Veteran ESPN reporter Sage Steele has made a major announcement on social media after settling her lawsuit against the cable sports network and its owner Disney.
Steele took to her X account (formerly known as Twitter) to tell fans that her case is settled and she is now leaving the network.
“Life update,” Steele wrote on Tuesday morning.
“Having successfully settled my case with ESPN/Disney, I have decided to leave so I can exercise my first amendment rights more freely. I am grateful for so many wonderful experiences over the past 16 years and am excited for my next chapter!”
Life update.
— Sage Steele (@sagesteele) August 15, 2023
Having successfully settled my case with ESPN/Disney, I have decided to leave so I can exercise my first amendment rights more freely. I am grateful for so many wonderful experiences over the past 16 years and am excited for my next chapter!#SteeleStrong
Steele, who joined ESPN in 2007, was suspended by the network in 2021 for her stance on the coronavirus vaccine. She was also admonished for talking about Barack Obama’s lineage and for speaking out about how too many women dress in today’s society on a podcast with former NFL player Jay Cutler.
After being suspended for exercising her freedom of speech, Steele sued Disney and ESPN in 2022. She accused her bosses of taking away high-profile assignments, violating her right to free speech, and breach of contract.
According to reporter A.J. Perez, ESPN offered Steele a $501,000 payout to settle the lawsuit.
Steele’s attorney, Bryan Freedman, celebrated the victory.
SportsCenter anchor Sage Steele at the espnW Women + Sports Summit held at The Resort at Pelican Hill on October 23, 2019, in Newport Beach, California. (Meg Oliphant/Getty Images)
“Disney and ESPN clearly admit their liability by offering to pay Sage Steele more than half a million dollars for taking away her right to free speech,” Bryan Freedman, Steele’s attorney, said. “The offer misses the point. Disney cannot purchase their employee’s constitutional rights no matter how powerful they think they are,” Freedman said in a statement to the media.
“How about apologizing and treating people fairly? Let me put it this way, would Disney be willing to accept money from the state of Florida and Governor DeSantis in exchange for being silenced? Why the double standard?”
ESPN also sent a statement to the media saying. “ESPN and Sage Steele have mutually agreed to part ways. We thank her for her many contributions over the years.”
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