After months of reports and speculation, ESPN finally confirmed earlier this week that they were canceling Around the Horn after over two decades on the air. And with the news finally being confirmed, Tony Reali took a moment at the end of Wednesday’s show to address viewers.
ATH has been a staple of ESPN’s daily lineup for 23 years, partnering together with Pardon the Interruption to form arguably ESPN’s most influential and successful hour long daytime programming block of this generation. Around the Horn helped launch or move forward the careers of literally dozens of sports media personalities and gave national platforms to new voices that have used it as a springboard to their careers. It also featured local sports journalists at a time when local sports coverage is slowly being squeezed out.
But most of all, Around the Horn was well liked because the wide majority of personalties were likable and engaging, none more so than host Tony Reali.
Reali got his start as “Stat Boy” on PTI and then stepped in to host Around the Horn after Max Kellerman’s departure in 2004 and never looked back. And that’s what made his message directly to viewers after the show’s cancellation was announced by ESPN all the more poignant.
Love & mutes, friends! ❤️🔇 https://t.co/dbfD85muJM pic.twitter.com/PttN2dwGyi
— Around the Horn (@AroundtheHorn) March 5, 2025
“Hello! I want to thank everybody, the millions upon millions, literally, that saw the news and the thousands upon thousands that commented. Could’ve crashed the system here, they never get that much love for one show. I need you to see me right now, I want you to see my face as I say this. There’s going to be tough days in your life. Meeting those head on is a good strategy,” Reali said.
“Our great show will be signing off this air in a few months, May 23rd is our final episode of Around the Horn. I’ve got three months. I intend to respond to you all, but I’ll say this in the meantime. You want to be happy for an hour? Have my mom’s pasta. You want to be happy for a day? Watch Goodfellas. You want to be happy for a week? Hang out with me. If you want to be happy for life, either get engaged at the LaGuardia airport bathroom or find a place where people will miss you when it’s over. I’ve got both right now, we feel your love. Around the Horn,” he concluded.
To this date, we still have no idea why ESPN would want to cancel what has been one of their longest-running and most popular programs. Right now, the network is replacing it with another episode of SportsCenter, showing no real long term plan. Tony Reali is a better person than many of us, because it would have been very easy to go rogue in that moment. Instead, he showed the grace and positivity that has made him a beloved fixture on ESPN airwaves for years.
