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40 Years of ESPN's SportsCenter

SportsCenter announcer Bob Ley on set after broadcast at ESPN studios.
Chuck Solomon /Sports Illustrated via Getty Images/Getty Images
SportsCenter announcer Bob Ley on set after broadcast at ESPN studios.

On Sept. 7, 1979, ESPN debuted its flagship daily sports program: SportsCenter. Its first live televised event was a softball game between the Kentucky Bourbons and the Milwaukee Schlitzes. Millions have been part of the journey ever since.

From the wry humor in its “This is SportsCenter” ads to the on-air banter and catchphrases anchors like Stuart Scott, Keith Olbermann and Dan Patrick popularized in the 1990s, SportsCenter has revolutionized the way we consume sports entertainment and sports journalism.

We talk with ESPN’s longest-tenured anchor Bob Ley and others about 40 years of SportsCenter.

Show produced by Stacia Brown.

GUESTS

Bob Ley, Founding SportsCenter anchor and veteran journalist; @BobLeyESPN

Eric Deggans, TV critic, NPR; @Deggans

Zubin Mehenti, Anchor, SportsCenter

Michele Steele, Studio anchor and reporter, ESPN; @ESPNMichele

For more, visit https://the1a.org.

© 2019 WAMU 88.5 – American University Radio.

Copyright 2019 WAMU 88.5

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