ESPN Is Reportedly Canceling One Of Its Most Popular Shows After Over Two Decades On Air
ESPN is canceling one of its longest-running shows, having set a date for the final episode of ‘Around the Horn.’
The show has been around for 23 years, with over 4,900 episodes having aired. But it will go off the air after May 23.
‘Around the Horn’ has been hosted by Tony Reali since 2004, having debuted in 2002. Over the years, it has seen plenty of top-name panelists grace its studio, including Jemele Hill, Bomani Jones, Mina Kimes, Woody Paige, Bill Plaschke, Bob Ryan, Sarah Spain, Pablo Torre, and Clinton Yates.
The debate-style show, which airs at 5:00 PM on weekdays, will sign off on the aforementioned date. ESPN has announced that a 30-minute episode of SportsCenter will come on after it goes off the air, and that further schedule updates will be disclosed at a later date.
“Around the Horn has had a remarkable run of more than two decades. That kind of longevity in media is incredibly rare, and we look forward to celebrating the show’s many accomplishments before the final sign-off in May,” ESPN executive VP and executive editor of sports news and entertainment David Roberts said in a press release.
“Beyond Tony and the ensemble of on-air contributors, we are particularly grateful to the production team led by Erik Rydholm and Aaron Solomon, who have been instrumental in ATH’s consistent success since the very beginning.”
Cancelation Of ‘Around The Horn’ Part Of Larger Cuts
ESPN is understood to be in the process of making more talent cuts and rearranging its schedule.
Some shows are set to be canceled and replaced by others. The network is even getting rid of broadcast rights deals, having ended its agreement with Major League Baseball last week.
The changes come as part of The Worldwide Leader In Sports’ preparation for the launch of the direct-to-consumer service, so they’re said to be keen on only keeping the shows that they believe will resonate with that particular audience.
