Longtime ESPN voice Karl Ravech is reportedly on his way out after more than three decades with the network.
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According to The Athletic, Ravech is among several high-profile employees being laid off Tuesday as ESPN continues integrating NFL Network following its acquisition earlier this year. NFL insider Tom Pelissero is also reportedly among those losing their jobs.
Karl Ravech of ESPN speaks on set the day before Game 1 of the 2015 World Series between the Royals and Mets at Kauffman Stadium on Oct. 26, 2015, in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Maxx Wolfson/Getty Images)
Ravech, 61, joined ESPN in 1993 and became one of the network's most recognizable personalities, serving as the lead play-by-play voice for Major League Baseball coverage, hosting Baseball Tonight, calling college basketball and spending years behind the desk on SportsCenter.
Remarkably, Ravech was still on the air Monday night, calling the Phillies-Dodgers game in Philadelphia.
ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro acknowledged the cuts in a memo to employees.
"Over the past several months, we've made significant progress integrating the NFL assets that we acquired into ESPN," Pitaro wrote. "While most of the job impacts are tied to the acquisition, we will also notify colleagues in other parts of the company today that their positions have been impacted."
Most of the layoffs are expected to come from NFL Network as ESPN continues folding those operations into its own, according to The Athletic.
Pelissero had become one of NFL Network's top insiders, but with ESPN already employing Adam Schefter and also bringing over Ian Rapoport as part of the merger, the network reportedly decided to move in a different direction.
The Athletic also reported that longtime SportsCenter anchor David Lloyd, injury analyst Stephania Bell and NFL Network analyst Charles Davis are expected to be let go. Ryan Clark was informed of his departure Monday.
Ravech's exit is likely to hit longtime viewers the hardest.
Over 33 years, he became one of ESPN's most familiar and steady voices, whether he was anchoring SportsCenter, hosting Baseball Tonight or calling baseball and college basketball games. For many fans, it's difficult to imagine ESPN without him.
