One of ESPN’s more prominent studio hosts could be on her way out within the month.
The New York Post reported Wednesday that ESPN and its lead NBA studio host Maria Taylor are several million dollars apart on a new deal to replace her current contract, which expires in three weeks. Per the report, ESPN is offering Taylor less now — $2-3 million/year — than it initially did when negotiations began in March of last year ($5 million/year).
While a reduction from the initial offer, which Taylor is said to have rejected, the reported salary would still mark an increase over her current $1 million/year deal.
Taylor has become one of the higher-profile ESPN hosts over the past year, anchoring the NBA Finals for the first time last fall after ESPN abandoned plans to use Rachel Nichols’ “The Jump” as ABC’s NBA pregame show.
ESPN is widely understood to be tightening its purse strings, with some exceptions. After announcing his departure from the company in May, SportsCenter anchor Kenny Mayne said publicly that ESPN had offered him a whopping 61 percent reduction in his salary.
Front Office Sports previously reported that ESPN “strongly” wants to retain Taylor’s services. Per the Post, ESPN “wants to keep” her but is not willing to go back to its initial offer.
Taylor has been with ESPN since 2014 and serves as ESPN’s lead college football sideline reporter, hosts its Women’s Final Four coverage and contributes to College Gameday in addition to her NBA duties.
[News from NYP 6.30]
