Ryan Clark, Carl Labecque and others fired by ESPN
ESPN is undergoing a wave of layoffs, with a number of on-air personalities leaving as the station makes significant cuts.
ESPN took several minutes to decide how to handle the news that Ryan Clark will be leaving the organization after July 21st.
The problem for the “Worldwide Leader” was that it was July 20th.
After Monday’s 4 p.m. ET edition of “NFL Live” began airing, news outlets contacted ESPN for comment on a story that said Clark was expected to be fired soon, a person familiar with the situation told USA TODAY Sports. The person was granted anonymity due to the sensitivity of the situation.
Clark, a former ESPN analyst, was one of several high-profile firings by the network this week and one of the day’s “live” performers. The broadcast station that made the inquiry set a response deadline of 5:00 p.m., the end of the program.
ESPN executives decided to inform Clark of his final termination during a commercial break during the show, rather than letting him know online after the show ended or, in some cases, during the show. Clark was not in the ESPN studio, recording the program remotely.
TV breaks are usually 3-5 minutes long and this time was no exception. Except Clark learned he would no longer be hired by ESPN.
Ryan Clark reacts to ESPN firing
Clark responded to the TMZ article on July 22, explaining the exchange and saying he was not forced to leave the show.
“I wasn’t forced to do it? I ask, ‘Should I stop now?'” Clark wrote on social media. The answer was “yes”.
“Sending prayers and love to everyone fired today by ESPN,” Clark wrote on social media on July 21, adding, “So many people have poured their lives into that company. I know exactly how you are feeling right now.”
Clark, a former NFL defensive back, worked for ESPN for more than a decade, where he was a regular analyst on top network shows such as “SportsCenter,” “Monday Night Countdown” and “NFL Live.”
