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More than 20 years after leaving ESPN as one of its better-known personalities, Rich Eisen is forming a partnership with the network to return to its airwaves, The Athletic reported Monday.
"The Rich Eisen Show," which airs on Roku, will move to ESPN's direct-to-consumer television product that is expected to launch later this year.
Eisen, 55, was a SportsCenter anchor at ESPN from 1996-2003 before moving to the NFL Network, where he continues to be a contributor. He launched "The Rich Eisen Show" in 2014 as a combination television show/sports talk radio simulcast.
The show previously aired on the Audience Network before moving to the NBC Sports Network, the streaming service Peacock, and then Roku in 2022.
Eisen will continue to own the show and generate all of its content in a deal with ESPN that works much like "The Pat McAfee Show," according to the report. No terms of the deal between Eisen and ESPN were announced. McAfee's deal with ESPN was for five years and more than $85 million, according to The Athletic.
"The Rich Eisen Show" is not expected to air on the flagship ESPN channel or ESPN2 but is expected to be available on ESPN+, as well as the direct-to-consumer entity.
It is not yet known if the program also will air on ESPN Radio. The audio-only portion of the show currently is distributed by Westwood One and also can be heard on SiriusXM.
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Oklahoma Sooners could be nearing a significant recruiting win for elite blue-chip playmaker to bolster 2026 class
Wisconsin Badgers Add Intriguing Committed In-State 2026 PF to Radar
The Wisconsin Badgers basketball staff quietly added an unranked 2026 in-state forward to the recruiting board recently who could be a name to watch. Andrew Jensen, a 2026 power forward, is a 6-foot-9-inch, 205-pound athlete with a handful of early scholarship offers. Jensen holds offers from Milwaukee, Marquette, Loyola, Illinois, Northwestern, and Toledo among others. The recruit has also been speaking with Wisconsin and DePaul heavily as of late, but the Badgers currently do not have the upper hand. Jensen visited DePaul twice and had nothing but positive things to say about each visit, citing the familiarity of the offensive system as a main reason for the visit. The forward announced his commitment to DePaul, but with an early commitment under his belt, the Wisconsin Badgers will continue to monitor the recruit. The forward is a versatile play-maker who has put immense work into developing himself into a floor-spacing stretch big. The development of an outside shot has been a major point for the forward recently, which was on display in Madison during a skills camp with the Badgers staff. Wisconsin did not offer a scholarship at the time, but could consider doing so if Jensen proves to be a top option within the 2026 class. Wisconsin Badgers Keeping an Eye on Andrew Jensen Despite DePaul Commitment Jensen might be a newly committed recruit but that does not exactly mean that Wisconsin will completely write the recruit off. The forward has a versatile and elite skill set for his position when paired with the Wisconsin Badgers offensive scheme. Wisconsin previously hosted Jensen for a skills camp and enjoyed what the forward displayed on the court. The Badgers did not pull the trigger on a scholarship offer, but the development of the relationship has been there for the staff. Given time and potential changes involving other targets, Jensen could become a serious player for the Badgers moving forward. Jensen represents a great fit within the Wisconsin Badgers offense and could potentially be someone who makes an impact early on given his skill set. The forward has put in plenty of work to develop his outside game in an effort to spread the floor more. The improved three-point offense of Jensen is a dangerous one and combined with the already strong play-making game, the forward would be an ideal match for the staff. The surprise commitment of Jensen should not change things for the staff as the recruit has announced his commitment relatively early on in the process. Many other programs will extend offers in the near future and other visits with notable programs could be booked as well which will likely change the process for young in-state forward.
Yankees cannot afford to trade their 'left-handed Aaron Judge'
It’s been a busy summer for New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman, having watched several pitchers and the team’s primary third baseman fall victim to lengthy IL stints. Cashman has at least three holes to repair, but who can the Yankees deal to land some worthwhile replacements? Among New York's trade chips that have been frequently mentioned as of recent is outfielder Spencer Jones. Whether for the Arizona Diamondbacks' Eugenio Suarez or Pittsburgh Pirates' Mitch Keller, several rumors have suggested a package involving Jones, the Yankees’ No. 4 prospect and purported “left-handed Aaron Judge.” Up until this season, Jones had struggled to live up to his monstrous expectations, which made him rather undesirable in prior trade discussions. But whereas many teams and writers saw him as a hard pass in trade talks over the offseason, Jones has now become a hot commodity. Off to a scorching start in Triple-A (.408/.470/.901 with 10 home runs in just 17 games entering Wednesday), Jones has compiled a head-turning .313/.412/.683 stat line with a career-high 26 home runs and 16 stolen bases in 246 at-bats across Double and Triple-A this season. With his awe-striking power finally producing some results, Jones has become a top-of-the-line trade chip. However, this doesn’t mean the Yankees should consider trading him. Why not? Center field-related uncertainty Yankees’ center fielder, Cody Bellinger, has played well in pinstripes this year which raises the topic of his player option for next season. In addition, since he is getting paid more than his option is worth next year, chances are he decides to try the free-agent market. If Bellinger does leave, center field will be wide open as Trent Grisham will also likely test free agency after this season. Unlike Jones, neither Judge nor Jasson Dominguez have displayed the aptitude necessary to capably play the position. The Yankees’ shallow depth will also prove to be a challenge for finding a replacement. If Bellinger does stay, he can slide into first base while Jones takes over at center. But whether he decides to stay or go, Bellinger will be a free agent after the 2026 season. Trade value Jones’ numbers are on fire, but his trade value has yet to catch up, due to his unstable track record. Nonetheless, using a prospect of Jones’ caliber (along with others) to land someone like Keller (career 4.43 ERA), for example, or any similar player would equate to mismanagement. Given his torrid stretch this year, there is a good chance Jones lives up to his stunning potential. Selling him for a fraction of his future worth would be regrettable. Yankees’ current situation The Yankees are without Gerrit Cole and Clarke Schmidt for the year and many others sit on the IL alongside them. This deficiency could be offset by acquiring some rentals, namely Suarez. However, as the risk with all rentals, Suárez will likely test free agency at the end of the season. Unless the Yankees extend or sign him, he won’t share the same side of the field with Cole or Schmidt (while active). If they can land Suarez without trading Jones, all would be well for the Yankees. If not, this could be a case of mortgaging the future to improve a very gloomy present. In the end, it may be better to have Jones’ bat backing Cole over the next three years rather than Suárez’s bat backing Will Warren this year. If the Yankees are dealing for rentals at the deadline, it’s best to leave Jones out of it.
Nationals OF makes Catch of the Year candidate to rob home run
Washington Nationals outfielder Jacob Young delivered a Catch of the Year candidate with a spectacular grab he made on Wednesday. Young’s Nationals lost 5-0 to the Cincinnati Reds at Nationals Park in Washington D.C. on Wednesday, and the score could have been worse if not for Young. Will Benson was batting for Cincinnati with a runner on third base and two outs in the top of the eighth inning with his team leading 3-0. He belted a first pitch 96 mph fastball to deep center, but Young climbed the wall in center field to rob Benson of a 2-run home run. Here is a slow-motion version of the catch that shows Young climbing the wall to make the catch. What a catch by Young. Although Benson gave that pitch quite a ride, the metrics suggest it would have been a home run in only five MLB ballparks, so a flyout was an anticipated outcome. You just wouldn’t expect that ball to become an out in the manner that it did. Holy cow.
Blue Jays aren't getting enough from their $500M man
Toronto Blue Jays fans don't have much to complain about. Despite losing 5-4 on Tuesday to the New York Yankees, their team leads the AL East by three games heading into play Wednesday against the Yankees. But not everything is perfect north of the U.S. border. Keegan Matheson, Blue Jays reporter for MLB.com, echoed that sentiment during Tuesday night's loss to New York in a post shared on X. "The #BlueJays need more from Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and I don't understand why that's only being whispered instead of said out loud," Matheson wrote. Matheson has been beating this drum recently, and he's spot-on. Guerrero Jr., who signed a 14-year, $500M extension in April, hasn't produced superstar numbers. Through 99 games, Vladdy has a .283 average, 13 HRs and 48 RBI. Per ESPN, the 26-year-old is on pace for 21 HRs and 77 RBI, which would by far his lowest full-season totals in those categories since his rookie season in 2019. Although they have one of MLB's best records, the Blue Jays (59-42) lack pop in the lineup. Toronto ranks 20th in the majors in home runs with 105. If Vladdy finds his power stroke and turn it on in the final months of the regular season, the Blue Jays will go from being a playoff contender to a threat to win the World Series. If he doesn't, the Blue Jays aren't getting their money's worth.
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