Stephen A. Smith/ Twitter
ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith questions if he, just like 20 other personalities, may be laid off soon.
Smith, the anchor of the network’s sports debate show “First Take,” lost several high-profile colleagues last week, including Jalen Rose, Jeff Van Gundy, and Keyshawn Johnson.
“This ain’t the end. More is coming. And yes, ladies and gentlemen, I could be next,” Smith said on his show July 3.
Twenty of ESPN’s personalities were laid off, to which Smith said they “deserved better than the times we are living in.”
Smith’s comments come after Disney’s National Geographic laid off all of its staff writers, CNN reported.
Smith also briefly mentioned race in his remarks about feeling uneasy about his job security.
“Don’t ever, ever, ever in your life, as a Black person, take anything for granted,” he said. “I’ve told you before: When White folks catch a cold, Black folks catch pneumonia.”
According to Disney business reports, the company’s operating profits climbed by 56 percent to $12.1 billion in 2022, yet, the company feels it is necessary to make cost-cutting measures to save multi-millions of dollars.
It’s important to note that job cuts are complex decisions influenced by various factors specific to each company’s situation. While increasing operational profit is a positive sign, companies often need to balance long-term sustainability, market dynamics, and stakeholder expectations when making workforce decisions.
Despite generating profits, companies like Disney, which have bombed in the Box Office, continuously evaluate their expenses to ensure cost efficiency and maintain a competitive edge. Workforce reductions can be a means to control costs and improve overall financial performance.
Also explanation as to why Disney let go of its prominent sports analyrsts is that the company may undergo organizational restructuring to streamline operations, adapt to changing market conditions, or reallocate resources to more strategic areas. This may involve consolidating departments, eliminating redundant roles, or optimizing workflows, which can result in job cuts.