Sports
Mark Jackson out at ESPN in NBA booth blowup – New York Post
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Mark Jackson is out at ESPN, The Post has learned.
Jackson joins Jeff Van Gundy in being laid off by ESPN after the two had been Mike Breen’s co-analysts on the NBA Finals.
They are expected to be replaced by Doris Burke and Doc Rivers.
ESPN declined comment.
ESPN was looking at keeping Jackson as part of a “B” team with Mark Jones.
However, network executives really like JJ Redick and Richard Jefferson as game analysts and are keen on assigning them better games.
That left Jackson in potentially the third team, even though ESPN doesn’t make specific declarations.
ESPN also increasingly came to the realization that Jackson’s effectiveness was tied to Van Gundy, who had established himself as one of the best game analysts in sports.
On Friday, ESPN began the latest round of its layoffs, with several big names among the 20 or so on-air personalities being let go.
Network stalwarts Jeff Van Gundy, Max Kellerman, Keyshawn Johnson, Suzy Kolber, Matt Hasselbeck, Steve Young and Todd McShay were some of the biggest names let go of by ESPN.
It marked the third round of layoffs by the “Worldwide Leader,” with the previous two focusing on behind-the-scenes workers.
The massive layoffs come as part of mandates from parent company Disney, which announced earlier this year that around 7,000 jobs would be eliminated.
Without Van Gundy, ESPN didn’t think Jackson would offer as much.
He only had two years remaining on his contract. Jackson confirmed the news of his departure, according to Peter Vescey’s Twitter account.