After nearly four years away, popular ESPN personality Sage Steele is returning “home” to anchor a new-look SportsCenter:AM from ESPN’s Bristol, Ct., studios beginning Monday, August 28.
Steele, Jay Harris and Randy Scott will anchor the fast-paced 7-10 a.m. ET edition of ESPN’s signature news and information program. Steele, who joined ESPN in 2007, previously anchored SportsCenter until 2013, when she moved to other assignments within the company, also moving away from Connecticut.
But Steele is back on the ESPN campus now and ready to kick off the new show.
“In 2007, I achieved my dream of hosting SportsCenter,” Steele said. “That day, Jay Harris was my co-host and he basically carried me — a nervous rookie — through my first crazy show. I’ve had so many incredible learning experiences since that first day and now it’s all coming full circle.
“Jay and Randy Scott are not only two of the most talented people I know, but they’re two of the best people I know,” she said. “At this point in my career, it’s all about the people, and our people – our leaders who are committed to SportsCenter:AM – are the reason why I am so excited, so proud to be coming home.”
SportsCenter:AM was launched Feb. 8, 2016, with 7 a.m. ET marking the earliest start ever for a live edition of SportsCenter on a regular basis and debuting a new format designed to inform sports fans as they go about their busy early morning routine. When it re-launches on August 28, the program will have new regular segments, new graphics and a revised set while continuing the mission of serving early-morning viewers.
Among new SportsCenter:AM segments:
- Story of the Day – three unique looks at the biggest news of the day.
- Translating Coachspeak – SportsCenter experts will translate clichés often used by coaches into what they REALLY mean.
- The Most – In the 8 a.m. hour, “The Most” will show viewers the most impressive, ridiculous, funny, awesome or memorable play from the day and night before.
“Our overnight crew is tirelessly doing a ‘Red Zone’ every night for every sport, making sure people waking up the next day get more than a result – they get a story,” said Rob King, ESPN senior vice president, SportsCenter and News Platforms. “SportsCenter:AM celebrates our commitment to watching every game and using highlights to update and inform the fans who couldn’t watch live, infusing them with next-level stats, social content and local announcer calls to give them even greater energy and flavor
“It’s a real joy to welcome Sage back to Bristol and know she, Jay and Randy will be a great team for SportsCenter:AM,” said King.
SportsCenter:AM will be anchored Friday, Saturday and Sunday mornings by Matt Barrie, Elle Duncan and Kevin Negandhi beginning Sept. 1, with Negandhi missing Saturday mornings in the fall for his new role as host of ABC’s college football studio programming.
For the rest of the year, SportsCenter’s daytime lineup will also include the 10 a.m. – noon edition anchored by Lisa Kerney and Michael Eaves, with Toni Collins hosting with Eaves on Friday mornings, and SportsCenter Coast to Coast with David Lloyd in Bristol and Cari Championin Los Angeles from noon – 1 p.m.
SportsCenter Right Now Updates Begin August 28
Also beginning on August 28 will be SportsCenter Right Now, a new digital and television initiative with up-to-the-minute news updates. SportsCenter Right Now will appear multiple times per hour on ESPN.com and in the home-screen video player on the ESPN App. In addition to the digital platforms, SportsCenter Right Now updates will air twice hourly within ESPN daytime programming. The updates will begin August 28 in First Take and will expand in placement and frequency over the following months. Featuring SportsCenter anchors including Toni Collins, the TV and digital updates will originate from the SportsCenter studio.
SportsCenter Right Now also will be integrated into the live telecasts of some of the biggest prime-time sporting events on ESPN and ABC with reports that will air during halftime of events. SportsCenter anchors Scott Van Pelt and Stan Verrett will present fast-paced segments designed to entertain and inform fans and entice them to enjoy SportsCenter’s unique postgame and late-night coverage.
Verrett will anchor the debut segment airing at halftime of the 2017 Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game on ABC when No. 1 Alabama and No. 3 Florida State tangle in Atlanta on Saturday night, Sept. 2. Van Pelt will anchor the segments during ESPN’s Monday Night Football beginning Sept. 11.