Comcast Spectacor, the cable and entertainment giant’s sports and esports division, told G4 TV employees Sunday that the gaming network was shutting down effective immediately. The decision has resulted in 45 staff members of G4 TV losing their jobs.
In a memo, obtained by the press, Comcast Spectacor chairman and CEO Dave Scott cited low viewership and said the network had not achieved “sustainable financial results.”
“Over the past several months, we worked hard to generate that interest in G4, but viewership is low and the network has not achieved sustainable financial results,” Scott wrote. “This is certainly not what we hoped for, and, as a result, we have made the very difficult decision to discontinue G4’s operations, effective immediately.”
Comcast Spectacor in July 2020 said it would reboot G4 TV, which NBCUniversal shut down in 2013 (after the network first launched in 2002). Russell Arons, the former Warner Bros., Machinima, EA and Mattel exec who joined G4 as president in September 2021, left the company two months ago.
The content studio and network officially returned to linear television on Nov. 16, 2021, after more than a year of the group releasing content online to test show new concepts. At launch, G4 TV was available Comcast’s Xfinity TV, Verizon Fios, Cox Communications and internet streaming service Philo. The network’s programming slate brought back fan-favorite legacy G4 shows like “Attack of the Show!” and “Xplay.”
In addition to Arons, Comcast Spectacor had hired two G4 alums: Brian Terwilliger, most recently at WWE and former producer for G4’s “Attack of the Show!”, joined as VP of programming and creative strategy. Blair Herter, who once worked on both “X-Play” and “Attack of the Show!”, had come on board as Comcast Spectacor’s VP of content partnerships and brand development.
G4 had established its own broadcast studio in Burbank, Calif., outfitted for professional esports gameplay. The roster of talent for the short-lived network include returning G4 hosts Kevin Pereira and Adam Sessler; esports personalities Alex “Goldenboy” Mendez (host of NBC’s “The Titan Games”), Ovilee May and Froskurinn; WWE Superstar Xavier Woods (aka Austin Creed); YouTube personalities Kassem G, Jirard “The Completionist” Khalil and Gina Darling; Twitch streamers Fiona Nova and Will Neff; livestreamer CodeMiko; and a “degenerate rat-puppet” named Ratty.
G4’s shutdown was first reported by Deadline.
Read Scott’s Sunday email to G4 staffers:
October 16, 2022
Team:
As you know, G4 was re-introduced last year to tap into the popularity of gaming. We invested to create the new G4 as an online and TV destination for fans to be entertained, be inspired, and connect with gaming content.
Over the past several months, we worked hard to generate that interest in G4, but viewership is low and the network has not achieved sustainable financial results. This is certainly not what we hoped for, and, as a result, we have made the very difficult decision to discontinue G4’s operations, effective immediately.
I know this is disappointing news, and I’m disappointed, too. I want to thank you and everyone on the G4 team for the hard work and commitment to the network. Our human resources team is reaching out to you to provide you with support, discuss other opportunities that may be available, and answer any questions you may have.
Thank you again for all of your hard work for G4.
Sincerely,
Dave Scott
Chairman and CEO
Comcast Spectacor
