ESPN Canceling Flagship National Radio Show, per Report

The move comes amid larger company restructuring, with more layoffs expected to follow.
ESPN Canceling Flagship National Radio Show, per Report
ESPN Canceling Flagship National Radio Show, per Report /

As part of a large-scale company restructuring, ESPN is reportedly canceling its national morning radio show featuring Max Kellerman, Keyshawn Johnson and Jay Williams, according to Andrew Marchand of the New York Post. The network is also expected to undergo “significant on-air layoffs” in the weeks to come.

The decision does not mean that the trio won’t still be with the company, though Marchand speculates that Kellerman’s high salary might put him in jeopardy. Johnson also signed a four-year, $18 million deal with ESPN last year.

It’s possible that, should Johnson leave ESPN, he could join Fox, which has an opening on its debate show Undisputed for a co-host opposite Skip Bayless following the departure of fellow former NFL star, Shannon Sharpe. Williams’s contract is set to expire at the end of this summer.

Layoffs for on-air talent are expected to begin by the end of June. The cuts will be made with the aim of saving behind-the-scenes jobs and hitting financial goals set by Disney, ESPN’s parent company.


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Nick Selbe
NICK SELBE

Nick Selbe is a programming editor at Sports Illustrated who frequently writes about baseball and college sports. Before joining SI in March 2020 as a breaking/trending news writer, he worked for MLB Advanced Media, Yahoo Sports and Bleacher Report. Selbe received a bachelor's in communication from the University of Southern California.