I think cord-cutting is having a pretty significant impact, too.
ESPN and the sports channels are part of the default cable bundle and cannot be removed by consumers. When cord-cutters come along and get rid of the whole bundle, then choose what they really want to pay to watch, most of them find they don't really need sports at all. No reason to go seeking them out deliberately when they do left-pandering things on purpose, and most of their customer demographic is centrist/right.