Kenny Maye explained ESPN’s decision to leave, revealing details about contract offer

After spending nearly three decades at ESPN, Kenny Mayne is killing free agency.

The longtime “sportscatcher” anchor tweeted on Monday that he would leave “Worldwide Leader in Sports”. Mayne, who joined the network in 1994, will make his final ESPN appearance On 24 May, And his current contract will officially expire on May 31.

MORE: Mayne’s ESPN cover letter was the perfect precursor to an incredible career

Mayne’s announcement for his run at ESPN is a staggering endorsement and admiration. This led some fans to ask a big question: Why would the company let one of its most respected and well-known personalities run?

In an interview with Athletic’s Richard Deitsch, Mayne reported that he was “not at all flattering” by ESPN’s most recent proposal, so he rejected it. The conversation ended there.

“It was a significant pay cut. It was a big pay cut to do essentially the same thing, ”said Mene. “This was a 14 percent reduction in time spent and 61 percent reduction in earned money. I felt that the variance was too much. I am not asking anyone to feel sorry for me. To live or not to live is my choice. It was still a good amount in the real world.

“I am not trying to frame it as mourning for me. Nothing like that. I think I can do better elsewhere. So I told him that I feel like you’ve got a certain over-under at my cost and I’m going to play the over. They did not care that I made that choice. “

While this may sound harsh, I do not plan to take a shot on the way out of the company’s doors.

“I wish him well. Most of my friends are right there. I’m not bitter or in a big fight with ESPN. “It didn’t work for me. He made a choice. They put a number on me worth it. I am pitching many other things and want to do more things for them, and they were not interested in those things. So it was just like time. …

“I’m not sad. I’m happy. And again I mean this: I don’t have some big retaliation against ESPN. It’s not, ‘Those bastards!’ Nothing like that. It’s all good. They gave me 27 years. I gave them 27 years. It doesn’t look like they wanted me too much. It almost feels like they gave me something that I would reject, and I did

For what happens next, Mayne told Deitsch that it was too early to know where he would land, but that he would likely remain involved in sports coverage and possibly do some commercial work as well.