ESPN’s late-afternoon programming block is on the verge of a significant transformation. Starting in the summer of 2025, the network’s weekday lineup will look markedly different, as one of its most enduring and popular shows will make its final bow.
In November, the New York Post reported that Around the Horn, the debate-style sports panel show that has aired since 2002, would be canceled next summer. With the program’s departure, ESPN will face the challenge of filling the half-hour slot that immediately precedes Pardon the Interruption (PTI), another long-running and beloved show in the network’s stable.
According to a recent report from Andrew Marchand of The Athletic, ESPN is considering a bold move: expanding PTI from its current 30-minute format to a full hour. The network has reportedly floated the idea to the show’s co-hosts, Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon, but no final decision has been made.
“ESPN has made overtures to expand the long-running hit featuring Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon from a half-hour to an hour,” Marchand wrote. “ESPN is still in the process of figuring out what it will do next in regards to the weekday 5 p.m. timeslot, but this is one of its top ideas. When reached, the network declined to comment.”
If ESPN moves forward with this plan, it would mark a significant shift for PTI. Launched in 2001, PTI has thrived with its brisk, 30-minute format. The show’s combination of incisive commentary, rapid-fire debate, and genuine chemistry between the two veteran journalists has captivated fans for more than two decades. Kornheiser, 76, and Wilbon, 66, have guided the show through countless sports storylines, major events, and cultural shifts, establishing PTI as a mainstay of ESPN’s afternoon schedule.
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The potential transition comes at a time when both Kornheiser and Wilbon appear to be in the later stages of their on-air careers. Having built substantial followings thanks to their decades of newspaper experience and television work, the pair’s candid approach and willingness to address delicate issues have endeared them to both viewers and ESPN brass.
Their show’s longevity and success stand in contrast to the changing media environment. Sports fans now have endless options for consuming commentary and debate, from social media platforms and podcasts to streaming services and smaller niche networks.
Despite that, PTI has maintained a loyal audience, in part because of its timeless appeal: two seasoned journalists discussing the day’s biggest topics with insight and humor.
John Ourand of Puck suggested last month that, despite speculation about changes to PTI—particularly given the hosts’ evolving schedules and the rarity of them appearing together in the same studio—the show remains central to ESPN’s plans. “My Bristol sources insist PTI will continue to anchor ESPN’s afternoon block for the foreseeable future,” wrote Ourand.
Should PTI extend to an hour, it would be a statement about the show’s ongoing relevance. It would also provide Kornheiser and Wilbon the flexibility to delve deeper into topics that are currently squeezed into short segments. With more time, the show could include longer interviews, expanded discussions of cultural and social issues related to sports, and perhaps even new segments designed to capture viewers’ attention in a fresh way.
Moreover, this move could help ESPN navigate the tricky landscape of personality-driven content. By giving two of its most respected voices a bigger platform, the network reinforces its commitment to thoughtful, experienced commentary at a time when some competitors are moving toward flashy viral moments and hot-take specialists.
The absence of Around the Horn, which for years provided a lead-in to PTI with a rotating panel of journalists debating the day’s headlines, will certainly change the tone of ESPN’s late-afternoon block.
If PTI takes over that space, viewers accustomed to a quick-fire debate show might experience a more extended period of in-depth dialogue. The shift might also reduce the frantic pace of the current block, allowing for a slightly more relaxed, conversational feel—something that might resonate with fans craving substance over soundbites.
For now, the future of PTI remains uncertain, as does ESPN’s decision on how to fill the void left by Around the Horn’s cancellation.
The network’s silence on the matter suggests that negotiations and internal discussions are still underway. If, however, Kornheiser and Wilbon do agree to an expanded PTI, it will affirm their continued status as two of the most trusted and enduring voices in sports media.
In an era of constant change, one thing remains clear: ESPN is counting on the credibility, chemistry, and staying power of PTI’s longtime hosts.
Should the show grow to an hour, fans can expect an evolution rather than a revolution—a sign that, even after more than 20 years, PTI still has plenty to say and room to expand.
