Mayne

ESPN’s Kenny Mayne done at network after 27 years [Video]

By Elsie A. Dotson 5 months ago

Longtime ESPN personality and “SportsCenter” host Kenny Mayne announced on Monday that he’s leaving the network after 27 years. 

On the same day, ESPN announced that it’s extending the contract of network stalwart and “NFL Primetime” host Chris Berman. It’s not clear if the two transactions are related. 

Mayne, 61, announced his departure on Twitter, describing himself as a “salary cap casualty” while thanking the executives who hired him.

Mayne didn’t expound on the reason for his departure, and ESPN didn’t immediately issue a statement. Given his trademark dry sense of humor, Mayne’s statement leaves room for interpretation over the nature of his exit. 

Mayne leaves legacy of laughs at ESPN

Mayne joined ESPN in 1994 and quickly became a fixture alongside hosts like Dan Patrick and Keith Olberman who made made “SportsCenter” standard viewing for sports fans in the 1990s. He played several roles across ESPN and ESPN2

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Matt Calkins: Enjoy Kenny Mayne while you can, as he closes out his ESPN career

By Elsie A. Dotson 5 months ago

SEATTLE – There was only one worry Kenny Mayne had after opting to walk away from ESPN after 27 years.

It wasn’t the thought of being rudderless. It wasn’t anxiety over what he’d do next. It was that maybe, just maybe people wouldn’t care that he was gone.

“My only fear was, ‘What if I put out the statement on Twitter and like five people respond?’ You know, like nobody,” said the 61-year-old Mayne, the longtime SportsCenter anchor who was born in Kent, Washington, and has a house in nearby Kirkland. “But I was seriously overwhelmed by the response.”

An outpouring of admiration and acclaim followed Mayne’s announcement Monday, when he characterized his departure as a “salary cap casualty” (he told The Athletic he was asked to take a 61% pay cut). Some tweets nearly brought the famously stone-faced Mayne to tears. But come on – how else would people

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Kenny Mayne Left ESPN After Being Asked to Take 60% Pay Cut

By Elsie A. Dotson 5 months ago

The Wrap

Joe Budden Ends Podcast After Firing Co-Hosts Rory and Mal Mid-Show

After six years of recording, the “Joe Budden Podcast” has come to a dramatic end. Host Budden fired his co-hosts, Rory Farrell and Jamil “Mal” Clay, while recording a podcast episode that was posted and then quickly deleted on May 12. Budden later reposted the episode on Patreon, asking fans to subscribe to see the video footage of the podcast recording. Budden, a retired rapper and former “Love and Hip Hop” star, is alone in the studio for the duration of the video. That’s because co-hosts Farrell and Clay (the podcast used to be called “The Joe Budden Podcast with Rory and Mal”) have been mostly absent from recording since March when they took a hiatus to try and sort out their differences with Budden. It seemed like the three were on the road to good terms

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Kenny Mayne Reveals Details From His ESPN Departure

By Elsie A. Dotson 5 months ago
Kenny Mayne on ESPN.

Kenny Mayne on ESPN.

On Monday, longtime ESPN anchor and host Kenny Mayne announced he was leaving the company after nearly three decades on the air.

In his announcement, Mayne referred to himself as a “salary cap casualty.” Now, we have an idea of just how much the veteran television personality was asked to give up.

Last night, Mayne spoke with Richard Deitsch of The Athletic about his decision to leave the Worldwide Leader and his future plans. During the conversation, Mayne revealed he was asked to take “a 14 percent reduction in time worked and a 61 percent reduction in money earned.”

In the end, that was too much for the former SportsCenter star to accept.

“I’m not asking anyone to feel sorry for me. It’s my choice to stay or not stay,” Mayne said. “It was still a good amount of money in the real world. I’m not

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