The layoffs at ESPN have led to some changes in the Mothership’s and ESPN2’s afternoon lineups. We already told you about Intentional Talk joining ESPN2 which started this week, but that’s just the start of the changes. The show is airing at 4 p.m. ET and so far, that is the only original show in a lineup of reruns on ESPN2, but that is going to change soon.

Until Intentional Talk joined ESPN2 this week, this was its afternoon schedule (all times ET):

Noon — The Dan Le Batard Show With Stugotz
1 p.m. — First Take (reair from ESPN)
3 p.m. — NFL Live (reair from ESPN)
4 p.m. — The Jump (reair from ESPN)
4:30 p.m. — SportsNation (reair from ESPN)
5:30 p.m. — Highly Questionable (reair from ESPN)
6 p.m. — Around the Horn (reair from ESPN)
6:30 p.m. — Pardon the Interruption (reair from ESPN)

College Football Live which has been off since late January will return, but will go to ESPN2. It had aired at 1:30 p.m. ET on the Mothership during the season, but will take a late afternoon slot beginning in July.

In addition, ESPN says it will include many of its old cast, but with a host to be determined:

When College Football Live returns for the season on Wednesday, July 12, it will remain on ESPN2 but move to 5 p.m. The show will include regular appearances by analysts Paul Finebaum, Joey Galloway, Desmond Howard, Booger McFarland and David Pollack. Host duties will be announced at a later date.

As for ESPN, its lineup will remain mostly intact, but with the layoffs of SportsCenter and NFL Live host Jade McCarthy, it will cancel NFL Insiders which premiered in 2013 and had run from 1:30 until 2 p.m. That means that NFL Live will expand from 60 to 90 minutes and run from 1:30 p.m. starting May 22 and according to the Worldwide Leader, it will incorporate “many of the elements from the NFL Insiders program.”:

Trey Wingo, Suzy Kolber and Wendi Nix will share hosting responsibilities, working with a core group of NFL analysts Tedy Bruschi, Ryan Clark, Herm Edwards and Louis Riddick; with appearances by Matt Hasselbeck and Steve Young; plus insiders Chris Mortensen and Adam Schefter who will be on the show every day.

Not only that, the NBA-centric program The Jump will become a year-round program. Host Rachel Nichols made the announcement this week:

So this is how the lineups will look like as of July 12:

ESPN

1 p.m. — Outside the Lines
1:30 p.m. — NFL Live
3 p.m. — The Jump
3:30 p.m. — SportsNation
4:30 p.m. — Highly Questionable
5 p.m. — Around the Horn
5:30 p.m. — Pardon the Interruption

ESPN2

1 p.m. — First Take (reair from ESPN)
3 p.m. — NFL Live (reair from ESPN, 60 minutes only)
4 p.m. — International Talk
5 p.m. — College Football Live
5:30 p.m. — Highly Questionable (reair from ESPN)
6 p.m. — Around the Horn (reair from ESPN)
6:30 p.m. — Pardon the Interruption (reair from ESPN)

So NFL Live and The Jump will be firmly entrenched in their timeslots barring live sports. And ESPN2 eliminates re-airs of SportsNation and The Jump.

[ESPN]

About Ken Fang

Ken has been covering the sports media in earnest at his own site, Fang's Bites since May 2007 and at Awful Announcing since March 2013.

He provides a unique perspective having been an award-winning radio news reporter in Providence and having worked in local television.

Fang celebrates the four Boston Red Sox World Championships in the 21st Century, but continues to be a long-suffering Cleveland Browns fan.