NFL Network Is Laying Off Four of Your Favorite On-Air Personalities
The NFL Network is changing its roster as it lets go of four on-air personalities.
This news comes at the NFL is reduce the staff at the NFL Network in recent weeks.
Four Personalities Get Cut
Yardbarker reports that the company laid off Andrew Siciliano, who reported some of the network’s biggest stories, along with Melissa Stark, James Palmer, and Will Selva as it goes through another round of layoffs.
Kyle Brandt, Peter Schrager, and Jason McCourty have not publicly announced their decisions yet.
Andrew Siciliano Says Goodbye to "RedZone"
Siciliano has been a prominent name in sports reporting since debuting as the host of DirecTV’s “RedZone” in 2005.
Google acquired the “RedZone” after purchasing the rights to NFL Sunday Ticket and is now broadcasting it on YouTube TV.
Melissa Stark Gets Cut
Stark, who has been the host of “NFL 360,” has been with the NFL Network since 2015, serving as a national reporter for the Network.
She will still act as the sideline reporter for “Sunday Night Football” on NBC.
Will Selva Says Goodbye
Selva hosted “Good Morning Football,” updating the fans of the sport in a new desk format. “My incredible run at NFL Network has ended after more than a decade,” Selva wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.
“I’ve had the honor to be part of ‘Good Morning Football’ since day one, working with the most talented crew in the biz to deliver the news while hopefully giving the viewers a laugh. I’m overwhelmed with gratitude for the memories & will miss these days tremendously.”
The End of an Era
Selva ended his farewell by writing: “Good things to come, but for now, I want to give thanks to my colleagues & viewers for an amazing 11 years.”
Selva wasn’t the only former host to say goodbye on X.
James Palmer Says Goodbye
Palmer was a national reporter for the NFL Network, similar to Stark.
Palmer also took to X to explain that the NFL Network ended his contract. “It was a dream job and I loved every minute of it,” Palmer wrote.
The NFL Network Moves to Los Angeles
Palmer says he is looking toward the future. “I’m excited for what’s to come. Not sure what’s to come. Not sure what that is exactly, I’ve learned a lot in the last decade at NFL Network and I’m better for it,” he writes.
Jamie Erdahl will be the only one of “Good Morning Football” to continue to host the show as it moves from its New York studios to Los Angeles. The show will be on a temporary hiatus until August.
The NFL Explains the Move
“As is [the] normal course of business this time of year, we are evaluating our talent roster for the upcoming 2024 season and beyond,” NFL Network spokesperson Alex Riethmiller told The Athletic.
“That process results in renewals, non-renewals, and additions to our talent lineup depending on programming needs. To those departing talents, we give our sincere thanks and appreciation for their hard work and contributions to NFL Media.”
More Employees at the NFL Network Get Laid Off
Reports suggest that the NFL is looking to sell NFL Network and other NFL media properties to ESPN.
Looking to cut costs and pinch pennies, the NFL is laying off a chunk of its employees.
These Lay Offs are "Normal"
Last week, NFL Network laid off five percent of its LA-based employees, and approximately 200 other network employees were offered buyouts on their contracts.
These layoffs are causing concern for many sport fans, despite the league calling these cuts “normal.”
Is It the End of the NFL Network?
The NFL has generated unprecedented revenues, which means that there seems to be no reason to cut jobs and move shows from coast to cost.
While it seems that there is no financial gain from these moves, the NFL might be making moves to eliminate all shows from the NFL Network and focus solely on the game.