ESPN recently announced that Around the Horn will be coming to an end after more than two decades as part of its afternoon programming, officially ending with its final show on Friday, May 23 at 5 p.m. EST. Tony Reali, who has hosted the program since February 2004, has led the sports media panel show who look to garner points and convey their distinctive insights and expertise. Reali recently appeared on The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz to discuss the culmination of the program, remarking that he was at the top of the news stories when he opened up Google.
Le Batard opened the segment by explaining that Reali did something that was “damn near impossible” from parlaying hosting sports trivia in sports bars on campuses to an afternoon program on ESPN that has lasted for 23 years. Even though he acknowledged that it may feel like a sad day in some ways, he wished to celebrate Reali and the unbelievable run the show has had on the network. Reali opened by articulating how he is a present and intentional person and felt every minute of the program over the protracted run.
“Never felt like work, still doesn’t feel like work,” Reali said. “The next two months won’t feel like work. I enjoy doing it, I enjoy performing. I felt connection to the audience every day for the 23 years, so to see what happened yesterday in the release or the comments, I am overwhelmed, of course, because my goal is to respond to everybody. That’s a goal of mine. I’ll take the next two months and respond to everybody because that’s how I feel.”
Reali conveyed that the reason he started working in sports media was to perform, and it is something he has tried to do on Around the Horn since becoming the host of the program. Reflecting back on the venture, he estimates having hosted about 4700 episodes and also previously appeared on Pardon the Interruption daily as well with Michael Wilbon and Tony Kornheiser.
“I didn’t come up for air, and I don’t need to come up for air,” Reali said. “My energy is just the same as it was the day I took over the show and my love for that sort of thing. What I evolved in is how I see my role maybe as host. I was a sports brainiac know-it-all that wanted to demonstrate that and also score the debate like judge-jury and all that to somebody who wanted to actually pull at the strings of what’s behind a story and have the most real moment on TV, if I can say that.”
Reali shared that he has shared moments with members of the audience who have shared their memories of the program. Being part of a platform that showcased reporters from around the country is something he voiced as being important, along with fostering diversity in the regions and panelists featured on the program. Le Batard wanted the audience to appreciate what Reali has brought to television and spoke about the legacy of the sports media personality on the airwaves.
“He’s as fundamentally decent as anyone in this business,” Le Batard said. “Everyone who comes on his show, the people, the reporters who are scared and nervous, the way that he welcomes them is the way that a family member would welcome you. It’s not the way television is. He built something purposely warm, even though that’s not the reputation it might have had because it’s sports argument television and they were keeping score, but he did build a community and it’s really hard to do there.”
Le Batard was curious about the rationale as to why the show was being canceled, explaining that he looked at the ratings and that the show was doing well. In response, Reali clarified that he did not really look at the numbers and added that everyone is hired to say goodbye to shows at some point. Reali referenced WNBA legend Diana Taurasi, who recently retired after 20 seasons in the league, and saying that she was “full and happy,” a quote that resonated with him after doing a story about her on the show.
“Well, I can still eat,” Reali said. “I’m hungry, and I’m happy, and I know everybody who I work with, they can still eat. Everybody can still eat, and there’s a lot of food to go around. But I feel hungry, and I know I’m happy, I’m going to be happy.”
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