re: Adnan Virk FIRED

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The instance that led to the final decision to relieve Virk concerned a story that appeared on the website Awful Announcing.

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In part, the report said Major League Baseball had opted to let ESPN slide on contractual obligations that called for it to have a certain amount of studio shows during the season in return for moving “Sunday Night Baseball” from 8 p.m. to 7 p.m.

ESPN had a conference call about “Sunday Night Baseball” that the network believes Virk revealed to Awful Announcing. Sources said the “premeditated nature” of the outreach alarmed ESPN. It is unclear what motivated Virk, though sources often try to curry favor with reporters.

When the conference call took place, Virk was not on the whole time, and the specific information about the future schedule for baseball was actually not discussed.

Virk followed up right after the call with Phil Orlins, the senior coordinating producer, asking specific questions about the direction of baseball at ESPN in regards to its scheduling. The questions matched what appeared later that day in the Awful Announcing article.

Virk, according to sources, told Awful Announcing reporter Ben Koo about the information shortly after.

“I cannot comment on the sourcing of any particular story we’ve done,” Koo said.

Virk declined comment, as did a spokesman for ESPN.

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ESPN then investigated and felt that Virk had been having conversations with media reporters about confidential information, violating policy that all employees are warned about.

It also concluded Virk was not forthcoming after he was given multiple chances to come clean.

Sources say that Virk’s side contends he received no warning and the punishment does not fit the crime. They were shocked by the outcome, thinking that, at most, Virk might be suspended for two weeks for what they considered a lapse in judgment.

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