nypost
The sweeping layoffs at SNY have deeply saddened those associated with the regional sports network. Among them is former Mets reliever Jerry Blevins, who said he is heartbroken over the decisions that have gutted the website's editorial staff and resulted in the immediate cancellation of the shows SportsNite and Baseball Night in New York. The Post confirmed the moves, which were initially reported by The Athletic.
Blevins, now a Mets analyst for the network, expressed his feelings on X. "So heartbroken over the happenings at SNY," he wrote. "One of the best things about my post-playing days has been the level of talent at every level of SNY I've been able to work with. In front of the camera, but behind as well. I'm truly at a loss here." It remains unclear whether Blevins' position will be affected.
Sal Licata, a host of Baseball Night in New York, and Eamon McAnaney, a host of SportsNite, were among those laid off, according to The Athletic. Licata, a longtime fixture in the New York sports media scene, simply wrote on X that it has been a "rough year(s)" and added, "Sad day."
Chelsea Janes, a former sports and political reporter at the Washington Post who joined SNY as a baseball analyst ahead of the 2026 Mets season, also voiced her sadness over the cost-cutting moves at the network, which began broadcasting in 2006. Janes, along with Connor Hughes (NFL) and Ian Begley (NBA), will remain at SNY as on-air contributors.
"Hadn't been here long, but felt right away that SNY was a special place where people cared about their work, prioritized joy in a cynical industry, and loved baseball the way their audience does and deserves," Janes wrote on X. "I know those of us left will continue to do that. But I'm heartbroken."
SNY will continue to produce pregame and postgame shows for the Mets and Jets. A source told The Post that the SNY website will shift its focus away from editorial and more toward information and promotion. The source added, "Changes are coming to the website to focus more on scheduling information and promotion."
SportsNite host Jon Alba said he might appear on occasion on SNY after the program's cancellation, but added that he got to live out a dream by hosting the nightly roundup. "Hosting and contributing to SportsNite was the best gig I've ever had, and I'm so thankful to have had the chance to do my favorite thing in the world at the highest level," Alba wrote in a statement shared to X. "Sincerely, there was not a single late night that I didn't enjoy."
Andy Martino, a longtime writer and on-camera presence for the network before leaving for a job with the Mets last season, expressed his own sorrow at the gutting news. "I worked with brilliant, and I mean brilliant people at SNY," Martino wrote. "It was the producers and editors who made those shows so unique — and who poured their lives into those projects. It was more than a job for everyone. It's not my place to name people — but it's heartbreaking."
Key Analysis
The layoffs at SNY signal a significant shift in the network's strategy, moving away from editorial content and toward promotional and scheduling information. The immediate cancellation of two prominent shows and the departure of respected on-air talent like Licata and McAnaney have struck a chord with those who worked at the network, highlighting the emotional toll of cost-cutting in the sports media industry.
Originally reported by nypost.