ESPN has laid off another prominent figure, this time NBA writer Zach Lowe. Plus: the Avalanche and Nuggets are set for a slate of over-the-air games this season; Air Force and UNLV are expected to commit to the Mountain West.
Zach Lowe laid off by ESPN
ESPN has laid off NBA analyst Zach Lowe, Andrew Marchand of The Athletic reported Thursday. Lowe had been with ESPN since 2012, first writing for the company’s “Grantland” vertical and later shifting to a mix of writing, podcasting and television appearances. He previously worked for Sports Illustrated.
Lowe joins Sam Ponder and Robert Griffin III in being laid off from ESPN this year. Per Marchand, his seven-figure salary is believed to have been “the biggest factor” in ESPN’s decision.
His exit comes on the heels of ESPN insider Adrian Wojnarowski leaving the network for a position with St. Bonaventure’s men’s basketball team.
Per Marchand, no additional layoffs are expected.
Avs, Nuggets, set for new slate of over-the-air games this season
A combined 40 Colorado Avalanche and Nuggets games will air on TEGNA-owned local affiliates KUSA (NBC) and KTVD (MyNetworkTV) in Denver this season, it was announced Thursday. Each team will play 20 games over-the-air, with those split evenly among the stations. The remaining games will continue to air on Altitude, the local RSN that has been mired in carriage disputes for years.
In addition, Altitude is set to launch a new direct-to-subscriber option called Altitude+ in October, which will cost $20 per month.
Air Force, UNLV, expected to commit to Mountain West
Air Force and UNLV are expected to announce a commitment to remain in the Mountain West, per multiple reports Wednesday, rejecting overtures by the American Athletic Conference and Pac-12, respectively. The commitment would stanch the conference’s bleeding after losing five schools to the Pac-12 in recent days.
The Mountain West is believed to have offered the two schools a $25-30 million signing bonus — comprised of exit fees paid by the departing schools and a $55 million poaching penalty charged to the Pac-12 — in order to stay. Per the AP, the signing bonus eclipses the amount other conferences were willing to pay for the schools.
Some of those funds could be in question, as the Pac-12 filed a lawsuit against the Mountain West this week alleging that the poaching penalty — which is included in the short-lived scheduling agreement the sides reached last year — should not be enforced.
