Opposition To Trans Sports Only Part Of Reason ESPN Fired Sam Ponder | Bobby Burack

A year ago, Sam Ponder was the only on-air talent at ESPN who openly spoke out against the inclusion of biological men in women's sports. So when ESPN fired her last August, weeks before the start of the NFL season, skeptics questioned ESPN claiming her ousting was the mere result of "budget" constraints.

This week, Ponder spoke about her firing for the first time in a podcast conversation with Sage Steele. She told Steele she believes her opposition to trans sports did contribute to her exit.

"I don’t really think me losing my job was solely because of that, but the timing of it almost certainly was," Ponder said. "I was told after the fact privately that most people at the top of the company did agree with me on the issue but there is a loud activist group at Disney and they were not happy with me. I can say all that and tell this part of the story and still tell you, Sage, it’s one of the best things that ever happened to me."

For background, Ponder posted a tweet saying "XY= male XX= female" weeks before her firing in response to the International Olympic Committee permitting Imane Khelif, who reportedly had XY chromosomes, to box against women in the 2024 Olympics. OutKick reported at the time that several ESPN talents complained to management about her post.

"I was on that hamster wheel and I was not going to jump off on my own. I needed to get kicked off," Ponder told Steele. "As much as the part of the reasoning behind it is legit crazy, I feel no bitterness or even frankly sadness. I had a great career, I was 20 years in the business. I met some awesome people and there are still some really great people there. Never thought this would kind of be the way out but should have spoken up a long time before, I should have been a lot more courageous when I knew what was right."

Management had previously confronted Ponder via email after she favored a tweet from Megyn Kelly saying men don’t need gynecologists.

"In some ways, I thought it was funny how ridiculous it is," Ponder said. "Any woman who’s been to the gynecologist can understand that, I think."

"I knew then that I was on the clock if you will," she added.

Sam Ponder (Photo by David Buchan/Variety/Penske Media via Getty Images)

Nonetheless, Ponder says her schedule and pay also contributed to her dismissal. 

"I never believed I was solely fired for [my tweets]," she concluded. "I think the model of my career at that point, only working Sundays in the fall on ‘Countdown’ was not what they wanted and they felt like they were paying me too much money to do just one thing. I had turned down opportunities in the past to work more and do more because of the season of life I’m in, I got three little kids. I’m not giving up that time with them for any opportunity."

According to sources with knowledge of the situation, multiple factors contributed to Ponder's firing. In 2017, her promotion to host of "Sunday NFL Countdown" was met with disapproval both internally and externally. For one, she replaced Chris Berman, who was a legend and still a fan favorite among viewers. Ponder was a relatively unknown figure to general NFL viewers, having spent most of her ESPN career covering college football.

Sources say ESPN discussed removing Ponder as host prior to her firing, but ESPN executive Stephanie Druley saved her job on multiple occasions.

The network was also paying Ponder more than $1 million a year to appear on-air fewer than 20 days a year. Under chairman Jimmy Pitaro, such a schedule is no bueno. He wants his highest-paid talents to work the most days, hours, and shows. For reference, Mike Greenberg replaced Ponder as host of "Countdown" but also hosts a weekday television show, a podcast, the NFL Draft, and various other tentpole events.

That said, ESPN deserves criticism for how it handled Ponder's comments regarding trans sports.

Truthfully, it's understandable that the network wouldn't want a prominent on-air figure posting about trans and intersex athletes. While the vast majority of Americans – 73%, to be exact – agree that only females should participate in female athletics, there isn't much upside in ESPN discussing saying so, as the story mostly involves athletes and sports the network doesn't regularly cover.

The problem is that ESPN didn't choose to sit out the conversation. The network honored Lia Thomas for Women's History Month.

How exactly can ESPN justify allowing employees to celebrate trans athletes while condemning those who disapprove of them? It can't. And the fact that the network has taken an editorial stance on the issue is shameful.

This is the same argument we made when reporting on ESPN punishing Ashley Brewer for posting a photo of a Republican congressman but allowing other employees to pose with Barack Obama and Karen Bass. 

As Stephen A. Smith said about his employer last summer, the rules have to be for everyone. Either commentators are permitted to opine on trans sports and take photos with politicians, or they are not. Making exceptions based on the politics of the employee is unjustifiable and probably actionable.

Finally, Ponder had become increasingly expendable as an attractive white woman who had fallen out of favor with the cool kids of sports media. In television, pretty blonde women are just as likely to be turned into DEI casualties as white men. At ESPN, getting rid of people like Elle Duncan, a radical liberal black woman, is challenging. Firing someone like Ponder is simple.

I know, you are not supposed to say any of this stuff publicly. But self-censoring isn't really my thing and, as mad as this column will make people at ESPN, they know it's true.

You can watch Ponder's full interview with Steele here.