ESPN radio show host Dan Le Batard's criticism of US President Donald Trump and his own network prompted the sports broadcasting giant to remind employees to steer clear of politics on air, the Hollywood Reporter said.
The entertainment industry publication Friday said it had obtained a memo from ESPN executive vice president Norby Williamson to staff reminding them of the company's policies concerning talking "pure politics" on air.
"It's not about the message," the memo said, according to the Hollywood Reporter.
"It's about the use of (the) ESPN platform."
"We only talk about it around here when (NBA coaches) Steve Kerr or (Gregg) Popovich says something. We don't talk about what is happening unless there's some sort of weak, cowardly sports angle that we can run it through. When sports has been a place where this stuff changes."