ESPN has terminated its contract with broadcaster Curt Schilling, the network announced on Wednesday, after the latest misstep on social media by the former major league pitcher.
ESPN fires Curt Schilling for ‘unacceptable’ conduct after latest Facebook controversy
Schilling had been with the network since 2010.
Jared Wickerham/Getty Images
“ESPN is an inclusive company,” ESPN released in a statement. “Curt Schilling has been advised that his conduct was unacceptable and his employment with ESPN has been terminated.”
Schilling on Monday shared a post on Facebook with derogatory remarks toward a transgender person, though he later claimed he didn’t make the post.
Schilling, 49, was a game analyst for ESPN since the 2010 season, including on the network’s flagship Sunday Night Baseball broadcasts in 2014 and 2015. His 20-year playing career ended in 2007.
He was pulled off Sunday Night Baseball telecasts as well as the 2015 Little League World Series after a tweet that compared Muslims to Nazis. ESPN at the time called Schilling’s tweet “unacceptable,” but kept him on board despite a history of anti-Muslim posts on his Facebook page.
Schilling himself knew his status at ESPN was shaky at best. In September, while making a political donation, he noted on the form as his employer “ESPN (not sure how much longer).”
That final straw came this week.
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