Tony Reali has a new home with iHeartMedia. The longtime ESPN host debuted Real Deal with Tony Reali on iHeartPodcasts Tuesday and discussed his path to the new venture following the cancelation of Around the Horn.
What We Know: Reali hosted ESPN’s Around the Horn for more than two decades before its cancelation. He also served as “Stat Boy” on Pardon the Interruption throughout that run. Today, iHeartPodcasts and his own Real Ones Media launched Real Deal with Tony Reali. New episodes will release weekly on Tuesdays across the iHeartRadio app and other platforms. In the debut episode, Reali opened up about his journey on a personal level following the cancelation of Around the Horn.
What They Said: (All quotes via Real Deal with Tony Reali)
Tony Reali on taking a step back following the end of Around the Horn on ESPN: “I worked on being still. Being still is something I’m still learning how to how to be. I thought I was going to be the type of person I said goodbye on one show, I’d be doing the next show the next day. Every fiber of my being wanted that to be the case too. This is when I decided to listen to other people in my life, and I’m so grateful I did.”
Tony Reali says he aimed to create his next show: “People are like, ‘Oh how’s the job search going?’ I wasn’t searching for a job, looking high and low for a job. What I was looking for was myself. I was looking for was how is the job invention going? I want to invent the next job. That’s how I was operating in my head, just knowing who I am as a person, as a tinkerer or creative.”
Tony Reali on battling the emotions of ending Around the Horn: “It was a challenge for someone like myself. It hurts to lose something you love. I wanted to sit in that for a little bit. Which is not to say I want in a masochistic way. Please hurt me, hurt me, hurt me. No, that’s not a good thing. But, it is a real thing. It’s a full thing, and I want to be honest to what those feelings are. I wanted to then kind of whittle that into something I could use going forward.”
What Remains Unclear: iHeartMedia hasn’t detailed episode length or confirmed a full guest lineup yet. It’s also unclear how closely Real Deal will echo any of Around the Horn’s debate format versus a looser conversational style. Reali’s own description in the release, calling it “more Tony… still Tony… and a new Tony,” suggests some blending either way.
What It Means: Real Deal marks Reali’s first venture since Around the Horn ended. Consequently, it signals a broader shift toward creator-led sports media beyond traditional television. Reali noted that he believes digital is the new frontier for sports content, and he spent time in between educating himself on the medium. Reali’s presence is an instant boost for iHeartPodcasts, landing an established, trusted voice adds credibility to its growing sports lineup. Ultimately, the launch tests whether legacy broadcast personalities can thrive in a giant pool of creator-led content options on digital.
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John Mamola is Barrett Media’s sports editor and daily sports columnist. He brings over two decades of experience (Chicago, Tampa/St Petersburg) in the broadcast industry with expertise in brand management, sales, promotions, producing, imaging, hosting, talent coaching, talent development, web development, social media strategy and design, video production, creative writing, partnership building, communication/networking with a long track record of growth and success. He is a five-time recognized top 20 program director in a major market via Barrett Medi’s Top 20 series and has been honored internally multiple times as station/brand of the year (Tampa, FL) and employee of the month (Tampa, FL) by iHeartMedia. Connect with John by email at John@BarrettMedia.com.