ESPN is consolidating its West Coast production space, closing the L.A. Live space that it opened in April 2009 and moving approximately 160 employees. Employees that support studio productions will move to Hollywood Park. All others will move to a Disney location in Glendale. Some ESPN Radio staff will continue at the Good Karma Brands office at L.A. Live.
No layoffs are planned as part of the shift, which will see ESPN take over more space in the NFL Network studio building that was acquired in the deal that saw NFL Network come under ESPN operation.
NFL Network shows and NFL RedZone will continue to be housed at the Inglewood facility, with “NBA Today” and “WNBA Countdown” also moving there.
ESPN in a statement said: “We are announcing the creation of a consolidated West Coast production center at Hollywood Park in Inglewood. … We look forward to all of ESPN’s L.A.-based studio content originating from a single location, further enhancing creativity and collaboration, with expansion possible in the future.”
ESPN was one of the charter tenants of AEG’s L.A. Live complex and, for a lengthy period, used it for the 1am ET edition of “SportsCenter.” The consolidation comes ahead of Super Bowl LXI in Inglewood in February, when ESPN will be the centerpiece of a Super Bowl production for the first time.
