Veteran broadcaster Karl Ravech received an emotional send-off during his final assignment for ESPN, calling the Little League World Series championship game on Sunday between Nevada and Curacao. Ravech's departure comes as part of broader layoffs at the Walt Disney Company, which owns ESPN, that occurred in July.
During the broadcast, Ravech was presented with a framed photograph by fellow broadcaster Eduardo Pérez, who expressed gratitude for Ravech's leadership and mentorship. "You’ve been our quarterback. You’ve been our leader, our mentor, and the best teammate we can all have," Pérez said, presenting the gift on behalf of the ESPN Little League family. He added, "Personally, you’ve been my rock, so I appreciate everything you’ve done to make us look damn good on TV. And most importantly, it’s the friendship that matters." Ravech, who was also honored by Little League officials on the field, became visibly moved by the tributes from his colleagues. "Thank you very much. You’re the best, and you’re all the best," Ravech responded. "This Little League World Series means so much to me, but it’s really always been about the kids and it’s been about the people in that picture. It’s been about my teammates for 33 years and four decades. So that is incredibly sweet, that will be displayed incredibly prominently and proudly in my house. I love what I do and I love the people I do it with, so thank you very much." Ravech's exit follows a significant number of layoffs at ESPN, which also impacted other notable figures such as NFL insider Tom Pelissero, analyst Cam Newton, anchor David Lloyd, analyst Ryan Clark, and former player Bart Scott. Ravech had been a long-standing member of ESPN's baseball coverage team for decades.
Addressing his layoff in mid-August on "Westwood One Sports Night," Ravech stated he held "literally no ill will" toward ESPN. He reflected on his time with the company, saying, "I think it’s sort of apparent what’s happened there. I certainly have literally no ill will to a company that’s provided me with a life that has exceeded any expectation I had coming out of Needham High School or Ithaca College and the experiences I’ve had."