The bloodletting at ESPN isn’t over yet.
Boxing commentator Andre Ward joined a group that includes Jeff van Gundy, Jalen Rose, Suzy Kolber and Steve Young, posting to Twitter after an ESPN/Top Rank show on Saturday night that he was no longer with the Worldwide Leader.
“Tonight’s show was the last fight under my ESPN contract,” Ward wrote. “It’s been a great ride and I’m going to miss the whole ESPN crew that I’ve worked with for the last six years. I’m excited about my future and the chance to work on new projects and endeavors. Great things are ahead.”
If Ward’s contract is not being renewed, that technically puts him in a different category than others who were laid off.
Max Kellerman, Keyshawn Johnson, Matt Hasselbeck, Todd McShay and David Pollack were also amongst the group of front-facing employees laid off Friday as ESPN aimed to save millions of dollars.
Disney, ESPN’s parent company, previously had three rounds of layoffs with the goal of eliminating 7,000 jobs.
Everything to know about ESPN Layoffs
On Friday, ESPN began the latest round of its layoffs, with several big names among the 20 or so on-air personalities being let go.
Network stalwarts Jeff Van Gundy, Max Kellerman, Keyshawn Johnson, Suzy Kolber, Matt Hasselbeck, Steve Young and Todd McShay were some of the biggest names let go of by ESPN.
- ESPN laying off around 20 on-air stars
- Basketball world shocked by ESPN ditching Jeff Van Gundy
- Suzy Kolber let go after 27 years at ESPN
It marked the third round of layoffs by the “Worldwide Leader,” with the previous two focusing on behind-the-scenes workers.
The massive layoffs come as part of mandates from parent company Disney, which announced earlier this year that around 7,000 jobs would be eliminated.
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According to The Post’s Andrew Marchand, ESPN hopes to save the jobs of behind-the-scenes people by cutting higher earners.
Ward, 39, is an international boxing Hall of Famer who retired in 2017.
He had an undefeated record with multiple world titles as a unified super middleweight and unified light heavyweight champion.
He also won the gold medal in the 2004 Olympics in the light heavyweight class.
Ward had been with ESPN since retiring from boxing.
Tim Bradley figures to take a more prominent role in the network’s coverage with Ward’s exit.
Jared Anderson (15-0) defeated Charles Martin (29-4-1) by unanimous decision in the main event of Saturday’s card.
