Friday at 5 p.m. ET marks the end of an era on ESPN as Around the Horn hosts its final show – episode number 4,953 in a 23-year run that began November 4, 2002. Tony Reali, who has hosted more than 4,525 of those shows, is quick to note that Around the Horn’s longevity is “more than Oprah Winfrey, David Letterman and Jerry Springer,” citing the trio of legendary TV hosts.
When plans for ATH’s final show were announced March 4, ESPN Executive Vice President David Roberts highlighted the show’s “remarkable run” while acknowledging Reali and the work of the Rydholm Projects team that produces the show each day from the ABC News Bureau in Washington, D.C.
All this week, ATH has featured a mix of current and former panelists who have contributed to the show’s two-plus decades of sports discussions and debates, and Friday’s final show will feature more special sendoffs, as well as some surprises.
Before the final FaceTime, below is a timeline of milestones throughout Around the Horn’s 23 years on ESPN.
Nov 4, 2002 – Around the Horn debuts on ESPN with host Max Kellerman and a panel of sports writers representing all four U.S. time zones – Jay Mariotti (Chicago Sun-Times), Woody Paige (Denver Post), Bob Ryan (Boston Globe) and T.J. Simers (Los Angeles Times).
Feb 2, 2004 – Tony Reali debuts as host as Kellerman departs ESPN. Reali’s first show is the day after Super Bowl XXXVIII, which featured a thrilling 32-29 New England Patriots’ win and the now famous “wardrobe malfunction” during the Janet Jackson-Justin Timberlake halftime show.
Mar 29, 2013 – One of many pop culture tributes during ATH’s run, the show creates a “Game of Horns” homage in celebration of the season 3 premiere of HBO’s Game of Thrones. Previously, Reali famously re-created the Copacobana scene from Goodfellas shot-by-shot on the ATH set in 2011.
Oct 15, 2014 – After moving from Washington, D.C. to his native New York, Reali begins hosting ATH from New York City and joins ABC’s Good Morning America as a contributor. During the fall of 2014, ATH also introduces a refreshed opening theme featuring music by Chicago-based eclectic rock band Umphrey’s McGee.
Apr 21, 2016 – Around the Horn’s first all-female panel features Kate Fagan, Jemele Hill, Jackie MacMullan and Sarah Spain. Particularly during its second decade, ATH has been widely praised for introducing many new and diverse voices as panelists, including countless personalities that now regularly appear across ESPN and other media platforms.
Nov 5, 2018 – ATH moves to its new augmented reality studio in Manhattan at Pier 17, the same site where both of Reali’s grandfathers worked decades earlier unloading bananas off boats prior to World War II. One of the highlights of the new studio is Reali’s enhanced control panel.
Sept 23, 2019 – Paige, one of the show’s founding panelists, celebrates his 600th win. No other panelist has reached this milestone, and Paige has firmly secured his place as the all-time leader in both wins and appearances (see chart below).
Mar 20, 2020 – During the early days of the COVID pandemic, ATH offers fans a small dose of normalcy by creating Around the Home, short “homemade” versions of the show on social media.
Aug 31, 2021 – McMullan appears in her final Around the Horn after 11 years as a regular panelist. Reali and team “retire her jersey” in a final tribute to the 258-game winner.
Dec 13, 2022 – ESPN celebrates ATH’s 20-year anniversary with a one-hour primetime special featuring a super-sized 20-person panel discussing the history of the show, the scoring system, best/worst takes, and more. Fourteen months later, Reali marks his own 20-year milestone as host of the show on Feb 2, 2024.
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