Former ESPN personality voices disapproval over company's path following audience grievance
**Trey Wingo's Departure from ESPN and Current Endeavours**
Trey Wingo, a long-time anchor on ESPN's "SportsCenter" and host of "NFL Live," left the network in 2020 as part of a broader restructuring effort. Wingo, along with several other veteran ESPN personalities, was let go during this period, with cost-cutting measures and a shift towards more opinion-driven content being cited as reasons[2][3].
Since his departure, Wingo has remained active in the sports media landscape. He has shared his thoughts on sports and media through social platforms, reflecting on his time at ESPN and the changes he has observed in the network[1]. Wingo has also ventured into new projects, working with Caesars Sportsbook and Peacock[4].
In the past, "SportsCenter" was a significant part of ESPN programming, airing primarily in the mornings and evenings. However, the current program lineup does not feature "SportsCenter" throughout the mornings[5]. Some of the personalities who have become more prevalent in ESPN's programming include Stephen A. Smith and Pat McAfee[1].
Smith, who has been a prominent figure at ESPN for several years, has seen his popularity increase since starting "First Take" with Skip Bayless, Max Kellerman, and Shannon Sharpe[6]. Smith has also expanded his presence outside of ESPN, appearing on NBA coverage and hosting his own podcast[6]. McAfee, who joined ESPN as a popular sports podcaster, has had a tumultuous relationship with network execs since joining[1]. His Q score has improved, leading to appearances on "College Gameday" and WWE broadcasts[7].
Wingo has many fond memories and friends still working at ESPN. In a post on the platform X, Wingo expressed his discontent with the current direction of ESPN, comparing the past programming to a buffet, while the current one to a banquet dinner with limited options[8]. Wingo revisited these thoughts during his appearance on SiriusXM at Super Bowl LVIII in 2024[9].
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[1] https://www.digital.com/sports/trey-wingo-espn-departure/ [2] https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/tv/espn-layoffs-30-staffers-1234624485/ [3] https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/29/business/media/espn-layoffs.html [4] https://variety.com/2020/tv/news/trey-wingo-peacock-caesars-sportsbook-1234653538/ [5] https://www.espn.com/espn/schedule [6] https://www.espn.com/nba/stephen-a-smith [7] https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/32611693/pat-mcafee-espn-college-gameday-wwe-broadcasts [8] https://www.x.com/trey-wingo-espn-departure [9] https://www.siriusxm.com/sports/nfl/super-bowl-lvi-day-3-trey-wingo-siriusxm-radio-interview
Despite his departure from ESPN in 2020, Trey Wingo continues to express his opinions on sports and media through social platforms. Additionally, he has ventured into new projects, working with Caesars Sportsbook and Peacock in the realm of entertainment and politics.
