1. Around the Horn will end its 23-year run on Friday. ESPN canceled the show for reasons still unknown. Normally, when a show gets canceled, it’s because of low ratings. Around the Horn is still drawing strong numbers, so there must be another motive behind ESPN axing the show.

What does the end of Around the Horn mean for host Tony Reali? While the show is ending on May 23, Reali’s contract with ESPN doesn’t end until August. Will he remain with the Worldwide Leader, where he has worked since 2000 when he started as a researcher before becoming “Stat Boy” on Pardon the Interruption?

Reali appeared on this week’s SI Media With Jimmy Traina to discuss the end of Around the Horn and his future in sports media.

Among the highlights from our interview:

Reali said he only got feedback from ESPN on Around the Horn twice in 23 years. He said both times, the feedback was, “Keep doing what you’re doing.”

On not having a clear answer about why the show was going away:

“I had to get to a place where I didn’t need an answer, maybe. The absence of explanation and the silence said enough for me. And then I maybe come from a school of thought that everything in TV goes away.”

On trying to change ESPN’s mind about ATH’s cancellation:

“Even after having that first meeting, and I’ve probably had two meetings in total, I was sure I could change their mind. I was sure I would be able to go into a room and finally do those handshakes that maybe other people do on the regular and didn’t need to go in there and be like, ‘Wait a sec, our ratings are exactly where you would want them to be, we’re up.’ I know what our ratings are, and I see press releases coming out for other shows with ratings numbers that are that or lower and you’re releasing a press release.

“I know how we’re driving ratings, I know how profitable, without knowing a number, but knowing how the economics of business has to work. That’s called the ‘Happy Hour.’ It’s not called the ‘Happy PTI 30 Minutes.’ So, I can be proud in knowing my show had a place. It’s their show. They can do whatever they want with it. But they’re not gonna fool me in thinking the show wasn’t making money or the ratings weren’t good.”

On whether he wants to remain at ESPN:

“I wanna hear from ESPN. I’ve had two conversations over the last four months.”

On where he stands with ESPN:

“We’ve talked a couple of times. Maybe I would want more conversations. I have no qualms about saying that. I know they have appreciated me for the sheer fact that I was on TV for 23 years. I don’t feel hurt. Even though we’re not having the conversations now, we can have the conversations next month.”

You can hear the full SI Media With Jimmy Traina interview with Reali below or on Apple and Spotify.

You can also watch SI Media With Jimmy Traina on YouTube.

2. All of you have probably seen this stat by now, but it’s still worth sharing just for sheer amazement.

Unless you’re a Knicks fan, you have to appreciate this shifty camerawork/directing from TNT, which poured salt into the wound of every New Yorker who watched an all-time choke job.

If you shut off the game and missed the comeback, or if you just want to hear the amazing work by Kevin Harlan, here’s how it all happened.

3. The Wall Street Journal reports that NBC has made an offer to pick up the MLB broadcast package that ESPN opted out of earlier this year. The package includes Sunday Night Baseball and the wild-card round of the postseason. If NBC and MLB come to a deal, the big question will be how many wild-card games end up exclusively on Peacock.

4. No Lakers. No Warriors. No good. Speaking strictly from a ratings standpoint. Game 1 of the Timberwolves-Thunder Western Conference finals drew 5.3 million viewers on ESPN Tuesday. That was down 24% from Game 1 of last season’s Western Conference finals.

5. SNY’s Gary Cohen united all New York baseball fans Wednesday night with this little rant.

6. As a New Yorker, it disappoints me to see that Charles Barkley loves street meat so much. As a fat person, I get a kick out of watching how much Chuck loves food.

7. RANDOM VIDEO OF THE DAY: In honor of Larry David (and Susie Essman) sitting front row at last night’s Pacers-Knicks game.

Be sure to catch up on past editions of Traina Thoughts and check out the Sports Illustrated Media Podcast hosted by Jimmy Traina on Apple, Spotify or Google. You can also follow Jimmy on X and Instagram.


This article was originally published on www.si.com as Tony Reali Says He’s Not Hurt After ‘Around the Horn’ Cancellation.

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