Bryant Gumbel’s acclaimed series, Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel, will be leaving the HBO lineup, ending after 29 years on the air and more than 300 episodes. The program has won 37 Sports Emmy Awards and three Peabody awards, with each episode containing multiple in-depth storytelling endeavors. The program, executive produced by Joe Perskie, has premiered episodes throughout the summer featuring segments with Brad Daughtery, Matt Araiza and Zion Clark among others. Over the years, the show has traveled to different areas around the world, utilizing correspondents including David Scott, Jon Frankel and Andrea Kremer, to bring viewers comprehensive storytelling.
“For 29 seasons, Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel has delivered a masterclass in sports storytelling,” Casey Bloys, chairman and chief executive officer of HBO and Max content said in a statement. “….As the longest running HBO series, Bryant and his Real Sports team have long been a cornerstone of HBO programming. The series will continue to resonate in the realm of sports journalism, and we are so proud to have been part of such a remarkable odyssey.”
Gumbel started working in television for KNBC-TV in Los Angeles, Calif. Before being hired by NBC Sports to host its National Football League pregame show with Jack Buck. After working on Today on NBC, he moved to CBS where he hosted a prime time news magazine show and eventually began working on The Early Show. He made the move to focus on investigative journalism in 1995 with Real Sports, balancing his responsibilities with a brief stint at NFL Network in the mid 2000s. Gumbel’s brother, Greg, recently inked an extension with CBS Sports but will no longer be calling games on its marquee property, The NFL on CBS.
“Since day one at Real Sports, we’ve consistently tried to look beyond the scoreboard, and focus instead on the many societal issues inherent in the world of sports,” Gumbel said in a statement. “In the process, we’ve had the opportunity to tell complex stories about race, gender, class, opportunity and so much more. Being able to do so at HBO for almost three decades has been very gratifying. I’m proud of the imprint we’ve made, so I’m ready to turn the page. Although goodbyes are never easy, I’ve decided that now’s the time to move on.”
