Mike Lupica, the veteran sportswriter who has been a fixture in New York media, is reportedly leaving the newspaper that has published his work for more than three decades.
According to a report from Politico Media, Lupica is among those affected by the latest series of layoffs at the New York Daily News, the money-losing tabloid that faces an increasingly nebulous future.
A spokesperson for the Daily News was not immediately available for comment. Efforts to reach Lupica were unsuccessful.
Lupica’s long career in sports media began at the age of 23, when he covered the New York Knicks for the New York Post. He joined the Daily News in 1977, and has since become one one of the most famous sportswriters in the country.
Lupica has been a near-constant presence on ESPN, where he’s appeared as a regular on the Sunday morning program “The Sports Reporters” for years. He had also hosted a radio show on ESPN New York, but the company announced last month that his program would be replaced.
Politico Media noted that the extent of the Daily News layoffs was unclear, although unnamed sources said that the cuts would affect the entire company, and not just the newsroom.
The report comes on the heels of last week’s announcement that Colin Myler will leave the Daily News as editor in chief, the latest sign of turbulence at the newspaper. Daily News owner Mort Zuckerman tried to sell the paper earlier this year, but he was unable to find a buyer.