ESPN consolidating West Coast studios into NFL Network space

ESPN’s West Coast operation is on the move.

Following the network’s acquisition of NFL Network, ESPN has decided to consolidate its West Coast production by closing its old L.A. Live studio space, which began operations in 2009, and will move production staffers into the NFL Network studios at Hollywood Park in Inglewood, according to a report by Austin Karp in Sports Business Journal. The move comes a little over a year after ESPN downsized its West Coast footprint, choosing to move production for its 1 a.m. ET SportsCenter and various soccer programming back to its Bristol, Connecticut headquarters, leaving NBA Today and WNBA Countdown as the two main shows to emanate from Los Angeles.

ESPN gained control of NFL Network’s Hollywood Park studios as part of its acquisition of NFL Media that completed earlier this year. The studio space, which sits in close proximity to SoFi Stadium, is sure to feature prominently throughout the next seven months as ESPN prepares to produce and broadcast Super Bowl LXI from the stadium in February. ESPN has already begun to take advantage of the studio space during its World Cup coverage, where SoFi Stadium has hosted many prominent matches.

Per Sports Business Journal, all ESPN employees involved in studio production will move to the Hollywood Park studios. Everyone else will relocate to the Disney offices in Glendale, aside from ESPN Radio staffers who will work from the Good Karma Brands office at L.A. Live.

NBA Today and WNBA Countdown will shift production to the Hollywood Park studios, where NFL Network shows, including NFL RedZone, are currently shot.

“We look forward to all of ESPN’s L.A.-based studio content originating from a single location, further enhancing creativity and collaboration, with expansion possible in the future,” ESPN said in a statement to Sports Business Journal.