ESPN made huge cuts to its staff this week, and ever since the mass layoffs in Bristol, writers and analysts have been speculating as to how ESPN found themselves in this predicament to start with.
Linda Cohn, a longtime SportsCenter host and ESPN mainstay, didn't run when the subject of whether or not politics played a role in ESPN's struggles.
Via the New York Post:
"That is definitely a percentage of it," Cohn said Thursday on 77 WABC's "Bernie and Sid" show when asked whether certain social or political stances contributed to the stupor that resulted in roughly 100 employees getting the ax this week. "I don't know how big a percentage, but if anyone wants to ignore that fact, they're blind."
Cohn doesn't say that it was the only reason or the biggest reason, but she does unequivocally say that politics played a role in this mess, and called out those who choose to ignore that.
With all the changes to programming in recent years, Cohn also mentions that ESPN forgot who she describes as their "core" audience who have been there from the beginning. Viewers who tune into ESPN for the same reason everyday.
Via the Sporting News:
"They forgot their core. You should never forget your core. And be grateful for your core group."
It is interesting to hear such a big name like Cohn open up about this topic, but she's not wrong and it's refreshing to hear.
