Tony Reali responds to claim that ESPN felt ‘Around the Horn’ was too woke

The final episode of “Around the Horn” will air on Friday after a run that lasted more than two decades, and there have been a few theories as to why ESPN decided to cancel the show. Longtime host Tony Reali has addressed some of that speculation.

Jay Mariotti, who was a regular panelist on “Around the Horn” before he had legal trouble in 2010, said in a recent interview with Front Office Sports that he believes the show became “too woke” and political.

“It was fun. It was great entertaining fun. And it veered off into politics and whatever the hell it became,” Mariotti said. “If I’m getting riled up about today in 2025, it’s because they didn’t have to go in that direction. If they’d stuck to what they did, they didn’t.”

Mariotti’s remarks meshed with a recent report about why ESPN executives decided it was time to move on from “Around the Horn.”

Reali has hosted “Around the Horn” since Max Kellerman left the show in 2004. During an appearance on “FOS Today” Thursday, Reali was asked about Mariotti and others claiming “Around the Horn” hosts had become too infatuated with social issues.

“I don’t know if I have an answer; I don’t know if I need an answer,” Reali said. “A creative difference in network decision-making? That’s understandable. I can live with that. Make your best opinion and prove it. If you think the show was one thing or the other, show me, give me 20 to 30 examples. That’s how I feel. We’ve done 50,000 topics. I don’t believe the show is too anything, honestly.”

Reali insisted he was never once contacted by executives at ESPN regarding concerns about things that were said on the show.

There is no question “Around the Horn” panelists became more comfortable discussing social issues on the show in recent years. A recent example of that came last week when Kate Fagan returned to the program and spoke about transgender kids playing sports.

Fagan, who had not appeared on “Around the Horn” in three years, said she was proud that the show provided a platform for “diversity and inclusion” and “lifting up new voices.”

Fagan sat alongside Jemele Hill, who parted ways with ESPN years ago because of her constant insistence on speaking about social issues.

It is unclear how ESPN plans to replace “Around the Horn” in its daily schedule, though one idea that came up led to some ruthless jokes from fans.