Tony Reali’s Post-ESPN Journey: From “Around the Horn” to a YouTube Talk Show

The story is drawn from Tony Reali’s interview on the *Sports Illustrated* Media podcast “SI Media With Jimmy Traina.” The piece is a commentary-style conversation rather than a breaking news report, so the narrative reflects Reali’s personal reflections and opinions about his career transition after ESPN cancelled “Around the Horn” in 2025.

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One year after the final episode of “Around the Horn” aired, Reali debuted a new YouTube series titled Get Real With Tony Reali. He described the project as a return to the “communication business” he has built over a 25-year tenure at ESPN, noting that he will continue to watch the network’s sports coverage even as he produces independent content.

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Reali admitted that watching ESPN “at 5:30 knowing the other show at 5:00 wasn’t the show I was on” feels “weird.” He characterized the end of his long-running role as “messy” and expressed pride in his work while acknowledging the emotional difficulty of “cut ties” after two decades on the network. He likened his experience to a Hollywood skit where expectations of industry love did not materialize, saying the lack of immediate job offers was “a raw feeling.”

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During the interview Reali explained that he declined several post-ESPN proposals, stating, “I was thankful for them, but they weren’t the right fit.” He emphasized a deliberate choice to avoid launching an “Around the Horn 2.0” and instead take time to develop a format that aligns with his vision.

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• “Yeah, those four letters will always be attached to me,” — Tony Reali, former ESPN host

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• “It’s weird,” — Tony Reali, on watching ESPN after his departure

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• “I said no to a few offers,” — Tony Reali, on declining post-ESPN pitches

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• “Part of me thought, what did you think when you were hosting Around the Horn for 20 years, the industry would come back? I thought they'd love me and they'd be handing me jobs. That was not happening. That was not happening. There wasn't handing of jobs.” — Tony Reali, reflecting on industry expectations

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• “That was that was, of course, a real feeling, a raw feeling.” — Tony Reali, describing his emotional response

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These statements capture Reali’s candid assessment of his transition from a flagship ESPN role to independent digital media.

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