Rich Eisen discusses returning to SportsCenter for first time in over 2 decades
By Sydney Hunte
Published:
Rich Eisen was one of the most popular SportsCenter anchors during his time with ESPN from the mid-1990s to early 2000s. Eisen left Bristol in 2003 to become one of the lead hosts of the NFL Network, where he remains to this day. He’s also added a popular radio show to his daily duties.
But on Monday, Eisen, whose show will move to ESPN Radio, Disney+, and ESPN’s new DTC app in September, anchored SportsCenter for the first time in nearly 2 decades from Los Angeles — vintage graphics and all.
“I am buzzing this morning,” Eisen said on Tuesday’s edition of The Rich Eisen Show. “I am overwhelmed with emotion and appreciative of the reaction to my appearance on SportsCenter last night on ESPN after the Monday Night Football game.”
Eisen recounted a discussion he had with ESPN executive Dave Roberts about returning to the show, albeit for one night.
“That’s like asking, to use the Disney+ parlance, a princess if she wants to build a snowman?” Eisen said.
Eisen’s most frequent SportsCenter partner was the late Stuart Scott. Monday’s episode paid tribute to Scott by displaying an empty chair next to Eisen at the desk, along with another emotional twist.
“Cancer robbed all of us, of Stuart, and me in particular, of an opportunity to do a show with him one more time,” Eisen said. “We set up a chair. This was all a conscious decision. Let’s put the chair and again, beautifully shot and directed, just pulling out, showing the chair, showing Stuart, literally looking over my shoulder. I mean, come on.”
Sydney is an Atlanta-based journalist who has covered everything from SEC and ACC football to MLS, the U.S. men's national soccer team and professional tennis. His work has appeared on such platforms as SB Nation, Cox Media Group and FanSided.
