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Updated with latest: ESPN senior NBA writer Zach Lowe is the latest to be let go from the sports network amid ongoing belt tightening at the Disney-owned outlet. The Athletic, which first reported the news, said the well-respected Lowe’s departure is “part of the network’s fiscal year planning that will wrap up at the conclusion of September. He is thought to be the last person who will be laid off in this round, according to the Athletic.

The 12-year ESPN vet was let go just days after the dean of NBA reporters, Adrian “Woj” Wojnarowski, made the stunning announcement that he was retiring after seven years at the network.

That leaves ESPN without two of its best basketball writers with the NBA season tipping off in less than a month and amid the company’s pricey 11-year rights extension with the NBA a few weeks ago. The new agreement,...

Walking around ESPN’s sprawling campus in Bristol, Connecticut, visitors will find the sports giant’s mission statement at almost every turn. On walls, in windows, in the cafeteria: “Serving sports fans. Anytime. Anywhere.”

It’s a humble slogan for the biggest brand in sports media, and arguably one of the biggest brands in all of sports, but ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro argues it is “more relevant today than it’s ever been.”

Sports – like the entertainment industry writ large – is undergoing a dramatic, generational transformation, with viewership fragmenting, cable TV declining, and streaming on the rise.

“If you drill down a bit, what we’re really saying [with the mission statement] is that we need to be everywhere,” Pitaro says, citing streaming, of course, but also TikTok, YouTube, and other platforms.

And so ESPN is pivoting, with Disney CEO Bob Iger telling Wall Street that “building ESPN into the preeminent digital sports platform...

ESPN is making a few cuts to its football roster: NFL analyst Robert Griffin III and host Sam Ponder have been let go by the network, The Athletic reports. The cuts were reportedly “made for financial reasons.”

Griffin, a former NFL quarterback who won the Heisman Trophy in college, had been with ESPN since 2021, appearing on the NFL pregame show Monday Night Countdown and as an analyst during college football games as well. Earlier this year, though, ESPN hired former player Jason Kelce to take Griffin’s spot on the Monday Night Countdown crew.

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ESPN has parted ways with Robert Griffin III and NFL Countdown host Sam Ponder, Deadline has learned.

Sources tell us that the decision to cut both on-air personalities was based on a business decision to reduce costs and will be paid off for the rest of their contracts.

The Athletic, which first reported the news, said Griffin had two years left on his deal while Ponder was about to enter the last year of her three-year deal.

Griffin’s exit from ESPN comes as the sports network signed retired Philadelphia Eagles player Jason Kelce as host for Monday Night Countdown.

After news of his exit, Griffin shared a clip from the 1995 movie Friday where they say, “How the hell are you go get fired on your day off?

pic.twitter.com/M1AilOwmq3

— Robert Griffin III (@Rgiii) August 15, 2024

The ESPN cuts come a year after the sports network let go of about 20 on-air personalities.

ESPN continues to make changes to its on-air talent roster, with the Disney-owned sports media giant cutting Robert Griffin III and Sam Ponder on Thursday.

Ponder worked on ESPN’s Sunday NFL Countdown, while Griffin (or “Rgiii” as he is sometimes known) previously worked as an analyst on Monday Night Countdown, the pregame show to ESPN’s Monday Night Football, as well as on some college football games. ESPN hired Jason Kelce to join Monday Night Countdown earlier this year.

According to a source, both Griffin and Ponder were informed about about the decision earlier today, and they will be owed what is due to them in their contracts, with Ponder believed to have about a year left on her deal, and Griffin about two years.

The move was described as a financial and business decision, with the timing meant to happen before the start of the NFL season, and...

Brie Larson’s The Marvels did not stand a chance after it heavily tanked at the box office, not to mention the early criticisms it received even before its premiere. After receiving harsh reviews from fans and critics, it has been hailed as the worst MCU film to date.

Iman Vellani, Brie Larson and Teyonah Parris in The Marvels / Walt Disney Studios

But, this is nothing new in the Marvel realm. Back in 2010, it released one of the most critically panned installments, and that’s Iron Man 2. Despite Tony Stark opening the gates for the MCU, his last two solo films were severely slammed.

Fans React To Iron Man 2 Becoming The ‘Worst MCU Film’

Robert Downey Jr.’s Iron Man 2 was a commercial success, earning $623 million against a budget of $200 million, but it had a lot of issues behind the scenes. Cinematographer Matthew Libatique told Collider:...

A new filing from Disney today indicates that profits from the company’s sports division have fallen 20% throughout the first nine months of 2023. Operating income for the brand’s sports arm dropped to $1.48 billion, and revenue fell to $13.2 billion, a decrease of 1.3%.

Disney has struggled with its sports programming as customers move away from traditional cable TV. The media giant has plans to offer an ESPN streaming service for those who have abandoned the brand’s cable channel.

This is the first time Disney has broken out numbers for ESPN and its sports division, which also includes Star-branded sports channels in India, eight domestic ESPN-branded channels, and ESPN on ABC.

According to the filing, the drop is primarily due to an operating loss at Star India sports. As a standalone business, ESPN’s operating income was $1.894 billion.

In July, Disney’s Chief Executive Bob Iger said the company hoped to...

The roller coaster of ESPN staffing news continued today, as NFL analyst Mina Kimes is set for what’s reported to be a massive new deal. The agreement is worth more than $1.7 million, according to the New York Post’s Andrew Marchand, and puts Kimes over seven figures for the first time.

“Kimes’ role with ESPN will basically stay the same,” reported Marchand. She will be featured on NFL Live and make other appearances on the network’s shows.

Additionally, Dan Le Batard announced this morning that Kimes had signed a new deal with former ESPN boss John Skipper’s Meadowlark Media. She will continue to appear on “The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz.”

Kimes will also reportedly continue her podcast, which is produced by Omaha Productions as part of the Peyton Manning-led company’s partnership with ESPN.

The announcements come one day after longtime football analyst Chris Mortensen announced his retirement,...

SportsCenter co-anchor Sage Steele is exiting ESPN after settling a lawsuit she had brought against the network and its owner, The Walt Disney Company.

“Life update. Having successfully settled my case with ESPN/Disney, I have decided to leave so I can exercise my first amendment rights more freely,” Steele wrote in a post to X (fka Twitter) on Tuesday. “I am grateful for so many wonderful experiences over the past 16 years and am excited for my next chapter!”

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Updated, 7:30 Am: Longtime SportsCenter co-anchor Sage Steele has decided to leave ESPN after settling her lawsuit against the network and Disney.

“Having successfully settled my case with ESPN/Disney, I have decided to leave so I can exercise my first amendment rights more freely,” Steele revealed Tuesday on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. I am grateful for so many wonderful experiences over the past 16 years and am excited for my next chapter!”

Related: ESPN Layoffs: Here’s The Updated List Of On-Air Talent Who Were Let Go

Steele sued ESPN and corporate parent Disney in April 2022 for allegedly violating both her contract ad free speech rights.

In her lawsuit, Steele alleged she had been “sidelined” by the network in 2021 after she made controversial remarks about ESPN’s Covid policy and former President Barack Obama’s ethnic identity, questioning the fact the Obama identifies as Black, given the circumstances of his upbringing.

Sage Steele, the veteran ESPN sportscaster who became better known in recent years for her stances on hot topics like coronavirus vaccinations, has left the Disney sports giant.

Steele, who joined ESPN in 2007, said on social media that she had recently settled a lawsuit with her employer after she was suspended in 2021 for comments she made on an outside podcast about getting vaccinated, how women dress and former President Barack Obama’s lineage.

“Having successfully settled my case with ESPN/Disney, I have decided to leave so I can exercise my first amendment rights more freely,” Steele said. “I am grateful for so many wonderful experiences over the past 16 years and am excited for my next chapter!” Steele had alleged in a 2022 lawsuit that Disney and ESPN retaliated against her for the comments she made during the podcast, hosted by Jay Cutler, taking away high-profile assignments. She charged the companies...

In an era when much of sports broadcasting is dominated by hot takes, ESPN has decided to go with a class on-air announcing team for its NBA broadcast coverage.

The network said Monday that ever-steady play-by-play guy Mike Breen will be joined by Doris Burke and Doc Rivers on the broadcaster’s A-team for big games. The trio, along with reporter Lisa Salters, will call the NBA Finals, Eastern Conference Finals, NBA playoffs, and the Christmas Day and NBA Saturday Primetime on ABC series. The team will make its debut during ESPN’s opening week of NBA coverage in October.

As part of the changes, ESPN announced it has reached a multi-year deal with Rivers as well as a multi-year extension with Burke.

The arrangement will make the incomparable Burke the first woman to serve as a television analyst for a major men’s championship in the U.S.

She...

ESPN has drafted two new additions to its top NBA broadcast team: Doc Rivers and Doris Burke will join Mike Breen in the booth for the network’s biggest games, including the NBA Finals on ABC, it was announced on Monday.

Rivers and Burke will step in for Mark Jackson and Jeff Van Gundy, who called NBA games for ESPN alongside Breen for years before exiting the network earlier this year in a highly publicized series of layoffs that claimed more than a dozen ESPN on-air personalities.

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Long-time NBA announcer Mark Jackson has said he was “shocked and dismayed” after he was let go from ESPN on Monday, July 31. Jackson took to Instagram to confirm reports that he would be exiting the cable network, stating, “This morning, unexpectedly, I was informed that my services were no longer needed at ESPN.” While he admitted to being “shocked and dismayed” by the news, he went on to thank ESPN and “all the staff of the NBA ESPN crew for allowing me to be a part of the organization for the past 15+ years.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by @markjackson “It has been an honor to sit beside two Legends in the business, who are like brothers to me, Mike Breen and Jeff Van Gundy, and learn so much from them,” he continued. “Lisa Salters is a Goat and like a sister to me and I’m...

Mark Jackson is the latest big name to say goodbye to ESPN.

The NBA announcer confirmed reports that he’s leaving the sports cable network with a lengthy Instagram post on Monday, revealing that “this morning, unexpectedly, I was informed that my services were no longer needed at ESPN.” Jackson admitted he was “shocked and dismayed” at the news, but thanked ESPN and its staff “for allowing me to be a part of the organization for the past 15+ years.”

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“Mama, there goes that man!”

That signature tagline will no longer be heard on ESPN’s NBA broadcasts as longtime announcer Mark Jackson joins the ranks of on air talent laid off of late by the network. Almost exactly a month ago, Jackson’s broadcast partner (and former coach) Jeff Van Gundy was among the 20-odd boldfaced names let go by the network. Since then, speculation has abounded about Jackson’s fate. The move came as a surprise to Jackson, however.

“This morning, unexpectedly, I was informed that my services were no longer needed at ESPN,” Jackson wrote on social media this evening. “Although shocked and dismayed with the suddenness of it all, I would like to thank ESPN and all the staff of the NBA ESPN crew for allowing me to be a part of the organization for the past 15+ years.”

Jackson confirmed his departure with Peter Vecsey earlier today.

ESPN analyst Shaka Hislop is “conscious and talking” after suddenly collapsing during the network’s live soccer coverage on Sunday night.

As seen in the video below, Hislop and fellow ESPN personality Dan Thomas were leading the pre-game coverage of a friendly between AC Milan and Real Madrid on Sunday, when Hislop began to stumble and fell to the ground. Thomas yelled for assistance, and the broadcast quickly cut to commercial.

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Paul Finebaum, an ESPN contributor for a decade, is weighing in on the layoffs that saw about 20 on-air personalities exit the sports network.

“It’s pretty tough, and I say that loving my job and loving the company,” Finebaum said during an appearance on The Marchand and Ourand Sports Media Podcast. “But it was the worst day in my 10 years at ESPN. I can’t explain Bob (Iger’s) thinking. I think you have to trust his track record, but it doesn’t really excuse the state of mind that a lot of us, if not all of us, were in.”

He continued, “And I say as an employee nobody knew Friday. Especially those of us who were on the air whether we would be around at the end of the day. I’ll spare you a lot of the things that have been said on Twitter and on social...

News Nation anchor Dan Abrams says conservative commentators’ theories that ESPN is “going down” because of its left-leaning politics ignore some “expensive facts,” suggesting that the network fired 20 high-profile hosts after it overspent on things like Big 12 football games and celebrity sports analyst Pat McAfee.

The “Dan Abrams Live” host said Wednesday highlighted the analysis of Charlie Kirk and other right-leaning commentators who repeated the theory that ESPN’s “woke” politics somehow led to the firing of longtime lead NBA analyst Jeff Van Gundy, Jalen Rose, Steve Young, Suzy Kolber, Max Kellerman, Keyshawn Johnson and others.

“So what is driving this at ESPN?,” Kirk said in a clip played by Abrams. “The answer is, ESPN has gone woke, and they’re not as boundary-pushing or as funny or as interesting … this is happening because ESPN has decided to go a political route.”

Abrams acknowledged that the network had, in fact,...

Sports analyst Stephen A. Smith has responded to the laying off of more than a dozen of ESPN’s on-air personalities, and fears that more layoffs could very well be in the works. The staffers were all dropped by the network at the end of June as part of an overall cost-cutting measure at the network.

“ESPN laid off about 20 members of its on-air talent… friends of mine, actually, definitely respected colleagues who’d done a phenomenal job and deserved better,” he said on The Stephen A. Smith Show. “It’s not Disney or ESPN that they deserved better from,...

Stephen A. Smith is opening up about the ESPN layoffs that saw about 20 on-air personalities become redundant at the sports network.

“ESPN laid off about 20 members of its on-air talent … friends of mine, actually, definitely respected colleagues who’d done a phenomenal job and deserved better,” the sports analyst said on The Stephen A. Smith Show. “It’s not Disney or ESPN that they deserved better from, they deserved better than the times we’re living in.”

Smith, who co-hosts First Take con ESPN, gave a shoutout to Jalen Rose saying that he had been doing an “outstanding job for us covering the NBA for years.”

Related: Pat McAfee Addresses Backlash Over ESPN “Mass Exits” & Says He’s “Pumped To Be Joining” Network

“Got a lot of love for that brother,” he added. “A lot of the great work he’s done over the years, what he’s represented for the company…...

Pat McAfee recently struck a deal to bring his namesake sports commentary show to ESPN. The former NFL player has been receiving backlash after the sports network announced layoffs and many viewers are correlating that it has to do with McAfee.

McAfee, who is also an analyst on ESPN’s College GameDay, took to Twitter to clear things up and address the “mass exits.”

“I did a lot of reflecting about our show’s journey while I was getting murdered on the internet today (hell yeah).. all roads lead back to how honored I am to be the leader of such a talented group and how lucky I am to be a part of this team,” he tweeted.

He continued, “We’re very pumped to be joining ESPN and our goal is that ‘Mass exits’ are never a thing again.. we hope to help that.. obviously that’s a lofty goal but,...

ESPN has let go of about 20 on-air personalities who have now taken to social media to react to the news following the cuts.

David Pollack shared a message with his followers on Twitter after news broke that he was one of the talents who got laid off from the sports network.

“I won’t be brought back to College GameDay next year or to ESPN and just wanted to say thank you to so many people. I just appreciate everybody along the journey,” the former NFL player said in his video statement. “You know, 12-13 years ago, ESPN taking a chance on me and all the people that I got to work with.”

He continued, “I got to work with so many great people and do so many things, that was so awesome for so many years and I’m just very, very thankful for it. And I don’t know what’s next,...

ESPN personalities Suzy Kolber, Ashley Brewer and Jordan Cornette were among those taking to social media Friday to reflect on being part of the Disney-backed channel’s layoffs announced earlier in the day.

The Hollywood Reporter previously reported that roughly 20 people were informed Friday that they were let go, with a source saying that the talent cuts were related to financial concerns specific to ESPN and did not stem from larger budget issues for Disney. ESPN veterans Jeff Van Gundy, Max Kellerman, Keyshawn Johnson and Jalen Rose were also among the cuts, according to a source.

Kolber had been with the network since the 1990s and was known for her NFL coverage and having served as an anchor on flagship news program SportsCenter.

“Today I join the many hard-working colleagues who have been laid off,” Kolber tweeted, sharing a photo of herself covering the most recent NFL draft in April.

ESPN’s Jeff Van Gundy, Max Kellerman, Keyshawn Johnson, Jalen Rose and Laphonso Ellis are among a group of around 20 on-air personalities being cut as part of an effort to generate “millions” of additional cost savings by the sports network.

A person familiar with the matter confirmed the affected talent were being notified Friday they will no longer appear on ESPN’s platforms, all of whom are currently under contract extensions.

The person noted that those individuals will receive a full payout allotted under their contract and that they could renegotiate the terms of their contract if they are able to find a new opportunity to go elsewhere and do other work before their contract expires.

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An undisclosed number of ESPN employees were previously impacted...

More than a dozen on-air personalities are being dropped by ESPN as part of an overall cost-cutting measure at the network.

NFL great Keyshawn Johnson, who became one of ESPN Radio’s top morning show personalities; Johnson’s former co-host Max Kellerman; basketball coach-turned-analyst Jeff Van Gundy; and NBA star Jalen Rose, who went on to become a commentator for the network, have all been let go, our sister site Deadline reports.

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Beloved NBA analyst Jeff Van Gundy has been laid off by ESPN just before the long July 4 holiday weekend as a cost-cutting measure, confirmed by multiple sources. The 61-year-old analyst has been part of ESPN since 2007 and, for 16 years, has called the longtime NBA Finals broadcast alongside co-analyst Mark Jackson and play-by-player Mike Breen. The network’s cost-cutting is expected to have around 20 on-air layoffs, according to the New York Post. And even though Van Gundy’s exact salary is unknown, he made millions. Although he has declined to comment, his team has confirmed that he was part of the layoffs to The Athletic. His tenure at ESPN ended just before hitting a hundred NBA Finals games milestone. According to reports, additional cuts include Jalen Rose, a former NBA player and current studio analyst. Since 2012, Rose has been a member of ESPN and ABC‘s NBA pregame show, NBA Countdown.

ESPN is letting go of about 20 on-air personalities, including two familiar names to NBA viewers: game analyst Jeff Van Gundy and studio co-host Jalen Rose.

Keyshawn Johnson, a former NFL player who had co-hosted ESPN Radio’s national morning show in one of many chapters in a 16-year run on ESPN, is also among those leaving. Also out is Max Kellerman, Johnson’s radio co-host as well as host of This Just In and formerly Stephen A. Smith’s longtime sparring partner on daily morning TV staple First Take. Suzy Kolber, a 27-year veteran of ESPN who most recently hosted Monday Night Countdown, also confirmed her exit. While she described the end of her run as “heartbreaking” in a tweet, she also said she was “grateful,” noting that “longevity for a woman in this business is something I am especially proud of.”

A person familiar with the cutbacks told Deadline...

More players are leaving the field at ESPN.

Max Kellerman, the TV host, Keyshawn Johnson, the morning-show personality, Jeff Van Gundy, the veteran basketball analyst, and Jalen Rose, the NBA-player-turned-commentator, are all exiting the Disney sports-media giant, according to two people familiar with the matter, as executives look for ways to prune costs at the operation as its parent corporation grapples with seismic changes in its business.

“Given the current environment, ESPN has determined it necessary to identify some additional cost savings in the area of public-facing commentator salaries, and that process has begun,” the company said in a statement. “This exercise will include a small group of job cuts in the short-term and an ongoing focus on managing costs when we negotiate individual contract renewals in the months ahead. This is an extremely challenging process, involving individuals who have had tremendous impact on our company. These difficult decisions, based...

ESPN is cutting a number of on-air personalities Friday as it seeks further cost savings.

The new round includes “a small group of job cuts,” as well as “an ongoing focus on managing costs when we negotiate individual contract renewals in the months ahead,” per an ESPN statement.

A source familiar with the cuts tells The Hollywood Reporter that about 20 people are being notified today, including some big names that regular ESPN viewers will know.

Among the cuts, a source confirms, is Jeff Van Gundy, the channel’s top NBA game analyst and a 16-year veteran of ESPN. Also departing are ESPN veterans Max Kellerman, Suzy Kolber, Keyshawn Johnson and Jalen Rose.

“Given the current environment, ESPN has determined it necessary to identify some additional cost savings in the area of public-facing commentator salaries, and that process has begun,” the ESPN statement says. “This is an extremely challenging process, involving...

Canadian sex education expert Sue Johanson, who shared frank advice on her cable TV talk show Talk Sex With Sue Johanson, has died at the age of 93. She passed away surrounded by family in a long-term care facility in Ontario; no cause of death has been released.

The news of Johanson’s death was confirmed by filmmaker Lisa Rideout, who directed a documentary about Johanson, Sex With Sue, that was released last year. “We know firsthand the positive impact Sue had on millions of people around the world,” Rideout said on Instagram. “Sue was an incredible, unstoppable force. She paved...

The Western Conference champion Denver Nuggets are well rested and ready for their first NBA Finals appearance. The Eastern Conference champion Miami Heat, the No. 8 seed, have fought an uphill battle the entire postseason and have answered every bell. The Heat are only the second eighth seed to reach the finals. Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo and the Heat will be underdogs again when they take on Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray and the Nuggets in Game 1 of the best-of-seven-game NBA Finals tipping off in Denver on Thursday, June 1, on ABC. Mike Breen has the play-by-play call for ABC with analysts Jeff Van Gundy and Mark Jackson. Lisa Salters reports. 2023 NBA Finals TV Schedule All Times Eastern. *If Necessary. Thursday, June 1 Game 1: Miami Heat at Denver Nuggets, 8:30/7:30c, ABC Monday, June 4 Game 2: Miami Heat at Denver Nuggets, 8/7c, ABC Wednesday, June 7: Game 3: Denver Nuggets at ...

The NBA is down to its final four. In the East, it’s a rematch of the 2022 finals, as the No. 8 seed Miami Heat face the No. 2 Boston Celtics. The Heat are only the second No. 8 seed to reach the conference finals in NBA history. The Celtics claimed a 4-3 victory in last year’s East championship series, but the teams split their four regular-season meetings earlier this year. The West finals have the No. 1 seed Denver Nuggets against the No. 7 seed Los Angeles Lakers in a rematch of the 2020 conference finals series won by the Lakers. The Nuggets, led by two time NBA Mvp Nikola Jokic, have never reached the NBA Finals. Meanwhile, the Lakers franchise has won 17 NBA titles, and superstar LeBron James is going for his 11th NBA Finals appearance. ESPN and ABC share coverage of the Western Conference Finals tipping off Tuesday night in Denver. Mike Breen...

Some people who tune in ESPN2 for an April 6 NBA match-up between the Brooklyn Nets and the New York Knicks may think they’ve gone back in time.

The game will open in black and white and use graphics that evoke ABC’s 1960s coverage, then shift to a look that mirrors CBS’ NBA telecasts of the 1970s and 1980s. Look for a presentation that emulates NBC’s 1990s telecasts as well, complete with that network’s signature music. Viewers may even hear a snippet of the theme from ABC’s “Wide World of Sports” before all is done. Guests will include several top players. coaches and broadcasters who have been central to the game throughout the years, all part of a tribute to the NBA’s 75th anniversary. A regular broadcast of the game will be available on ESPN.

“The unscripted moments that come from this will ultimately be...

Rachel Nichols will not be suiting up as sideline reporter for this year’s NBA Finals, in the wake of her year-old comments about ESPN colleague Maria Taylor coming to light.

Malika Andrews will instead serve as sideline reporter for the championship series.

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Nichols will, however, continue to host The Jump, ESPN’s weekday NBA show, during the NBA Finals, alongside a cast of analysts and reporters including Richard Jefferson and Kendrick Perkins.

In July 2020, during...

ESPN had to devise a new game plan for the NBA Finals.

The Disney-owned sports-media giant said it would move its veteran basketball reporter Rachel Nichols off sideline duties for the NBA Finals, slated to be broadcast tonight on ABC and feature the Milwaukee Bucks taking on the Phoenix Suns, and utilize Malika Andrews instead as it grapples with new scrutiny over how it handled a bizarre leak of Nichols on video appearing to disparage last year’s decision to use Maria Taylor in the 2020 Finals production.

“We believe this is best decision for all concerned in order to keep the focus on the NBA Finals. Rachel will continue to host ‘The Jump,” ESPN said in a statement Tuesday, referring to its daily basketball-news program.

Executives at the sports outlet no doubt hope the decision will put to rest a period of inner discord. In July of last year, Nichols...

Update: An earlier version of this article incorrectly displayed a photo of actress Rachel Nichols (I) and linked to her page. This has now been corrected. We regret this error.

ESPN has benched Rachel Nichols for its coverage of the NBA Finals, following the uproar for her comments regarding Maria Taylor in 2020, where she suggested Taylor was picked over her to cover last year’s NBA Finals because of her race.

Malika Andrews will serve as the sideline reporter during the 2021 Finals; Nichols had held that position throughout the playoffs as part of ESPN’s top broadcast team with Mike Breen, Jeff Van Gundy and Mark Jackson. Nichols will still host her daily ESPN show “The Jump” on-site during the series.

Taylor will host the pre-game and halftime studio coverage, as she’s done all postseason. The NBA Finals between the Milwaukee Bucks and Phoenix Suns tip off Tuesday night from Phoenix on ABC.

“We believe this is best decision for all concerned in order to keep the focus on the NBA Finals. Rachel will continue to host ‘The Jump,...

The NBA Finals will cross international borders when it tips off Thursday, with the Toronto Raptors becoming the first team outside the United States to play for the NBA title. But while they may be celebrating up in the North, the lack of a second U.S. home market will likely put a dent in the TV ratings for ABC.

Outside of the Super Bowl, TV ratings in sports championships come down to two key ingredients: The size of the two teams’ home markets and the competitiveness of the series. In that first one, ABC is already working at a disadvantage.

The Raptors, outside of the camera-shy Kawhi Leonard, don’t have many household names the average fan would know either. In fact, the Raptors’ biggest star just might be Drake, who is something of a team ambassador, and frequently makes headlines with his antics from his courtside seats. On the other side,...

The NBA Finals tip off Thursday on ABC with yet another matchup between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors, but don’t expect audiences to get tired of LeBron James battling Steph Curry just yet.

This is the first time in any of the major professional sports that the same two teams will square off in the championship for a fourth consecutive year. And despite the criticism over the NBA’s lack of parity, that hasn’t made viewers tune away just yet.

“LeBron James being in the Finals is never bad for business,” said ESPN analyst Jeff Van Gundy, who will call the series with Mark Jackson and Mike Breen, on a conference call with reporters held Tuesday. “The Warriors are such a team of superior talent that Durant, Curry, Thompson, you know, they are going to always be a big draw.”

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It never feels good to go into a game with low expectations. When you offer to review a game, you generally want it to be good, if for no reason other than the fact that you don’t want to spend hours banging your head against the wall playing a terrible game. In recent memory, however, the NBA Live franchise has given basketball fans everywhere a lot more aggrevating moments than anything else. After years of vibrant competition with the 2K series, around the turn of the decade, NBA Live took a considerable nosedive in terms of the quality that the franchise had to offer. While it’s always been a hope of mine that the series would rebound in a substantial way, I never expected the series to live up to its full potential. That was until this year’s game.

NBA Live 18 is far from a perfect basketball simulation.

The Kardashians -- Khloe, Kourtney and Kris Jenner -- showed up to root on the Cleveland Cavaliers Friday night, which seemed like a sure-fire sign they would lose. But they didn't! The Cavs rolled the Golden State Warriors 137-116 to win Game 4 and avoid a sweep, and Khloe's boyfriend Tristan Thompson busted out of a slump to grab 10 boards and add 5 points and 5 assists. Announcer Jeff Van Gundy even took a few moments early in...

Khloe Kardashian is supporting her man!

The 32-year-old reality star was spotted cheering on her Cleveland Cavaliers player boyfriend, Tristan Thompson, at Game 4 of the NBA Finals on Friday.

Watch: Khloe Kardashian Snuggles Up to Tristan Thompson, Is ‘Excited’ for the Future in ‘Kuwtk’ Promo

Khloe wasn't the only member of the Kardashian clan showing her support for Thompson. Kourtney Kardashian and her kids, 7-year-old Mason and 4-year-old Penelope Disick, and Kris Jenner, were also in attendance.

Getty ImagesGetty Images

Watch: Kourtney and Khloe Kardashian Rock Sexy All-Black Outfits With Mom Kris Jenner at Cavaliers Game

"Let's go!!!! #defendtheland," Kris captioned an Instagram video from the game.

Related: Rihanna, Jay Z and Kevin Hart Sit Courtside for Game 1 of the NBA Finals -- See the Pics!

While Khloe showed support for her boyfriend, ABC​ commentator​ Jeff Van Gundy unexpectedly showed support for Khloe, as he defended the reality star against those claiming Thompson's game​ ​play was a result...

Khloé Kardashian and her family were all on hand Friday night at Cleveland’s Quicken Loans Arena to cheer on their favorite Cavaliers player, Tristan Thompson.

Kris Jenner and Kourtney Kardashian as well as her kids, Mason, 7, and Penelope Disick, 4, were front and center supporting Khloé’s boyfriend of nearly one year.

The Kardashian sisters were twinning, wearing leather leggings and proudly wearing Thompson’s gold #13 jerseys. Even Penelope donned Cavaliers colors in a yellow shirt. Momager Kris wore a bedazzled black and white sweater with black pants.

Khloé, 32, has been linked to Thompson, 26, since September, when they were spotted...

Was there something between Golden State Warriors star forward Kevin Durant and Rihanna on the court last night?

When a reporter called Durant out for looking “towards the crowd towards Rihanna” in the fourth quarter after hitting a three-pointer with just over four minutes left to give the Warriors a 105-84 lead, he shook his head.

“Don’t get in that trap!” teammate Steph Curry told Durant during a press conference following the Warriors 113-91 Game 1 NBA Finals win over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Thursday.

Reporter: "…you looked towards the crowd towards Rihanna. Was that on purpose?"

Kd: "I dont even remember that.

Somebody may as well put a ring on Rihanna's finger...and by that we mean, an NBA championship ring because she's already won the series! Bad Gal RiRi showed up to the first game of the finals on Thursday night and shut it down, simply by being there. But other than her mere presence being a present in itself, the "Work" singer brought some awesome surprises that turned all attention her way. Even the on-air announcers couldn't help but show their excitement. For example, Espn analyst Jeff Van Gundy just couldn't keep his cool while color commenting for the game. Right after LeBron James made an incredible dunk, he yelled, "I don't know about this, but Rihanna just walked in...

Though much of the attention was focused on basketball, all eyes were on Rihanna.

Bad Gal RiRi made quite the entrance at Oracle Arena in Oakland, California on Thursday, where the Golden State Warriors and Cleveland Cavaliers went head-to-head in Game 1 of the NBA Finals.

In the first quarter, the songstress, 29, caught the eye of Espn/ABC commentator Jeff Van Gundy, who couldn’t contain his excitement: “I don’t about this, but Rihanna just walked in front of me. Are you kidding me?” he said.

"Rihanna just walked in front of me." Jeff Van Gundy, the realest, out here willing to risk it all.

Turner’s pro basketball sideline reporter Craig Sager is set to join Espn’s NBA Finals broadcast team for Game 6 — a one-off spot for the veteran who’s actually never covered the championship series before. He’ll share courtside reporting duties with Doris Burke on Thursday, when the Golden State Warriors-Cleveland Cavaliers contest tips off on ABC. The rest of the broadcast team includes play-by-play commentator Mike Breen and analysts Jeff Van Gundy and Mark Jackson. “I’d like to thank Turner and Espn for approaching me with this tremendous opportunity to be part of The Finals broadcast team,” said Sager (pictured above,...

O.J. Simpson’s infamous white Bronco car chase was stalled because Simpson wanted to listen to the end of the NBA Finals on the radio before surrendering to police, according to ABC announcer Jeff Van Gundy. During Friday night’s NBA Finals game between the Golden State Warriors and the Cleveland Cavaliers, ABC ran a promo for Saturday’s premiere of the new Simpson documentary, “O.J. Made in America.” Following the promo, Van Gundy told the bizarre story. According to Van Gundy, the legendary Pat Riley bumped into Al Cowlings, Simpson’s old friend and the owner and driver of the white Bronco,...

In a rematch of the 2015 NBA Finals, the defending champion Golden State Warriors take on the Cleveland Cavaliers for the 2016 NBA title. Game 1 of the best-of-seven series tips off Thursday, June 2, at 9pm Et on ABC. ABC has exclusive coverage of the Finals, with games in Spanish on Espn Deportes, and games online and on mobile devices through WatchESPN. Mike Breen calls the games with analysts Jeff Van Gundy, Mark Jackson and reporter Doris Burke. 2016 NBA Finals on ABC schedule Date Time (Et) Telecast Thu, June 2 6 p.m. SportsCenter 8:30 p.m. NBA Countdown 9 … Continue reading →

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As one of America’s favourite sports, basketball holds an important spot in the hearts of many. It’s a game of finesse, and one that requires a lot of athleticism at its highest level, where superstars like LeBron James, Chris Paul and Kobe Bryant aim to make opponents’ nightmares a reality.

The beginning of each NBA preseason is marked by the release of not one, but two different games. Each year is the same story, too, with 2K’s NBA 2K dynasty ending up on top, ahead of EA’s troubled NBA Live franchise. That’s something that EA Tiburon hopes will change this season, although it’s unlikely given that NBA Live 16 is a cumbersome and middling sports game that regularly feels like it’s a step behind.

As soon as NBA Live 16 loads, it asks you to download an app, scan your facial features and then import...