Maria Taylor quits ESPN after Rachel Nichols drama

by



[ad_1]

ESPN announced on Wednesday that NBA and NFL analyst and host Maria Taylor is officially leaving the network. According to the statement released by ESPN, Taylor and the network were unable to agree on a contract extension. His last assignment was Tuesday night’s coverage of Game 6 of the NBA Finals.

“Maria’s remarkable success is a direct testament to her abilities and work ethic,” ESPN President Jimmy Pitaro said in a statement. the athletes we cover and the fans we serve. Although she has chosen to seize a new opportunity, we are proud of the work we have accomplished together.

Taylor also commented on his departure from the network:

“So grateful to Jimmy and all of my great teammates and friends in the SEC network, GameDay College, women’s and men’s college basketball and the NBA Countdown family – people who believed in me, encouraged me, pushed me and uplifted me. Words are insufficient to express my boundless appreciation, and I hope to make them proud. “

Taylor, who also covers college basketball and college football for ESPN, has not announced where she is going next. However, the New York Post reported that Taylor is close to signing a contract with NBC and may even be part of their coverage of the Olympics.

NEW ORLEANS, LA - JANUARY 01: ESPN analyst Maria Taylor reports from the sideline during the Allstate Sugar Bowl College football playoff semi-final between the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Clemson Tigers at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on January 1, 2021 in New Orleans, LA. (Photo by Ken Murray / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Maria Taylor leaves ESPN after the two parties could not agree on a contract extension. (Photo by Ken Murray / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Conflict between Maria Taylor, ESPN

Taylor was recently at the center of a firestorm over race and gender that she was not involved in creating. Last year, after ESPN decided to hand the job of hosting the 2020 NBA Finals over to Taylor instead of fellow NBA host and reporter Rachel Nichols, Nichols was caught on camera alleging that Taylor, who is black, had only received this job because of ESPN’s “long-standing diversity record.”

The recording was leaked internally at ESPN, causing an uproar among employees. According to the New York Times, which reported on ESPN’s internal response just two weeks before Taylor’s contract expired, ESPN did not handle the situation well, promising Taylor that they almost immediately broke up.

Taylor’s contract was originally scheduled to expire before the end of the NBA Finals, but she and ESPN made a deal for her to continue until the end of the Finals. However, although ESPN reportedly offered her $ 3 million to stay with the network, she decided to move on.

More from Yahoo Sports:

[ad_2]

Source link