After Dan Le Batard called ESPN out for its recent track record on programming decisions around the NFL and college football, the network took the rare step last week of formally disputing Le Batard’s claims.
In a long rant charting ESPN’s hiring and promotions since closing its acquisition of NFL Network in the spring, Le Batard said that today at the Worldwide Leader, “it’s a whole lot of white people hiring a whole lot of white people.” The former ESPN columnist and host pointed to forthcoming raises for Joe Buck and Pat McAfee, as well as promotions for Peter Schrager, Josh Pate and Jason Kelce.
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After Awful Announcing published a write-up of Le Batard’s comments, an ESPN spokesperson responded with an on-record statement.
“This is simply an inaccurate and irresponsible characterization of ESPN, our talent and our talent leadership. ESPN has the deepest and most diverse roster of commentators in the industry, bringing a wide range of expertise, experiences and perspectives to our coverage. We are proud of the team we have built and will continue investing in new voices.”
Tuesday on his show, Le Batard doubled down, blasting ESPN for arguing what he believes is an inarguable trend. Le Batard drew on his personal experience working for the network and also addressed criticism of his own hiring practices at his company, Meadowlark Media.
“ESPN, you already made your statement. It doesn’t come out on a Friday afternoon. You already made the statement,” he said.
“This is not an arguable thing, unless you’re just looking to argue. Because what’s untrue about what I’m saying here, when I say where the money and the platforms [are] going to? And you won’t be able to disprove it on, the people making the decisions there, all white. All of them. That one’s not up for dispute. I’m talking about these platforms and this money, the tens of millions of dollars that are being given. And who’s getting the shows. Not, do you get to appear as part of somebody else’s shows. Who’s getting the shows … white people. White men.”
Kelce and McAfee are the most prominent faces of Monday Night Countdown, while game analyst Troy Aikman is expected to soon sign a contract extension to continue calling top games for ESPN alongside Buck. In the daytime lineup, Schrager and Pate are two of the network’s few hosts to recently get new shows.
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During the network’s layoffs over the summer, many noted that some of the most prominent NFL commentators to be cut loose were Black men, including Ryan Clark, Cam Newton and Charles Davis. Around the same time, longtime content executive David Roberts — long credited with advocating for Black talent in Bristol — also departed.
Freddy Rolon, ESPN’s current Head of Global Sports & Talent Office, is Latino. Le Batard argued that people like Rolon are not actually responsible for making the decisions that he took issue with at ESPN.
“When you throw Freddy Rolon at me, what you’re doing is [pointing out] the smaller fish … that are everywhere, not the biggest of the fish,” he said. “The biggest of the fish, that’s not an accident.”
While Le Batard has acknowledged the nine-figure deal signed by Stephen A. Smith in early 2025 and noted the promotion of Jason McCourty to replace Clark on Monday nights, he dismissed other examples of diversity at ESPN.
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“I’m talking about the next evolution of football. I’m talking about the NFL Network, and the NFL in general, which cannot be trusted on matters of race,” Le Batard said. “When they come in and own 10 percent of ESPN, I’m talking about the next evolution of how you get young people. I’m watching (Monday night) at halftime; it’s Kelce, McAfee, it’s Scott Van Pelt. That’s where the big money and the big platforms are going.”
Le Batard also clarified that while he understands there may be Black, Latino, or Asian people in ESPN management, he doesn’t believe any are involved in content or programming decisions. And he projected that more cuts will come for the Worldwide Leader, compounding the impact of the network’s recent direction.
“I’m talking about the next evolution, because there are going to be more layoffs here,” he said. “What it looks like next is being shown to you now. And it’s all white people choosing white people. I’m gonna say it again: Not an opinion. The biggest platforms and the biggest money, the shows are going to the white people. Hard stop. It’s not arguable.”
During his discussion of ESPN last week, Le Batard also connected the network’s football programming moves to its efforts to reach younger fans. Doubling back to that point, Le Batard offered a blunt depiction of what he sees as ESPN’s new target audience.
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“I’ll welcome anybody who can prove to me that what I’m saying is not so. They are going for mullets and sleeveless shirts. They are going for SEC football fans,” he said.
As a parting shot, Le Batard seemed to speak directly to ESPN and the rest of the industry. The host claimed firsthand knowledge of that which he critiqued, and hit back at those who suggested his company also lagged in its demographic balance, saying white people were a minority at Meadowlark.
“You can claim that I’m a hypocrite by saying false things about who works here, but I’m not saying false things about who works there,” he said.
“I know who works there and I know who the decision-makers are. And I know how much money they have and who they’re giving it to. And there’s no rebuttal to what I’m saying. None.”
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“You have not actually lived this. I lived it, and everyone saying something different than what I’m saying isn’t presenting you facts.”
The post Dan Le Batard responds to ESPN over talent diversity: ‘The biggest platforms and the biggest money… are going to the white people’ appeared first on Awful Announcing.
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