ESPN seeks to dismiss lawsuit from Sage Steele

ESPN filed a motion Thursday to dismiss the lawsuit of prominent on-air personality and “SportsCenter” host Sage Steele, who is suing the sports network for violating her free speech rights, writes Ben Strauss of The Washington Post.

Steele alleged in a lawsuit filed in April that her right to free speech was violated after she was removed from assignments over comments she made on a podcast last year about Barack Obama‘s racial identity and ESPN’s vaccine mandate, which she called “sick” and “scary.”

ESPN’s filing asked the Connecticut Superior Court to dismiss the lawsuit, arguing that Steele cannot demonstrate she was punished since her pay was never docked. ESPN also argued that is not legally responsible for how co-workers and others responded to Steele’s comments and that the company has its own right to expression that includes who it puts on the air.

“Removing Steele from broadcasts, allowing her coworkers to forgo appearing with her, and allegedly conditioning her return to those broadcasts on her issuing an apology are casting decisions that are considered conduct furthering ESPN’s protected expression,” the filing read.

ESPN declined to comment. After the publication of this story, Steele’s lawyer, Bryan Freedman, issued a statement accusing ESPN of leaking Steele’s personal information, including her salary ($3 million a year).

“The current leadership at Disney continues to denigrate talent disregarding not only their first amendment rights but also employee privacy,” he said.

Last fall, Steele appeared on the podcast of former NFL quarterback Jay Cutler and called the Coronavirus vaccine mandate from ESPN’s parent company, Disney, “sick” and “scary.” She then contrasted her own racial identity, which she said was biracial, with former president Barack Obama identifying as Black.

In her lawsuit, Steele alleged that in response to the comments, ESPN stripped her of assignments and didn’t protect her from harassment from colleagues who criticized her on social media. Ryan Clark, an NFL analyst, declined to appear on the air with her, she alleged.

ESPN argued that not intervening in personality conflicts did not amount to company discipline.

“She may be unhappy that her co-workers disliked what she said, but ‘personality conflicts at work that generate antipathy and snubbing by ... co-workers will not meet th(e) standard’ for discipline,” the company’s motion said.

Since the lawsuit was filed, Steele, 49, has continued as a host on ESPN, leading to the unusual situation of a highprofile TV star suing the network on which she currently appears.

Trivia question

What major leaguer holds the record for most total bases in a nine-inning game?

She said it

From Steele, on Obama: “I think that’s fascinating considering his Black dad was nowhere to be found but his White mom and grandma raised him. But, hey, you do you. I’m going to do me.”

Trivia answer

The Dodgers’ Shawn Green had 19 total bases on May 23, 2002, against the Brewers. He was 6-for-6, with four homers, a double and single in a 16-3 win.