SportsCenter is a daily sports news program that has been the backbone of ESPN since the network’s very first broadcast on September 7, 1979. Created by ESPN executives Chet Simmons and Scotty Connal, the show debuted as a 30-minute program co-anchored by George Grande and Lee Leonard. More than four decades later, it remains one of the most-watched programs in American television history.
Originally broadcast once daily, SportsCenter expanded progressively to cover every major development in sports around the clock. Today it airs up to twelve times per day across multiple editions — at 7 a.m., 2 p.m., 6 p.m., 11 p.m., and 1 a.m. ET on weekdays, among others — each tailored to the day’s sports calendar. The broadcasts cover game highlights, scores, breaking news, trades, injuries, and in-depth features.
SportsCenter has been anchored by some of the most recognizable names in sports television. Chris Berman, one of the show’s earliest anchors, became famous for his player nickname catchphrases and remained with ESPN for nearly five decades. Stuart Scott, who anchored the show from 1993 until his death in 2015, transformed the show’s cultural identity with his hip-hop-influenced delivery and iconic catchphrases.
Keith Olbermann and Dan Patrick co-anchored what became known as “The Big Show” era in the 1990s — widely considered the show’s creative peak. Linda Cohn, who joined in 1992, is the longest-tenured female anchor in the show’s history. Current anchors include Scott Van Pelt, Hannah Storm, Elle Duncan, Nicole Briscoe, and Steve Levy, among a large rotating roster of contributors.
