After a fruitful 16-year tenure at ESPN, Sage Steele has bid farewell to the sports network to have more freedom in expressing her First Amendment rights.
The departure was confirmed both by the ex-“SportsCenter” host and ESPN on August 15.
Sharing her life update on social media, Steele announced, “Having successfully settled my case with ESPN/Disney, I have decided to leave so I can exercise my first amendment rights more freely.
I am grateful for so many wonderful experiences over the past 16 years and am excited for my next chapter.”
In a formal statement, ESPN mentioned that the decision for Sage to leave was mutually agreed upon by both parties, acknowledging her numerous contributions throughout her time with the company.
This development follows Sage’s resolution of a lawsuit filed against ESPN in 2022.
In the legal action, she alleged that ESPN had infringed upon her First Amendment rights and Connecticut free-speech laws when she faced suspension due to public remarks concerning the network’s COVID vaccine policy and former President Barack Obama’s racial background.
The chain of events commenced during an appearance on the “Uncut With Jay Cutler” podcast in September 2021.
In this instance, Sage criticized ESPN and its parent company’s corporate vaccine mandate as “sick” and expressed concerns about it.
She also recounted feeling belittled by late TV journalist Barbara Walters for identifying as biracial, citing her Black father and white mother.
In response to her podcast comments, ESPN took disciplinary action by removing Sage from on-air duties for ten days and withdrawing her from significant network assignments.
The company stressed the importance of respectful expression of diverse viewpoints aligning with their values and internal policies.
Subsequently, Sage issued an apology acknowledging the controversy her remarks had sparked and emphasizing the necessity for constructive and thoughtful communication during challenging times.
In her lawsuit, filed in 2022, Steele’s legal team accused ESPN of distorting her comments, coercing an apology, and allowing defamatory statements by colleagues without reprimand.
Court documents from June 2023 revealed ESPN’s settlement offer of $501,000.00 plus attorney’s fees, although specific terms were not disclosed publicly when Sage and ESPN announced their separation in August.
