Richard Deitsch reached to miltiple current and former ESPN air talents for his “Media Matters” column this week for The Athletic. He asked what they have heard from management about the transparency and conviction they are allowed to speak with about the killing of George Floyd and subsequent protests.
“The stick to sports on the field era appears to be over,” Deitsch quotes one unnamed but “well-known ESPN talent” as saying.
Jimmy Pitaro, who was appointed president of the network in March 2018, has often been saddled with accusations of bringing a “stick to sports” mantra to Bristol. While the network has covered President Trump’s tweets and comments when they relate directly to sports, for the most part the network rarely delves into social issues.
That hasn’t been the case in the last two weeks though. Coverage of protests around the country have not been limited to Stephen Jackson’s friendship with George Floyd, pointing out which athletes are at marches, or reaction to Drew Brees’s comments about players kneeling during the national anthem.
“What you’ve seen, heard and read across ESPN outlets over the past week is a meaningful reflection of the profoundly intense and personal array of emotions sweeping through the collective consciousness of our audience,” senior vice president and editor-at-large of ESPN Content, Rob King said.
ESPN personalities like Maria Taylor, Elle Duncan, and Booger McFarland have been free to talk about their experiences with racism and share their opinions on current situations.
“You know, I think that ESPN realizes that we are in a seminal moment in history and everyone is going to look back and wonder what side of history are you going to fall on?” Taylor told Deitsch. “I think that everyone’s realizing it, from the NFL and Commissioner (Roger) Goodell down to every major company and ESPN is included. If we are silent now or if we silence our employees now, then that will be the wrong move. The only acceptable way to deal with this moment is to accept wrongs and allow us to have open conversations and be a part of the solution that moves this country forward, because right now it’s really hurting.”
The position is very different from 2017, when then-SC6 Jemele Hill was suspended for two weeks after ESPN said she violated the network’s social media policy. After Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said that he would bench any player that knelt during the national anthem, Hill tweeted about a possible boycott of the team’s sponsors.
Hill told Deitsch that ESPN’s reaction to this moment isn’t causing feelings of jealousy or frustration. In fact, she says that she feels relief in seeing her former employer and other sports outlets embrace the conversation.
“The reaction of black athletes to Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and George Floyd certainly didn’t give them any choice, but I’m pleasantly surprised that these outlets didn’t rush to get past it. They devoted some thoughtful, honest conversation to a difficult issue,” Hill said. What I hope these outlets learned is that not only can it lead to good television and reporting and be valuable information for readers and viewers, but that asking their black employees to remain distanced from these kinds of conversations is unrealistic.”
