The long-term future of an ESPN staple is up in the air.
Several sources tell the New York Post's Ryan Glasspiegel that they believe Around the Horn will sound its final buzzer before the 2025 NFL season begins. No reason for the end was cited and the network denied comment but the news still landed as a bit of a bombshell on Wednesday night.
The daily show, which features a rotating cast arguing about the topics of the day and a scoring system that no one has been able to decipher, debuted in 2002. It was originally hosted by Max Kellerman with Tony Reali taking over in 2004.
ATH has been locked into the 5 p.m.-6 p.m. ET window along with Pardon the Interruption through the years and introduced the public to scores of new voices in the sports space. It's a comfort food that was early to embrace debate and has adapted to changing times.
There aren't a tremendous amount of details to explain the looming sunset of the program and it sounds like it will be able to go out with an extended victory lap. Yet it's a bit surprising for fans of the show to hear that the network reportedly intends to get rid of one of the cornerstones of its lineup. Of all the offerings ESPN has, Around the Horn is near the top of the list in terms of how much personal connection viewers have built up through the decades.
It would be great if the long-term plan included a new show that would allow more points of views and personalities to get prime air time — especially at a time where the highest-profile ESPN talents have been given more real estate.
This article was originally published on www.si.com as 'Around the Horn' Reportedly Signing Off in 2025.
