelissero being out is surprising. And sorry to see Ravech go. He was terrific, so that's unfortunate.

 

[FreeTedWilliams]

Clark is a racist. Glad he is gone.

 

[Brotherblues]

As for Ryan Clark, he just lost a $2M/year contract where all he had to do was show up for work. Now he's gotta either find an equivalent deal from a big-time podcast network, or he's gotta do it from the ground up by hiring a producer, probably a side kick or two since it's hard to fill all the hours on a podcast by yourself, get himself plugged into the major podcast platforms, figure out the advertising space, etc.

It could become lucrative, but it could also take quite a while for him to be clearing $2M a year once again.

Hopefully he's banked a few pay checks along the way.

What McAfee did. Built a show on Youtube that was watched more than anything on a network.

He proved he could draw eyeballs to a platform. ESPN recognized this and lured him with untold riches.

Clark and countless other talking heads have never proved to be anything other than products of their platform. Easily replaced by a fraction of the cost.

Just look at Bayless and Kellerman without a platform propping them up.

 

[sb1]

Ravech too? Wow. The face of baseball on the network for years. Wonder if he'll find a team to call games ala Don Orsillo out west.

 

[sb1]

Tebow won't be laid off lol

Tim Tebow re-signs with ESPN as analyst

The UF legend has inked a new deal with ESPN ahead of the 2026 season

247sports.com

 

[ctpatsfan77]

A quick snippett:

"Karl Ravech, one of the lead voices on ESPN for more than three decades, is expected to be let go as part of a new round of layoffs, sources briefed on the move told The Athletic.

On Monday, ESPN laid off NFL analyst Ryan Clark as part of the layoffs that will affect behind-the-scenes personnel. Most of the dismissals are expected at NFL Network, according to the sources, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss a sensitive matter.

Tom Pelissero, one of NFL Network’s top insiders, is expected to be let go, according to sources briefed on the moves."

Pelissero being out is surprising. And sorry to see Ravech go. He was terrific, so that's unfortunate.

BTW, if you're a subscriber, The Athletic now allows unlimited sharing of gift [i.e., no paywall] links, just beneath the author's name. As an example:

Hugo González makes impressive strides as Celtics’ summer league wraps up

Hugo González has shown impressive strides during summer league. Are they enough for him to stick in Boston's rotation?

www.nytimes.com

 

[Borg140]

Clark should have been let go years ago. Notorious Pats hater and a total blabber mouth, in addition to having an annoying personality.

Pelissaro is redundant with Schefter and Rappaport around.

 

[Zuma]

 

[Rob0729]

Clark believed in the theory that any hot take, no matter how ridiculous it was, was the way to make a name for yourself in broadcasting. Good hot takes are hot takes that actually generate discussion beyond "Is Ryan Clark the dumbest person on ESPN?".

 

[scott99]

Cam Newton was let go as well. I always thought he sucked anyway.

 

[Rob0729]

Tebow won't be laid off lol

Tim Tebow re-signs with ESPN as analyst

The UF legend has inked a new deal with ESPN ahead of the 2026 season

247sports.com

Tebow has a huge following. It is almost cult like.

 

[scott99]

Cam Newton was let go as well. I always thought he sucked anyway

 

[XLIX]

Cam Newton was let go as well. I always thought he sucked anyway

Good to see ESPN let go of their fools gold piece of ****.

The one guy I am happier to see laid off than Clark.

 

[DoubleDeluxe]

Good to see ESPN let go of their fools gold piece of ****.

The one guy I am happier to see laid off than Clark.

I don't watch Newton, he's beyond a clown.
10000% deserving.
Maybe he can renew his NFL career since he still thinks he's better than half the starting QBs in the NFL!