ESPN is on a trajectory to recover from the surprise retirement of their esteemed NBA insider, Adrian Wojnarowski. Their strategy as per reports seemed to be fishing for new talent or promoting their already existing line of NBA workers to diversify their league coverage. In the midst of such reports, the recent layoff came out of nowhere. Zach Lowe, a 12-year employee for the media giants has been dropped off.

Just a day ago, he was speaking to JJ Redick and discussing the Lakers as part of his Zach Lowe Post podcast. But unfortunately, he couldn’t survive ESPN’s cost-cutting plans. According to The Atheltic, his seven-figure salary was among the major contributors behind his recent layoff.

The senior writer regularly appeared on television as part of ESPN’s NBA team. This comes just a month after the NBA’s media partners laid off their NFL teams’ two prominent members – Robert Griffin III and Sam Ponder, the host of NFL Countdown. So far, none of Lowe of ESPN have commented on the situation.

Last year during the same time, as part of Disney’s organization-wide purge, key ESPN figures like Jalen Rose and Mark Jackson also saw the manner. In the wake of Lowe’s dropping, Disney also axed over 300 cooperate-level employees as part of their cost-trimming measures. The window will end in September with more such decisions possibly occurring in that span.

Why is ESPN cutting jobs like Zach Lowe?

It’s never easy to bid farewell to a renowned member of one’s team. ESPN too doesn’t feel any joy in doing so. The aim as mentioned above has always been cost-cutting. When the same took place in 2023, with revered figures such as Max Kellerman facing the hammer, the intentions were the same.

It isn’t related to their performance standards but the aim is ‘sizing down’ to make operations more efficient. “This is an extremely challenging process, involving individuals who have had a tremendous impact on our company. These difficult decisions, based more on overall efficiency than merit, will help us meet our financial targets and ensure future growth” ESPN said in their statement last June.

The measures were put in by returning CEO Bog Iger as part of downsizing. Since he decided to do so, Disney has laid off over 8000 employees, and saved over $7 billion in payments. In Lowe’s case, it was surprising since it came at a time when ESPN’s NBA team had lost arguably their A-lister in Woj.

Initially, the reports seemed to suggest they would try to replace him. However, that doesn’t seem to be the aim according to John Ourand of Puck. Even after Lowe’s exit, the media powerhouses still have a deep NBA roster. A good friend of the 12-year veteran, Brian Windhorst is expected to have a more visible role during the coming season.

It’s also important to note that this might not be the only goodbye for ESPN’s NBA contingent. Such measures can be ruthless due to the company’s demands. Lowe still has a great reputation in the media circuit and will most probably find a new home sooner rather than later. Moreover, he could also venture deeply into his podcast.

What do you think of Zach Lowe’s layoff? Let us know your views in the comments below.