In N.Y., Erich Richter cited sources as saying that ESPN let nearly all of its MMA on-air talent contracts “expire this year without renewal.” Mainstay MMA personalities such as Daniel Cormier, Chael Sonnen, Dominick Cruz and Jon Anik did “not have their contracts renewed, despite their roles as analysts and as contributors to original content.” Cormier and Sonnen “specifically hosted a popular ESPN series, ‘Good Guy/Bad Guy,’” which also was “not re-upped by the network.” Brett Okamoto, who has “played a significant on-air role for ESPN MMA since the start of the deal, will be retained in a journalist role” (N.Y. POST, 1/9).
FAREWELL NOW: AWFUL ANNOUNCING’s Matt Yoder noted ESPN “SportsCenter” anchor Ryan Smith is “exiting ESPN’s flagship program.” Smith was a part of the early morning “SportsCenter” since 2019 after initially joining the network in 2017. Smith has also worked across ESPN and ABC News as a “legal analyst, anchor, and reporter.” Smith has not posted since his goodbye message and ESPN or ABC has not made any announcements about what his future holds (AWFUL ANNOUNCING, 1/10).
