Sage Steele claims ESPN colleagues kept her off race special, accuses network of divisive work environment: report

ESPN anchor Sage Steele believes she wasn’t included in the network’s recent special on race because she “wasn’t considered by certain Black colleagues to be an authentic voice for the Black community,” according to the Wall Street Journal.

The WSJ, citing “a person familiar with the matter,” reported on Tuesday that Steele complained to ESPN President Jimmy Pitaro and told him that “the incident showed the network has a divisive work environment.”

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“The Undefeated Presents Time for Change: We Won’t Be Defeated” aired on June 24. It came as the nation saw widespread protests about police brutality following the killing of George Floyd. ESPN examined race in sports in the special presentation by The Undefeated, which is the network’s platform focused on race and culture.

“Steele said colleagues told her she was considered for the special by the executive in charge, Michael Fountain, until two of the other on-air personalities involved, Elle Duncan and Michael Eaves, complained, saying Ms. Steele wouldn’t be accepted by what they considered the Black community, according to the person familiar with her account to management,” WSJ reporter Joe Flint wrote.

Duncan and Eaves issued a joint statement to the WSJ, saying they hope “this doesn’t distract from the important message conveyed that night” but not addressing the specific reporting about Steele.

Steele, an anchor on ESPN’s flagship “SportsCenter,” defended her stance when reached by the paper.

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“I found it sad for all of us that any human being should be allowed to define someone’s ‘Blackness.’ Growing up biracial in America with a Black father and a white mother, I have felt the inequities that many, if not all Black and biracial people have felt – being called a monkey, the ‘n’ word, having ape sounds made as I walked by – words and actions that all of us know sting forever. Most importantly, trying to define who is and isn’t Black enough goes against everything we are fighting for in this country, and only creates more of a divide,” Steele told the WSJ.

An ESPN spokesperson denied that Steele’s colleagues played a role in her exclusion from the special, according to the WSJ.

“At The Undefeated, we don’t have litmus tests for Blackness. ESPN has a tremendous range of Black voices, and we’ve been honored to work with many of them,” ESPN’s The Undefeated senior vice president Kevin Merida told Fox News when asked for comment. "We had already talked to Sage a number of times about working together, and look forward to that opportunity.”

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"Steele’s critics on social media have accused her of not being supportive enough toward the Black community and being insensitive in her comments about racial-justice protests," Flint wrote.

ESPN has publicly declared it wants to focus on sports, not politics, but the network is often accused of leaning left when sports and politics intertwine. Last year, ESPN executives reminded staffers that on-air talent should avoid stories considered “pure politics” after Dan Le Batard slammed President Trump and his own "cowardly" network for not allowing employees to speak out.

ESPN allows its personalities to discuss politics when they cross with sports, such as players skipping White House visits and athletes kneeling during the national anthem. With most sports on hold amid the coronavirus pandemic and race relations emerging as a prominent topic across America, the network has found itself covering polarizing issues on a frequent basis recently.

Steele, the daughter of a West Point alumnus and a retired colonel, has been outspoken about some of her political views in the past. She recently condemned athletes who didn’t speak out against Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeSean Jackson for making anti-Semitic comments and has articulated her thoughts on diversity via her Facebook page.

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In 2017, Steele came under fire when she complained about protesters of President Trump's travel ban, causing her to miss her flights. That same year Steele found herself in hot water after saying at a conference that the "worst racism that I have received ... is from Black people."

She also faced heat for abruptly ending an interview with Arcade Fire lead singer Win Butler after he voiced his left-leaning political opinions at the NBA's Celebrity All-Star Game, and for criticizing NFL players' decision to kneel for the national anthem.

Fox News’ Sasha Savitsky contributed to this report.