ESPN sideline reporter Maria Taylor interviews Grayson Allen #3 of the Duke Blue Devils following the game against the North Carolina Tar Heels at Cameron Indoor Stadium on March 3, 2018 in Durham, North Carolina.
Lance King | Getty Images
ESPN announced on Wednesday that Maria Taylor will leave the network, a decision that comes after her colleague Rachel Nichols suggested Taylor got the job because of her race.
ESPN said in a statement Wednesday that Taylor’s last assignment was the NBA Finals telecast on Tuesday and her contract is now over. ESPN said the two sides could not agree on a new contract.
“Maria’s remarkable success speaks directly to her abilities and work ethic. There is no doubt we will miss Maria, but we remain determined to continue to build a deep and skilled talent roster that thoroughly reflects the athletes we cover and the fans we serve,” said Jimmy Pitaro, the chairman of ESPN. “While she chose to pursue a new opportunity, we are proud of the work we’ve done together.”
Taylor, 34, likely landed a new job at NBC, according to the New York Post, and she is expected to part of the network’s Olympics coverage that begins on Friday.
This story is developing.
Disclosure: CNBC parent NBCUniversal owns NBC Sports and NBC Olympics. NBC Olympics is the U.S. broadcast rights holder to all Summer and Winter Games through 2032.
