After 23 years on the air on ESPN, Around the Horn will be coming to an end on May 23.
ESPN’s @AroundtheHorn will host its final episode on Friday, May 23
The weekday sports debate and discussion show has aired more than 4,900 episodes over 23 years since its debut on Nov. 4, 2002
More: https://t.co/9ynIlCz35K pic.twitter.com/kAtZ3h4yqZ
— ESPN PR (@ESPNPR) March 4, 2025
Tony Reali joined The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz on Wednesday to reflect on his and the show’s journey, as well as the show’s legacy that will live on beyond its final episode in May.
Dan says that while it might feel like a sad day, he actually wants to celebrate the end of a show that created a community on ESPN. And in its 23 years on the air, it saw Reali go from an intern to a legitimate sports personality who could have had his choice of jobs. Reali says he felt every minute of the journey throughout every show. He says it still doesn’t feel like work and he enjoys performing. Tony says he has felt a connection to the audience every day, so to see the outpouring of support has overwhelmed him. Tony says he got into the business to be with people and to perform. He wants to feel and that’s what he tried to do on Around the Horn.
Amin says Tony has to know people love Around the Horn and Tony says he does. He says doing a daily TV show, watching every game, doing the research, it’s a little bit like storming the beach at Normandy. He points out that there have been approximately 4,905 episodes of the show — some 4,700 with him as host — and between that and still working on PTI, Tony says he never came up for air. But he doesn’t need to come up for air — he feels like his energy is just the same as the day he took over the show. What has changed and evolved is how he sees his role on the show. He went from a sports brainiac know-it-all who wanted to demonstrate that and score the show like judge, jury and executioner to someone who instead wanted to pull the strings at what’s behind the story and have the most real moment on TV. Tony says he has shared the deepest moments with ATH viewers, but they have come right back at him.
Tony also points out that when he took over the show, they had a great stable of voices, but, to be honest, it was four old white guys for a little while. And that wasn’t necessarily the type of show he wanted to host. He said you want to be diverse in regions and in all the different types of people who would be on the show and the types of stories they would cover. One of those voices who was a major part of Around the Horn, is Pablo Torre, who now hosts Pablo Torre Finds Out on DKN, and he touched on the affection that ATH has earned from its viewers.
It’s incredible — and now, in this fragmented era, impossible — to create a TV show with 23 unflagging years of trust and affection from millions of people. @AroundtheHorn is a family that changed my life forever https://t.co/wVPBU2Owfd
— Pablo Torre 🕳️ (@PabloTorre) March 5, 2025
Dan wants people to appreciate this as a story and he says Tony is as fundamentally decent as a human being as you will find in the sports media business. The way that he welcomes people to his show who might be scared or nervous is the way that a family member would welcome you. It’s not the way television usually works and Dan says Tony built something purposely warm with a community, which is really hard to do. Which makes it even harder for Dan to understand why this show that is regularly outrating First Take, NFL Live and Get Up isn’t continuing.
Make sure you tune into The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz Monday-Friday at 11 a.m. ET on DraftKings Network!
SHOW BREAKDOWN
Local Hour: Dan Does Journalism Again
Dan returns to his old-school reporter ways over a considerable scandal surrounding the Miami Heat. Also, what’s Walton Goggins’ Deal? Today’s cast: Dan, Amin, Chris, Billy, Jeremy, and Jessica.
The Big Suey: David Samson, The Saquon Barkley Handler
David’s shrinkage, a Pete Rose debate, Bar Mitzvah appearances, and the most evil laugh in show history.
Hour 1: Thank You, Tony Reali
Tony Reali is one of our favorite people in the sports media industry, and with Around the Horn coming to an end in May, he joins us to share stories and love from over the years.
Hour 2: We Taught Mina Kimes How To Do TV
“You start connecting the dots, and then you see the dog.”
Postgame Show: Chris and JuJu’s Loveline
Is there any nap better than when you hear a phone buzz and realize it’s actually Draco Malfoy’s dad’s phone?
VIDEO
Check out the Le Batard and Friends YouTube page for more and subscribe to the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also follow the show on X at @LeBatardShow.
All odds provided by DraftKings Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.
All views expressed are my own. I am an employee of DraftKings and am ineligible to play in public DFS or DKSB contests.
