Canned Virk disputes ESPN’s ‘leak’ claims

Fired ESPN sportscaster Adnan Virk denies he leaked any confidential or proprietary information that caused his termination.

In a statement texted to The Post on Tuesday night, Virk said he and his lawyers are currently trying to reach a settlement with ESPN.

“Suffice it to say, that I believe that I did nothing wrong that would justify my termination, and I categorically deny that I leaked any confidential or proprietary information,” said Virk, who recently signed a twoyear extension. “There is considerably more that I would like to say regarding my tenure with ESPN and the circumstances surrounding my termination. However, I believe that, for now, it is in my and the Company’s best interest to concentrate on attempting to resolve our differences, rather than engaging in a very public war of words.”

Virk was let go at the beginning of February after ESPN accused him of leaking stories to the website, Awful Announcing. ESPN, according to sources, felt Virk acted in a “premeditated” way, tipping off a reporter from the site.

The Post has independently confirmed Virk was a source for the story about ESPN’s baseball plans. Ben Koo, the story’s writer, declined to confirm his source.

In the Awful Announcing story that preceded Virk’s firing, the site reported ESPN was moving its “Sunday Night Baseball” from 8 p.m. to 7 p.m. due to MLB relenting on a contractual clause that called for a certain amount of “Baseball Tonight” shows during the regular season.

ESPN and Virk’s lawyers will have to reconcile their varying interpretations of what is confidential and proprietary information. Virk’s side is also questioning ESPN’s feeling that Virk leaked to reporters on multiple occasions.

ESPN declined comment on Tuesday night.

ESPN felt Virk went out of his way to ask one of his bosses pointed questions about the company’s baseball plans that had not been covered in any meetings. The information then appeared hours later on Awful Announcing.

“Much of what has been reported about my termination from ESPN is false and, I think, defamatory,” Virk said. “We — meaning me and my lawyers, Wajahat Laiq and Neal Brickman, and lawyers for ESPN — are currently attempting to amicably resolve my leaving ESPN. I think that, while we are attempting to settle our differences, it is not productive for me to advocate my ... claims in the press.”

Virk was let go Feb. 1. The Post reported his firing two days later, just prior to the Super Bowl.

Virk, 40, has been considered a rising star at ESPN. Virk, whose parents emigrated from Pakistan to Canada when he was a child, had grown from doing ESPNNews to working “Baseball Tonight,” college football and basketball. He had also developed a podcast about movies, a huge passion of his, called Cinephile. In the initial part of his text to The Post, he acknowledged the support he has received.

“I’d like to thank my fans and colleagues for their outpouring of support which has been so meaningful,” Virk said.