ESPN Layoffs For On-Air Talent Include Westchester's Jane McManus

A plethora of on-air personalities at ESPN are being shown the door. A Wednesday memo from network president John Skipper said pink slips will begin to get handed out this week. But many have already announced they've been laid off.

"Super Bowls, The Trifecta and stories like the one up now are the moments I'll take with me into free agency starting tomorrow," Westchester County resident Jane McManus tweeted this afternoon, referencing her latest report on the National Football League's racial divide.

ESPN has lost more than 10 million subscribers over the past few years while the costs of negotiating broadcasting deals with major sports leagues have gone up considerably, according to The New York Times,

"ESPN has been actively engaged throughout its history in navigating changes in technology and fan behavior in order to continue to deliver quality, breakthrough content. Today, we are again focused on a strategic vision that will propel our vast array of networks and services forward," Skipper said. "A necessary component of managing change involves constantly evaluating how we best utilize all of our resources, and that sometimes involves difficult decisions."

McManus was a reporter/columnist for espnW and one of the original contributors to espnW.com since the site’s inception in 2010.

McManus, a reporter covering Hudson Valley sports at The Journal News, began her career with ESPN as a beat reporter for its New York website. Her reporting and analysis on domestic violence for ESPN made her a nationally known commentator.

She also has served as an adjunct professor at Columbia Graduate School of Journalism. Plus she's one of the founding members of Westchester County's Roller Derby scene, having played for seven years as Lesley E. Visserate for the Suburbia Roller Derby team in Yonkers.

Former NFL quarterback Brett Favre wasn't happy with the news of Werder's departure.

Danny Kanell Tweeted that he was a casualty — "Poured my heart and soul into ESPN for last 8 years. Moved my wife and 3 kids to CT to go "all in" 5 years ago. Bummed it ended in 3 minutes"

Skipper said that ESPN's content strategy in recent months has melding digital-only efforts with personality-driven SportsCenter TV editions.

Patch file photo

By Chris Dehnel and Lanning Taliaferro