Sage Steele, formerly with ESPN, is opening up about her departure from the network, sharing with Jesse Watters that she was not the sole voice at ESPN feeling "silenced" in expressing certain views.
The veteran "SportsCenter" presenter was a guest on "Jesse Watters Primetime" this Tuesday, shedding light on her experiences and pinpointing when she deemed it necessary to step away.
"I wasn't the only one who felt silenced, who felt scared. I mean, some of us would literally whisper in the corner or even in the bathroom and talk about, hey, we can't say this too loud," Steele mentioned, recalling her 2021 experience when ESPN set her aside after she commented on a podcast about the company's directive to have her vaccinated against COVID.
Steele mentioned that views from one perspective were permitted for discussion, but not from the opposite side.
"Not just in the studio or in the green room or the makeup room, but on social media, on ESPN platforms. And I think that's all I ever wanted. And that's kind of what the suit was about, was consistency. What are the rules? Let's make them clear and make sure everybody follows them, not just the people that fit a certain narrative."
Finally Steele put her foot down and said she has "had enough."
"The biggest blessing for me is that I've finally learned to be okay not being liked, even if they're for reasons that I think are stupid. People who won't even have a conversation or who have never even met me. That happens quite a lot. And I'm sure you're familiar with it too."
Life update.
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!#SteeleStrong— Sage Steele (@sagesteele) August 15, 2023
"It's insane and it's the opposite of what people preach with … equity and tolerance and inclusion and acceptance and all those words that everybody throws around, especially in corporate America, but when it's actually time to live it? That was my issue," said Steele.
Earlier this month, Steele broke her silence after the formalization of her departure from the network. On X, once known as Twitter, she shared a "life update," announcing that her lawsuit with the company had been settled and she chose to leave to "exercise my First Amendment rights more freely."
On August 15, the company released a statement saying, "ESPN and Sage Steele have mutually agreed to part ways. We thank her for her many contributions over the years."
Regarding Steele's suspension due to comments on the vaccine mandate, Clay Travis remarked it was 'Absolute madness.'
In her lawsuit, Steele claimed that ESPN inconsistently applied its guidelines, which prohibit news personnel from sharing views on politics and societal matters. She pointed out that the network seems amenable to personalities advocating for left-leaning causes.
The litigation asserted that ESPN "violated Connecticut law and Steele’s rights to free speech based on a misinterpretation of her remarks and a nebulous, seldom-applied workplace directive which merely served as a smokescreen." It further stated the company drew conclusions from "erroneous third-party interpretations of Steele’s words" and "did not promptly analyze the genuine remarks or their surrounding context."
Steele began her journey with ESPN in 2007, having initially worked at Comcast SportsNet. She emerged as a cornerstone of "SportsCenter" and also featured on "NBA Countdown."
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