Colin Cowherd on ESPN layoffs: “it will happen annually for the next decade”

As you’re probably well aware, Colin Cowherd is not one to mince his words. And when it comes to the ESPN layoffs yesterday, the Fox Sports Radio host and co-debater with Jason Whitlock had several things to say regarding the job cuts conducted at ESPN’s World headquarters in Bristol, CT.

Speaking on 92.3 The Fan in Cleveland, Cowherd said he knew things were going to change at ESPN when he learned of the news that the network had signed a huge megadeal to keep the NBA:

“I told my producers … ‘fellas, it’ll never be the same here.’ You can not pay four times for the house what you paid for the house last year. And I said this company will never be the same.

“It was at that point I started looking, and this is not going to end today. They have really cost-prohibitive contracts, combined with cord-cutting.

“I said this when they cut 850 people, I said it the next day, it’s awful, and it will happen annually for the next decade. You have to have contracts …”

And regarding the layoffs, Cowherd noted that the overpayment for the NBA and in particular, the NFL has come back to bite ESPN and it’s forced the company into layoffs:

“These firings are awful. It makes me sick.

“The good news is – most of the people let go are really talented, but this is all about business, and when you have overpaid for products, sometimes six and seven hundred million more than you had to pay, certainly with the NBA that’s the case, they just pay way too much for it. This is the result, it’s awful, and I think unfortunately this was the first of a 10-year deal with the NBA and I just feel awful – there’s are a lot of good people.”

But he added that he feels that ESPN has let go of the most expensive people at the company and that “a lot of them are going to land in really good places.”

It’s been a tough 24 hours for the Worldwide Leader and Cowherd certainly isn’t gloating or reveling in the layoffs. But he is cautioning that this may not be the last round of cuts at ESPN.

[CBS Cleveland]