ESPN Anchor Sage Steele Sues Network, Alleging It “Sidelined” Her After Comments About Covid And Obama – Reports

deadline.com:

SportsCenter co-anchor Sage Steele has sued ESPN and corporate parent The Walt Disney Co. for allegedly violating both her contract and her free speech rights, according to multiple reports.Steele is reportedly claiming that the network “sidelined” her last year after she made remarks about ESPN’s Covid policy and former President Barack Obama’s ethnic identity.The Wall Street Journal indicates the suit alleges that, even after Steele returned from a one-week break — the nature of which she also disputes — the anchor lost plum assignments like the New York City Marathon and hosting the network’s yearly event highlighting women and diverse voices.Steele’s legal filing says she contacted ESPN’s human resources department with her concerns and was then offered co-hosting duties for The Masters.The comments in question came on onetime Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler’s podcast.

Steele described ESPN/Disney’s vaccine mandate as “sick and scary.” (Disney was among the first large employers to decide to require workers to be vaccinated, a move that was later widely emulated across corporate America.)In addition to Covid, Steele also questioned the fact that Obama identifies as Black, given the circumstances of his upbringing. “Congratulations to the President.

That’s his thing,” she said. “I think that’s fascinating considering his Black dad is nowhere to be found, but his white mom and grandma raised him, but OK.

You do you. I’m gonna do me.”Steele co-anchors the mid-day edition of network flagship SportsCenter. After her comments, Steele took a week break from the show.ESPN declined to comment on why she stepped back when contacted at the time by Deadline.Steele had also recently tested positive for Covid.