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Woody Paige Reveals How Much He Got Paid For 'Around The Horn'

Originally posted on The Spun | By Andrew Gould | Last updated May 20, 2025 5:35 PM ET

After 23 years, Around The Horn will air its final episode this Friday. Few panelists will remain as synonymous with the ESPN studio show as Woody Paige.

The all-time leader in wins and appearances, Paige stayed a steady member of Around the Horn's revolving door of journalists competing for points from host Tony Reali. The longtime columnist consistently displayed jokes on a blackboard behind him while filming the show.

Around The Horn had a profound impact on Paige's career, and checking account. He told the Washington Post's Ben Strauss that he initially received a $500 appearance fee that eventually increased to $2,000 per episode.

"The show changed how I approached life," he said. "I made $1 million one year."

In a profile from New York Magazine's Jake Nevins, Paige noted that Around the Horn's early panels were "always middle-class white guys." The show evolved to feature diverse voices.

"The point is that we had to grow and expand not only with the people on the show but expand our talking points," Paige said. "I think that kept us fresh, but it also might have kept us from reaching higher heights in our ratings."

One of Around The Horn's younger panelists, Harry Lyles Jr., made Paige tear up by dedicating his "Face Time" victory speech to the 78-year-old.

"You still see Woody's influence all over sports media today in terms of the shows that you watch, the styles that people have," Lyles said in March. "And it gave me a path to know where I wanted to be in my career. Being on this show is one of those things, and Woody Paige, I would not be here without your influence, man. I appreciate you."

Paige will fall short of 700 career wins and won't net any more appearance fees once Around The Horn ends its decorated run Friday. On Tuesday, he urged someone to hire Reali to host another show.

"I am silly and stupid," Paige wrote, "but it seems strange that some network wouldn't start a show like Around The Horn no matter who is on it as long as Tony Reali is the host.

This article first appeared on The Spun and was syndicated with permission.

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