Photo: ESPN Images
What ESPN stands to lose from Dan LeBatard’s departure is far more than what it stands to gain. They are going to miss him in the long-run.
If you’re a follower of ESPN Radio programming, you’re probably aware that commentator Dan LeBatard, after a lengthy partnership with ESPN, has departed the network. I wanted to wait for the dust to settle a bit before opining on what I thought of the landscape of ESPN’s programming slate in the wake of his absence, and the prognosis isn’t great. As a fan of LeBatard’s, I believe that his off-kilter brand of comedy and levity with respect to sports is needed. Couple that with his willingness to call out arbitrary sports rituals that we blindly worship, and you have what amounts to a brand of sports commentary that the world needs more of, and that ESPN will sorely miss.
