A week after the Wall Street Journal reported that ESPN is tightening its belt after losing 3.2 million households and how that could have bleak ramifications for some of the company's top personalities, longtime radio voice Colin Cowherd is leaving the Worlwide Leader in Sports.
The Big Lead is reporting that Cowherd, who has been one of ESPN radio's most-prominent personalities since 2003, is leaving the network and is leaning towards a deal with Fox Sports. This comes after ESPN fired Bill Simmons in May and parted ways with Keith Olbermann last week. ESPN reportedly made an "aggressive bid" to keep Cowherd, but lost out to Fox.
The Wall Street Journal report had pinpointed Cowherd, along with host/reporter Michelle Beadle, NFL reporter Adam Schefter and Monday Night Football anchor Mike Tirico, as big names that could be affected by ESPN tightening its belt, but anyone who listens to Cowherd's The Herd knows that he hasn't exactly been quiet over the air about his frustrations with the sports giant.
"We've enjoyed a mutually beneficial run with Colin for over a decade," ESPN president John Skipper told TBL in a statement. "He came to national prominence on ESPN with his unique perspective on sports and society. Endings also bring new beginnings, for ESPN and Colin, and we thank him and wish him the best."
TBL's report also points out that Cowherd joining Fox would signal a reunion between he and Jamie Horowitz, the new president of Fox Sports. Horowitz produced ESPN's SportsNation with Cowherd and Beadle, making Beadle another ESPN personality who could leave for Fox Sports as well. That reunion could also pave the way for Cowherd to get his own television show or at least contribute to programs on Fox and FS1.
But the big personalities at ESPN are leaving at such a rapid rate now, that we wonder who's next?
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