Ponder, the only female announcer at ESPN, has been a vocal critic of allowing biological males to participate in women's sports.
Alongside Ponder, analyst Robert Griffin III has also been shown the door. According to an insider who spoke to The Athletic, the decision was driven by financial considerations, as ESPN's fiscal year wrapped up at the end of September. Both Ponder and Griffin were drawing salaries in the seven-figure range, and were informed of the decision on a Thursday morning.
August 17, 2024
As reported by The Post Millennial, Ponder was on the brink of entering the final season of a three-year contract with the network, a deal worth over $3 million. Ponder, who took over from Chris Berman on Sunday NFL Countdown in 2017, has been a staunch advocate for women's sports. Her dismissal prompted a response from Riley Gaines, a former University of Kentucky swimmer and women's sports advocate. Gaines wrote, "So ESPN fires Sam Ponder, the only woman at the network who was publicly said men don't belong in women's sports. 3 weeks before football season? Sam is one of the most beautiful, genuine women I've ever met along with Sage Steele who had a similar fate....not a coincidence."
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August 17, 2024
Ponder has been a pillar of support for the women who shared the pool with University of Pennsylvania swimmer Lia Thomas, a trans-identified male. Reacting to a teammate's testimony before Congress, Ponder wrote, "Paula you are so brave and your voice is so important." She has also expressed her concerns about the potential impact of allowing biological males to compete in women's sports, stating, "This would take away so many opportunities for biological women and girls in sports. It is a shame that we are needing to fight for the integrity of Title IX in 2023 and the reason it was needed in the first place."
