Norby Williamson, a longtime ESPN executive, is stepping down after nearly 40 years with the company. The departure was announced by ESPN President of Content, Burke Magnus, who cited creative differences between Williamson and himself as the reason for the decision. Williamson, who joined ESPN in 1985, has managed various aspects of the network's programming, including breaking news coverage and 'SportsCenter.' The departure comes after a disagreement with Magnus over the network's long-term strategy, not related to an on-air incident involving daytime host Pat McAfee [2e508ced] [f8285875].
Williamson expressed gratitude for the opportunity and the contributions made during his tenure at ESPN. He started at the network in 1985 and has played a significant role in its success over the years. The search for Williamson's replacement will begin immediately, as he was under contract until the Super Bowl in early 2027 [f8285875].
This development comes after host Pat McAfee accused Williamson of sabotage and publicly attacked him on his show. Despite McAfee's comments, he did not face any discipline for his actions [f8ce0fdb].
Norby Williamson's departure from ESPN marks the end of his long tenure at the company. The decision was made due to creative differences between Williamson and ESPN President of Content, Burke Magnus. The recent on-camera outburst by daytime host Pat McAfee towards Williamson is not the reason for his departure. Williamson expressed gratitude for his time at ESPN and credited the hard work and commitment of the staff [81edc15a].
Sage Steele, a former ESPN anchor, discussed how politics became a major issue at the sports network in an interview with Ben Shapiro. Steele revealed that political shifts at ESPN began years before her departure and created an unfriendly environment for those who disagreed with leftist talking points. She mentioned that in 2016, there was a significant turn in the network's coverage of politics, with executives openly expressing their opinions on social media. Steele also criticized ESPN's former president, John Skipper, for allowing political opinions, primarily from the Left, to dominate the network. She praised the arrival of James Pitaro as ESPN's new president in 2018, who aimed to reduce political content. However, the COVID-19 pandemic and the George Floyd incident led to a resurgence of politics in sports coverage. Despite leaving ESPN, Steele has continued her career by launching her podcast, 'The Sage Steele Show,' on Bill Maher's Club Random Studios platform [3c0e373d].
Kim Godwin, the first Black woman to lead a network news division, is retiring from ABC News after three tumultuous years. Godwin inherited a news division where its two most important programs, 'World News Tonight' and 'Good Morning America,' led rivals at CBS and NBC in the ratings. She faced criticism about her management style. In a note to staff members, Godwin expressed gratitude for being the first Black woman in such a prominent broadcast news role. She is leaving the business after working at ABC, CBS, NBC, and 10 local news stations in nine cities [9bfcff63].
Shannon Sharpe is close to signing a new contract with ESPN, reportedly for four years, to continue his role on 'First Take' and potentially make appearances on other ESPN NFL programming [398b63b9].
Sinclair Broadcasting is exploring a sale of a large chunk of its broadcast station portfolio and is also considering selling Tennis Channel [398b63b9].
ESPN has reached a media rights agreement with League One Volleyball to carry the league's inaugural season across its linear and digital platforms in 2025 [398b63b9].
MLB has amended its schedule to include one late-morning or early-afternoon game each Sunday, suggesting a deal to replace the early-Sunday package recently dropped by Peacock. The new schedule indicates the league will reinstitute the semi-exclusive Sunday window. MLB has officially struck a deal with Roku to carry its package of Sunday morning and early games [398b63b9].
Golf Channel did not report on Scottie Scheffler's pre-round arrest due to contractual limitations [398b63b9].
Diamond Sports Group and DirecTV have reportedly agreed to a framework carriage agreement [398b63b9].
Bill Belichick will join the Pat McAfee Show for NFL Draft coverage [398b63b9].
Ten NFL games to watch this season for sports media buffs [398b63b9].