ESPN releases texts in response to sexism claims

ESPN has released text exchanges between former employee Adrienne Lawrence and “SportsCenter” anchor John Buccigross, who is at the center of the Boston Globe’s expository piece detailing the alleged mistreatment of women at the Worldwide Leader’s Bristol, Connecticut., compound.

Lawrence has accused Buccigross of “sending unsolicited shirtless photographs of himself and calling her ‘dollface,’ ‘#dreamgirl,’ and ‘longlegs,’ ” in the messages reviewed by the Globe. In response to the complaint she and a lawyer filed against ESPN over the summer, the network deduced the pair “had a consensual, personal friendship that spanned months.”

Though the shirtless photographs were omitted, the conversation, dated between June 4, 2016 through Sept. 7, 2016, ranges from discussing dinner meetings to music tastes and smiley face emojis. Buccigross calls Lawrence “dollface” and “doll” on three occasions.

ESPN maintains Lawrence’s allegations are “entirely without merit.”

Lawrence released a statement after the text messages were made public.

“As for ESPN’s recent behavior, its decisions to (i) single me out, (ii) ignore my key allegations, which ESPN knows are far broader than text messages and photos, and then (iii) release select, self-serving text messages, only further evidences the culture of this network and the lengths it will go and the unethical means it will employ to try and silence women,” she said in part.

“We conducted a thorough investigation and found these claims to be entirely without merit,” ESPN spokeswoman Katina Arnold said Thursday in a statement. “Lawrence was hired into a two-year talent development program and was told that her contract would not be renewed at the conclusion of the train- ing program. At that same time, ESPN also told 100 other talent with substantially more experience, that their contracts would not be renewed. The company will vigorously defend its position and we are confident we will prevail in court.”

Lawrence, however, believes the toxicity of ESPN’s work environment runs deep.

“ESPN has failed to address its deeply ingrained culture of sexism and hostile treatment of women,” Lawrence said, according to the Globe. She also alleged male employees make sexual and romantic advances under the guise of networking or mentoring and “mark” female colleagues by spreading rumors of sexual relationships.

Buccigross confirmed he had sent photos to Lawrence, but didn’t mean to offend her.

“I considered Adrienne to be a friend,” Buccigross said in a statement to the Globe. “I’m sorry if anything I did or said offended Adrienne.”