A catfight between two MLB reporters has resulted in ESPN firing a staff member.
According to recent reports, Marly Rivera, a 13-year veteran reporter at ESPN, was reportedly fired after using derogatory language towards another female reporter, Ivon Gaete. The incident occurred after Rivera informed Gaete that she had a planned interview with New York Yankees superstar Aaron Judge.
Gaete, who also wanted to interview Judge, is the wife of MLB Vice President of Communications John Blundell. This disagreement over the interview led to a heated argument between the two reporters, during which Rivera allegedly used the c-word towards Gaete. This marks the third time that Rivera has used harsh language toward a fellow journalist.
“She no longer works here,” ESPN told The New York Post regarding Rivera, whose verbiage was caught on video.
“I fully accept responsibility for what I said, which I should not have,” Rivera, who has appeared on Sunday Night Baseball telecasts and serves as an ESPN Radio MLB playoff game analyst, told The Post.
“There were extenuating circumstances but that in no way is an excuse for my actions. I am a professional with a sterling reputation across baseball and I do believe that I am being singled out by a group of individuals with whom I have a long history of professional disagreements,” she added.
Here’s video of the Marly Rivera / Ivón Gaete incident from April 18th at Yankee Stadium — while Aaron Judge stood just feet away, signing autographs for a group that included kids. pic.twitter.com/TPDg6SJ496
— michael j. babcock (@mikejbabcock) April 27, 2023
Two people told The Washington Post that Rivera had called a reporter competing with her to take photos of a Hispanic player a “white b****.” Rivera also reportedly called a fellow Latino reporter a “fake Hispanic.”
In July 2022, Rivera was interviewed on ESPN’s ”Front Row,” and was asked, “What does it mean to you to serve as an SNB analyst on ESPN Radio?”
“It is an honor to have been selected as a sub for my colleague Doug Glanville, Rivera answered. “And knowing the voices that have filled that seat, it is a responsibility that I do not take lightly. As the first woman baseball writer to be an analyst on a national broadcast – and only the second Latina to do so after my colleague Jess Mendoza – I hope to inspire one person out there who does not believe whatever they hope to accomplish in their own lives is possible.”
