A former rising star at ESPN has crashed back to earth and will soon be leaving the company.
According to The New York Post, ex-NBA Countdown host Michelle Beadle is officially out of ABC/ESPN’s NBA coverage and is expected to finalize a buyout with the network soon.
Beadle, who makes $5 million per year, will be replaced by Maria Taylor on Countdown.
With Beadle on the way out, Rachel Nichols is on the way up and her show, The Jump, will now lead into the NBA Finals and appear on Saturday nights before regular-season games on ABC.
Former NBA players Jay Williams. Jalen Rose, Richard Jefferson, Paul Pierce and league insider Adrian Wojnarowski will continue to have roles in ESPN’s NBA coverage.
“The NBA is incredibly important to all that we do,” Connor Schell, ESPN executive vice president of content, said, according to The Wrap. “This new pregame studio strategy will continue to elevate our NBA coverage and will be led by a talented array of voices who are committed to excellence, understand how to communicate to NBA fans, and are deeply passionate about the sport. We can’t wait for the season to get started.”
Depending on what the terms of Beadle’s buyout turn out to be, she may be able to sign with a new media company almost immediately.
While it’s possible Beadle could wind up with a role at Turner-owned TNT, it sounds more likely she’ll make a move to paid subscription site DAZN, which is run by former ESPN president John Skipper.
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