L.A. fires bring change to ESPN’s Wednesday programming

The terrible wildfires engulfing much of the Los Angeles area are forcing a change in ESPN’s programming on Wednesday.

NBA Today, which normally airs at 3 p.m. Eastern, was pre-empted. Instead, SportsCenter — emanating from the network’s Bristol, CT studios — ran in its place. That will also be the plan for Wednesday’s episode of NBA Countdown, which was scheduled to air at 6:30 p.m., ahead of the network’s broadcast of the game between the Oklahoma City Thunder and Cleveland Cavaliers.

Margaret Fleming of Front Office Sports reported on X that SportsCenter hosts will also “handle halftime shows” for games between the Thunder and Cavs, as well as the second end of the doubleheader when the Milwaukee Bucks host the San Antonio Spurs.

Slight change in ESPN’s coverage of tonight’s big Cavs-Thunder game because of the fires in L.A.

SportsCenter in CT will air instead of NBA Today & NBA Countdown, and its hosts will handle halftime shows.

Full story about the fires impacting sports:https://t.co/I2DlbTFx9F

— Margaret Fleming (@mgfleming12) January 8, 2025

Malika Andrews, who normally hosts NBA Today and NBA Countdown, shared her thoughts in a social media post on Wednesday morning.

My thoughts are with our neighbors — human and animals — in the Pacific Palisades and beyond that have been affected by the fires here in the greater Los Angeles area. There will be no NBA Today this afternoon. Stay safe, everyone. 🤍

— Malika Andrews (@malika_andrews) January 8, 2025

“My thoughts are with our neighbors — human and animals — in the Pacific Palisades and beyond that have been affected by the fires here in the greater Los Angeles area. There will be no NBA Today this afternoon. Stay safe, everyone,” Andrews said.

Fleming additionally reported that “ESPN’s downtown studios are not directly impacted by any of the fires” but that the change in schedule is “because the L.A. production facility is closed for ‘non-essential personnel.'”