The Woke Virus Ultimately Killed ESPN's 'Around the Horn'
Earlier this year, ESPN announced "Around the Horn" would air its final episode on May 23. The reason for the cancellation was not immediately clear.
However, OutKick has spoken to several sources with knowledge of the situation -- including executives, current and former panelists, and agents of the show's panelists – who say top ESPN brass grew frustrated with the show's casting, commentary, and controversies.
"Around the Horn" launched in 2002 as a spinoff of "Pardon the Interruption," with which it shares a 60-minute block. Like "PTI," "Around the Horn" served the purpose of putting newspaper columnists on television. But over the past 10 years, "Around the Horn" abandoned that mission. The show had come to represent the very worst of ESPN.
Here is a list of panelists whom host Tony Reali and executive producer Erik Rydholm have since chosen to elevate: Jemele Hill, Bomani Jones, Sarah Spain, Elle Duncan, David Dennis Jr., Mina Kimes, J.A. Adande, Michael Smith, and Kate Fagan.
For a show that airs during happy hour, that isn't exactly a cast of characters with whom ordinary sports fans are clamoring to have a drink.
And the results were as expected.
Some of the show's recent headlines include Adande comparing red state voting laws to genocide in China, Sarah Spain calling religion "bullshit," David Dennis excusing black women for purposely hard-fouling Cailtin Clark, and Mina Kimes criticizing the Trump administration with inaccurate information.
Last Thursday, Kate Fagan returned to the program for the first time in over three years and immediately campaigned for "trans kids" in sports:
That is Jemele Hill next to Fagan, nodding along in agreement. "Around the Horn" invited Hill, who recently called white men the "worst thing in America," back on air to celebrate the show's legacy.
Contrary to popular belief, ESPN executives don't like it when commentators push their political and social agendas on air. While the network has certainly made exceptions for liberal commentators and people of color, that's more out of fear of public backlash and lawsuits than personal preference.
The three most powerful executives at ESPN – Jimmy Pitaro, Burke Magnus, and Dave Roberts – don't want ESPN to resemble MSNBC. They don't want their shows fixating on politics, race, transgenderism, and abortion rights.
Unfortunately, conformity runs deep inside ESPN. Far too many commentators go into business for themselves, using their airtime to audition for a seat at the cool kids' table.
ESPN, to its credit, has let go of people like Jemele Hill, Bomani Jones, Sarah Spain, and Kate Fagan. The issue is that people like David Dennis, Elle Duncan, and Justin Tinsley saw an opportunity and took their place.
Rinse and repeat.
The only cure to cancer inside ESPN is to remove the opportunities for the wannabe thought leaders to espouse their personal opinions on society. Canceling "Around the Horn" is a good start.
Firing people like Stan Verrett, Mark Jones, and Elle Duncan should be next.
Sources tell OutKick that ESPN management prefers to replace "Around the Horn" by extending "PTI" from 30 minutes to an hour. Despite their association, "PTI" is often the antithesis of the current iteration of "Around the Horn."
Michael Wilbon and Tony Kornheiser aren't entitled social media creations who are bitter that they have to cover sports. They are two of the most accomplished and respected sports columnists of the past 50 years. They actually know and like sports. They don't need to mention Trump or race to get attention.
That said, as of publication. ESPN has not yet reached an agreement with Wilbon and Kornheiser to extend the program.
If a deal is not reached, sources say ESPN will likely introduce an entirely new show at the 5 pm time slot. We would expect that program to look and sound much different from "Around the Horn."
Meaning, the show probably won't shout out trans kids and call your religion "bullshit."
ESPN did not provide OutKick with an on-the-record statement for this article.