For years, Los Angeles was a major production center for ESPN. But over the past decade, the Worldwide Leader sold off its local radio station while axing the Bill Simmons-led Grantland and the old ESPNLA website. This week, ESPN reportedly made plans to move its last remaining SportsCenter broadcasts away from its L.A. studio.
Now, former ESPN columnist Arash Markazi reports that the network’s NBA programming could leave the City of Angels before long, marking the final end to ESPN’s L.A. chapter.
Markazi wrote that, with ESPN licensing Inside the NBA from TNT Sports starting in the fall, the network could shut down its L.A.-based production of NBA Countdown and NBA Today:
ESPN is still the “Worldwide Leader” but they have seemingly punted on having a homebase in Los Angeles and they might not be done yet when it comes to relocating. A source inside ESPN told me their commitment to having NBA shows emanate from L.A. Live extends only through this postseason but no decision has been made yet about next season when “Inside the NBA” with Ernie Johnson, Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith and Shaquille O’Neal, will begin airing on ESPN and ABC.
ESPN told Sports Business Journal on Wednesday that “The Los Angeles Production Center will continue to host ESPN’s NBA studio productions and provide office space to additional L.A.-based employees,” though no indication was given as to whether that arrangement was permanent.
While ESPN recently gave contract extensions to top studio talent like Chiney Ogwumike and Kendrick Perkins, it sounds like the network’s plans for its future NBA studio coverage are up in the air.
Markazi added that uncertainty around top NBA talent at the network partially stems from questions about whether these shows will shoot from L.A.:
Multiple prominent ESPN personalities that cover the NBA also have contracts coming up before next season and part of those contract negotiations, according to the source, will revolve around ESPN not having a Los Angeles-based NBA show. Nothing has been decided yet but there is a chance ESPN completely leaves its LA Live studios and offices at the end of the year.
While Markazi does not name specific talent, a previous report from Ryan Glasspiegel of Front Office Sports indicated that NBA Today and NBA Countdown host Malika Andrews is up for a new deal in the fall. So is NBA insider Brian Windhorst, who regularly appears on both programs alongside Andrews.
With Andrews based in L.A., her future could hinge on ESPN’s decision.
Of course, looming over all of this is the threat of NBC and Amazon Prime Video. Both networks are still stocking up on NBA talent for their new broadcast rights deals, which begin in the fall. Analysts and reporters like Andrews and Windhorst hold leverage considering they can threaten to leave, but that likely wouldn’t be enough to change ESPN’s course if it wants to completely remove its presence in L.A.
About Brendon Kleen
Brendon is a Media Commentary staff writer at Awful Announcing. He has also covered basketball and sports business at Front Office Sports, SB Nation, Uproxx and more.