The ESPN layoffs last week that roiled the media industry didn’t just signify that the “worldwide leader” in sports was trying to cut costs. It was a reminder of how much sports media has changed—and how hard it will be for ESPN to keep its perch.
The network’s cost-cutting is most obviously a result of falling cable subscriptions. But, among younger people at least, there’s also been a cultural shift in sports media in favor of fan-based coverage and away from the reliance on the personalities ESPN is known for—and who bore the brunt of the layoffs.
