The final episode of Around the Horn aired last Friday as ESPN put on a massive lineup of panelists from the 23 years the program aired on the network. Additionally, all shared emotional messages of gratitude for the over 4,900 episodes of the program that made air since its debut in November of 2002. Meanwhile, the remaining questions from the end of the program include the reasoning behind its cancellation and what host Tony Reali will do next.
Reali spoke to The Ringer in the days leading up to the finale of Around the Horn and revealed he’s spoken to several networks, including NFL Network and NBC. Moreover, Reali revealed on The Dan Patrick Show that his contract is up in August with ESPN.
The former Around the Horn host told The Ringer, while reflecting on his short stint with ABC’s Good Morning America, how making that decision held him back from pursuing opportunities in the digital space.
“I may have been wrong for some time when I thought, ‘I don’t need a podcast. I have an international television show,’” Reali said to The Ringer. “I took pride in that, and I carried the weight of that. And that may not have been the best career decision, but it was the right heart decision for me.”
Since the finale, Reali has been bombarded with ideas of what his next steps could entail, including hosting another game show, Yankees postgame, or maybe NFL RedZone.
As a point of context, Scott Hanson, who has hosted NFL RedZone since its inception in 2009, is currently a free agent after his contract with the NFL Network expired following the 2024 NFL season. However, it is being reported that he will likely return to the NFL Network, especially following last week’s news that Hanson will return to NBCUniversal’s coverage of Gold Zone on Peacock for the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympic Games.
Furthermore, Reali told Barrett Media earlier this month that he is in the process of launching his own website—a public domain that will provide the audience with an outlet and a chance to assist aspiring sportscasters in their career endeavors. In addition, he has also considered creating parenting content, hosting a game show and children’s television program, and producing videos for his own YouTube channel.
Finally, he told The Ringer that he wished Around the Horn was allowed more time on ESPN.
“I’ve loved working for this network because we can do amazing things with different people,” Reali said. “Somebody can be wearing a cowboy hat when the Cowboys lose, and someone else can be pouring out their heart in a show. I think that’s important for any network. I thought we served that purpose.”
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