Sage Steele will move to the noon ET edition of SportsCenter as co-anchor after the College Football Playoff and will add a new periodic ESPN+ interview program to her slate, while Elle Duncan will move to the 6 p.m. edition in February as ESPN announces the anchor lineups for its signature news and information program for the new year.
- Steele, who has co-anchored the 6 p.m. edition with Kevin Negandhi since May of 2018, will join Matt Barrie on the noon edition beginning in mid-January.
- The noon program also includes the daily OTL on SC segment from ESPN’s Outside the Lines.
- Steele, who has conducted interviews with many of sports’ top newsmakers during her time with ESPN, as well as guests from pop culture, entertainment and other areas, will bring that experience to a new periodic interview program that will stream on ESPN+.
- More details, including its debut date and title, will be announced later.
- Duncan, who has most recently been a co-anchor on the noon edition of SportsCenter, will move to the 6 p.m. edition and co-anchor with Negandhi when she returns from maternity leave, which is planned for February.
- Duncan, who has been a versatile anchor across many editions of SportsCenter, also will continue contributing to other ESPN programs including Around the Horn and Highly Questionable.
- SportsCenter will continue to have live editions on most weekdays at 7 a.m., noon, 6 p.m., 11 p.m., midnight and 1 a.m., depending upon live sports, with morning and night editions on weekends.
What they’re saying:
- Norby Williamson, ESPN Executive Vice President, Event and Studio Production & Executive Editor: “We have a very talented and diverse set of voices on SportsCenter and a deep lineup of quality individuals who make up the team. As we turn the page to 2021, we’re doing what we have always done – providing new opportunities for some anchors to experience different shows and pairings while offering continuity and familiarity to our viewers with other editions.”
- Sage Steele: “As I begin my 15th year at ESPN, I couldn’t be happier for the opportunity to continue my dream job of hosting SportsCenter. I am so thankful to ESPN for allowing me do so by returning to my roots at noon ET while raising three teenagers. The new venture on ESPN+ makes this one of the most exciting moves of my career, and the perfect way to kick off a new chapter in the new year.”
- Elle Duncan: “I’m honored to host the 6 p.m. SportsCenter and ultimately thrilled to work at a company that continues to offer new challenges and opportunities for growth. I’m so grateful to Matt Barrie for the partnership we’ve shared over the years and looking forward to building on a signature show with Kevin Negandhi in the new year. But first: this baby.”