ESPN will end long-running Sunday morning series The Sports Reporters as it expands its E:60 magazine news series.
The Sports Reporters, which launched in 1988, will sign off with a special episode May 7, according to network officials. The series, which featured four sports journalists talking about the sports issues of the week, was hosted over the years by Gary Thorne, Dick Schaap and John Saunders, with such journalists as Mike Lupica, Mitch Albom, Michael Wilbon, Bob Ryan and Stephen A. Smith making regular appearances on the show.
The network’s E:60 sports news series will take over the 9:30 timeslot of The Sport Reporters, according to the network. The series, which celebrates its 10th anniversary in October, will feature ESPN personalities Bob Ley and Jeremy Schaap.
ESPN also announced that Ley will take on a larger role on the network’s issues-oriented series Outside The Lines, which will get a new look and new format in May. The series will leave its Sunday morning timeslot in May, moving to weekdays at 1 p.m., according to the network.
"Sunday mornings may look, feel and sound different than they have for the past 29 years,” ESPN senior vice president, SportsCenter and News, Rob King said in a statement. “But we'll always be warmly indebted to the brilliant, thoughtful, fearless men and women who graced the set of The Sports Reporters and enlightened fans everywhere.”
