{"id":2002039,"date":"2023-08-16T02:14:00","date_gmt":"2023-08-16T06:14:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/espn-anchor-sage-steele-leaves-network-cites-need-for-more-free-speech\/"},"modified":"2023-08-16T02:16:01","modified_gmt":"2023-08-16T06:16:01","slug":"espn-anchor-sage-steele-leaves-network-cites-need-for-more-free-speech","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/espn-anchor-sage-steele-leaves-network-cites-need-for-more-free-speech\/","title":{"rendered":"ESPN anchor Sage Steele departs, citing desire for increased freedom of speech."},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">24<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fespn-anchor-sage-steele-leaves-network-cites-need-for-more-free-speech%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2002039&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><div data-post-content=\"true\" class=\"post_content\" id=\"post_content\">\n<p>Longtime ESPN SportsCenter co-anchor Sage \u200dSteele, who ruffled feathers by denouncing \u200cthe company&#8217;s COVID-19 vaccine mandate, has\u200b announced she&#8217;s leaving the network so that she can be less constrained in the expression of her First Amendment rights.<\/p>\n<p>Ms. Steele said in a <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/sagesteele\/status\/1691437577797337088?s=20\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">post on X<\/a>, the platform formerly known as Twitter, that her decision\u2062 to leave the network comes after settling her \u2062lawsuit with ESPN and its corporate parent Walt Disney.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Having successfully settled my case with ESPN\/Disney, I have decided to leave so \u2063I can exercise my first amendment rights more freely,&#8221; she wrote in \u200dthe message. &#8220;I\u200c am grateful for so many wonderful experiences\u2063 over \u200cthe past 16 years and am excited for my next chapter.&#8221;<\/p>\n<div class=\"shortcode\">\n<div class=\"mb-4 mr-4 w-full max-w-[500px] border border-[#D3D3D3] px-5 py-4 text-[16px] leading-[20px] text-[#262626] md:float-left\">\n<div class=\"mb-3 font-sans text-[16px] font-semibold uppercase leading-[19px] text-[#2F2F2F]\">Related Stories<\/div>\n<div class=\"mb-4 flex gap-2\">\n<div class=\"grow\">\n<div class=\"mb-1 line-clamp-2\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/article\/espn-announces-2-billion-deal-with-penn-entertainment-dave-portnoy-buys-back-barstool-sports-5453590\">ESPN\u2062 Announces $2 Billion Deal With PENN Entertainment, Dave Portnoy Buys Back Barstool Sports<\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"text-[14px] leading-[18px] text-[#737373]\">8\/9\/2023<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"shrink-0 basis-[120px]\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/article\/espn-announces-2-billion-deal-with-penn-entertainment-dave-portnoy-buys-back-barstool-sports-5453590\"><\/a><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"mb-4 flex gap-2\">\n<div class=\"grow\">\n<div class=\"mb-1 line-clamp-2\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/sports\/espns-all-female-sportscenter-an-attempt-to-pander-to-wokeness-critics-say-5437208\">ESPN&#8217;s All-Female &#8216;SportsCenter&#8217; an Attempt to Pander to Wokeness, Critics Say<\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"text-[14px] leading-[18px] text-[#737373]\">8\/1\/2023<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"shrink-0 basis-[120px]\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/sports\/espns-all-female-sportscenter-an-attempt-to-pander-to-wokeness-critics-say-5437208\"><\/a><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>ESPN said in a statement that the two had &#8220;mutually agreed to part \u2062ways&#8221; \u2064while thanking her \u2064for \u200bher &#8220;many contributions&#8221; during her 16 years at the network.<\/p>\n<p>Ms. Steele, who has <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/report-pelosi-allowed-recently-covid-positive-rep-onto-house-floor-to-vote-for-her\/\" title=\"Report: Pelosi allowed recently COVID-positive rep. onto House floor to vote for her\">faced backlash<\/a> for her public remarks including calling ESPN&#8217;s COVID-19 vaccine mandate\u2064 &#8220;sick&#8221; and &#8220;scary,&#8221; sued both ESPN and The Walt Disney Co. for allegedly\u200d violating her contract and her <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/states-push-to-rein-in-big-tech-as-federal-gears-grind-slow\/\" title=\"States Push to Rein in Big Tech as Federal Gears Grind Slow\">free speech rights<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Details of the settlement were not immediately available.<\/p>\n<div class=\"shortcode\">\n<div class=\"lazyload-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"lazyload-placeholder\"><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div>\n<figure style=\"width:640px\" class=\"alignnone\"><figcaption>Sage Steele speaks onstage during an event in Phoenix, Arizona, on Feb. 12, 2023. (Jesse Grant\/Getty Images for \u200dBullseye Event Group)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<h2>&#8216;Sick&#8217; Vaccine Mandate<\/h2>\n<p>In her lawsuit, Ms.\u2064 Steele claimed that ESPN &#8220;sidelined&#8221; her \u200cafter\u200c she told a podcast that\u2064 she opposed the company&#8217;s COVID-19 vaccine mandate and felt\u2063 &#8220;defeated&#8221; \u2062after getting the jab so she could keep her job.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Well, I\u2063 got my shot today,&#8221; Ms. Steele told\u2063 former \u2064NFL quarterback Jay Cutler on \u200chis &#8220;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.podcastone.com\/pd\/Uncut-with-Jay-Cutler\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Uncut With\u2064 Jay Cutler<\/a>&#8221; podcast.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;I didn\u2019t want to do it,&#8221; she said. &#8220;But I\u200c work for a company that mandates it,\u2063 and\u2064 I \u2062have until Sept. 30 to get it done, \u2064or I\u2019m out.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>In July 2021, The Walt Disney Co., which co-owns ESPN, announced its decision to mandate COVID-19 vaccinations for all salaried employees and nonunion hourly workers.<\/p>\n<p>Earlier \u200bin\u200b May, ESPN told its 5,500 traveling staff\u200c members that they must be fully vaccinated \u2064by Aug. 1, 2021, a move the company said aimed to ensure compliance with various vaccination regulations imposed by sporting events and venues.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;I respect everyone\u2019s decision. I really do. But to mandate it is \u2063sick,&#8221; Ms. Steele \u200bsaid\u200c during the podcast. &#8220;It\u2019s one\u200d thing with masks,\u200b and I don\u2019t have a problem\u200b with that. It\u2019s another thing when you force this.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;It\u2019s scary to me in many ways, but I have\u2063 a job that I love\u200d and \u200dfrankly a job that \u2063I need,&#8221; she continued, \u2064discussing her decision to get the vaccine. &#8220;I\u2019m not surprised that it got to this point, especially with \u200cDisney, I mean a global company like that.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Disney <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/us\/disney-facing-updated-lawsuit-from-more-employees-fired-over-refusing-masks-covid-19-vaccinations-4951923\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">faced backlash<\/a>\u2014and a lawsuit\u2014for forcing \u2063its employees to\u200c get the COVID-19 vaccine, though the company <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/article\/disney-world-hits-pause-button-over-covid-19-vaccination-policies-4114397\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">later put<\/a> that policy on hold.<\/p>\n<p>Ms. Steele said during \u2064the podcast that the\u2062 experience of getting the vaccine was &#8220;emotional.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;It\u2019s funny,\u2064 everyone else has their &#8216;hey look,\u2063 here\u2019s my\u2062 card,'&#8221;\u200d but Ms. Steele said being pressured to get the shot was far from a winning feeling.<\/p>\n<h2>Challenging Obama&#8217;s Racial Identity<\/h2>\n<p>Ms. Steele <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/epochtv\/sage-steele-under-fire-for-questioning-obamas-racial-identity-larry-elder-4074919\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">also questioned<\/a> former President Barack Obama&#8217;s \u200cracial identity during the same podcast with Mr. Cutler.<\/p>\n<p>She questioned\u200b the \u200dfact \u2063that President\u2062 Obama identifies as black in light of the circumstances of his upbringing while she, on census forms, ticks boxes\u200c that identify her \u2064as biracial.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cCongratulations \u200cto the President, that\u2019s his thing,\u201d she said. \u201cI think that\u2019s fascinating \u2062considering his black dad is nowhere to be found, but his white mom and\u2062 grandma raised him, but OK. You do you. I\u2019m gonna do me.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>On the podcast, \u2063Ms. Steele also\u2064 said\u2064 that women who wear revealing clothing at work should take \u200dmore accountability for \u200dtheir dress in light of sexist remarks.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhen you dress like that, I\u2019m not saying you deserve the gross comments, \u200cbut you know what you\u2019re doing when you put that outfit on, too,\u201d Ms. Steele said. \u201cWe need to be\u200b responsible as women, too. We know what we\u2019re doing when we put certain things on.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>After Ms. Steele made\u200c the remarks, she said ESPN removed her from &#8220;prime assignments&#8221; though the company has denied that it ever suspended her.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAt ESPN, we embrace different points of view\u2014dialogue and discussion makes this place\u200c great,\u201d ESPN said in a <a href=\"https:\/\/deadline.com\/2021\/10\/espn-sage-steele-covid-vaccine-mandate-barack-obama-black-1234850223\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">statement provided to Deadline<\/a>. \u201cThat said, we expect that those different points of view\u2063 be expressed respectfully, in a manner consistent with our values, and in line with\u200b our internal policies. \u200bWe are having direct conversations with Sage and those conversations will remain private.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Ms. Steele acknowledged her \u2064role\u2062 in the situation\u2064 in a statement: \u201cI \u200cknow my <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/espn-anchor-sage-steele-leaves-network-cites-need-for-more-free-speech\/\" title=\"ESPN anchor Sage Steele departs, citing desire for increased freedom of speech.\">recent comments caused\u2063 controversy<\/a> for \u2064the company, and I apologize,\u201d she said in a statement \u2062relayed by \u2063ESPN. \u201cWe are in the midst of an\u2064 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/lgbt-group-renews-contract-with-president-who-helped-smear-cuomo-accuser\/\" title=\"LGBT Group Renews Contract With President Who Helped Smear Cuomo Accuser\">extremely challenging time<\/a> that impacts all of us, and\u2062 it\u2019s more critical\u200b than ever that we communicate constructively and thoughtfully.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>In the course of Ms.\u200c Stee<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Longtime ESPN SportsCenter co-anchor Sage Steele, known for criticizing the company&#8217;s COVID-19 vaccine mandate, is departing the network to freely exercise her First Amendment rights. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Ms. Steele expressed her desire for less constraint and announced her departure.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":118,"featured_media":2002040,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[543],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2002039","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-epoch-times"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2002039","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/118"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2002039"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2002039\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2002040"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2002039"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2002039"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2002039"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}