Menu
Closing Bell

Sources: Jason Whitlock In Talks To Leave ESPN Before End Of Deal

Jason Whitlock is negotiating to leave ESPN before his contract ends officially, possibly as early as the next few weeks, according to several sources. Whitlock has had informal talks with Fox Sports that could see him return to work with former ESPN exec Jamie Horowitz, who currently is Fox Sports National Networks President. Neither ESPN nor Fox Sports would comment for this story. Whitlock’s possible role at Fox Sports is not known, but if he moves over to Fox Sports, it is expected to include both a television role on FS1 and regular contributions on FoxSports.com. Earlier this month, former ESPN Radio host Colin Cowherd signed a four-year deal with Fox Sports that will include roles on both television and radio.

ESPN hired Whitlock two years ago from Fox Sports to be the founding editor of The Undefeated, a yet-to-launch boutique website that will set out to cover the intersection of sports and race. The site suffered through several delays and amid many reports of internal dissension, ESPN replaced Whitlock as the site’s top editor. The fact that Whitlock’s job has changed from the one he was hired to do is the impetus behind him seeking to leave his deal early.

Whitlock remains under contract for at least another year to ESPN, which continues to place him on its highest profile shows. This summer, Whitlock has made regular appearances as a fill-in host on ESPN’s highest-rated studio show, “PTI.” Shows featuring Whitlock this summer generally pulled in close to the same number of viewers as the ones with regular hosts Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon. ESPN, though, has been looking to cut costs recently and has let high profile talent like Cowherd, Bill Simmons and Keith Olbermann leave this summer.

SBJ Morning Buzzcast: March 25, 2024

NFL meeting preview; MLB's opening week ad effort and remembering Peter Angelos.

Big Get Jay Wright, March Madness is upon us and ESPN locks up CFP

On this week’s pod, our Big Get is CBS Sports college basketball analyst Jay Wright. The NCAA Championship-winning coach shares his insight with SBJ’s Austin Karp on key hoops issues and why being well dressed is an important part of his success. Also on the show, Poynter Institute senior writer Tom Jones shares who he has up and who is down in sports media. Later, SBJ’s Ben Portnoy talks the latest on ESPN’s CFP extension and who CBS, TNT Sports and ESPN need to make deep runs in the men’s and women's NCAA basketball tournaments.

SBJ I Factor: Nana-Yaw Asamoah

SBJ I Factor features an interview with AMB Sports and Entertainment Chief Commercial Office Nana-Yaw Asamoah. Asamoah, who moved over to AMBSE last year after 14 years at the NFL, talks with SBJ’s Ben Fischer about how his role model parents and older sisters pushed him to shrive, how the power of lifelong learning fuels successful people, and why AMBSE was an opportunity he could not pass up. Asamoah is 2021 SBJ Forty Under 40 honoree. SBJ I Factor is a monthly podcast offering interviews with sports executives who have been recipients of one of the magazine’s awards.

Shareable URL copied to clipboard!

https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Daily/Closing-Bell/2015/08/24/Whitlock.aspx

Sorry, something went wrong with the copy but here is the link for you.

https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Daily/Closing-Bell/2015/08/24/Whitlock.aspx

CLOSE