ESPN announced Thursday it is eliminating about 500 jobs worldwide, including about 300 through layoffs.
The cuts amount to about 10% of the employees at the sports network and are due largely to the impact of the pandemic on its business and the “tremendous disruption in how fans consume sports.”
In addition to the layoffs, the company is planning to leave about 200 vacant positions unfilled.
On-air talent, the vast majority having personal contracts, is not expected to be heavily affected. But some of those contracts could be allowed to expire.
The company said it has more than 5,000 employees in all, including about 4,000 in Bristol Connecticut.
The layoffs come three years after ESPN cut about 250 jobs, including journalists and on-air talent.