ESPN Should Use Michael Wilbon’s Absence to Plan Pardon the Interruption’s Future

Time always wins. It’s a tale we all face at some point in our lives. The sooner we recognize the importance of taking care of ourselves, the longer we can battle time. Yesterday, Michael Wilbon announced it was time to step away and focus on himself. According to Wilbon’s statement, struggles with multiple health issues in recent months now require him to take an indefinite leave of absence from ESPN and Pardon the Interruption.

Wilbon has earned the opportunity to take this time, and hopefully, it won’t be long before he’s back. As he said, this isn’t retirement but simply a trip to the injured list. However, ESPN should look at Wilbon’s decision as an opportunity. It’s a chance to investigate whether Pardon the Interruption can live on in a post-Wilbon and Kornheiser world.

Before moving forward, we should all wish Wilbon the very best and a speedy recovery so he can return to the desk he and Kornheiser have owned for 25 years. PTI is their show. It’s hard to imagine a day when the program isn’t hosted by one or both of them.

The show remains the network’s top studio program. Its 25th anniversary program averaged an audience of almost one million people. Pardon the Interruption also posted its best October viewership in a decade, despite receiving little promotion or digital support from ESPN.

Getting The Rub

Needless to say, the formula works as well as it has for years. But will it continue into the future? Wilbon will turn 68 later this month, while Kornheiser just turned 78. Despite the amount of ribbing between the two, the likelihood of both continuing into their 70s and 80s is becoming increasingly small.

This month, as @PTI celebrated its 25th anniversary the program delivered its best October viewership in 10 years! pic.twitter.com/ZeP4sHlaYE

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Make no mistake, ESPN has plenty on its plate right now. What should it do with Troy Aikman on Monday Night Football? What does the future of Inside the NBA look like without Ernie Johnson and, potentially, Charles Barkley? But Pardon the Interruption is different. It’s ESPN’s property and arguably the biggest appointment-viewing draw in the network’s daily studio lineup. It’s an asset that continues to be held in the highest regard.

Now, with Wilbon tending to personal health issues, ESPN has a perfect opportunity to experiment with the show for its future.

The key to any transition is avoiding a departure from the program’s foundation. Pardon the Interruption is rooted in journalism and informed debate. Not hot takes. Not bro culture. It’s a throwback to a time when credibility mattered above all else in ESPN studio programming.

Therefore, any experiment shouldn’t stray far from those roots. Of course, we should expect familiar names like Frank Isola, Pablo Torre and Mina Kimes to fill in during Wilbon’s absence. They’ve been among the most recognizable contributors to the program for years, and their appearances wouldn’t feel out of place with today’s PTI audience.

But this is a unique opportunity, and ESPN’s approach should be just as distinctive.

Endless Possibilities

Kevin Clark is one of the top names ESPN should consider, particularly given his connection to Omaha Productions. His background is rooted in journalism, from his family’s ties to local newspapers to his own experience working for The Wall Street Journal and The Ringer. He’s a go-to voice for football analysis on SportsCenter with Scott Van Pelt, and his This Is Football podcast is among the best in the business.

The opportunity to sit alongside Kornheiser and let their personalities flow would make for must-watch television. Two scribes from different eras going toe-to-toe would provide an intriguing preview of what could come down the road.

While his afternoon program on ESPN New York would likely factor into any decision, Alan Hahn would also benefit from more camera time alongside Kornheiser. His journalism background at Newsday, combined with his experience in radio and television with MSG Network, gives him a terrific foundation for what he could bring to the future of PTI.

Plus, imagine the fodder Hahn’s appearances on PTI would provide Don La Greca and Peter Rosenberg during their afternoon drive-time show on ESPN New York.

Within ESPN, Peter Schrager should also be considered for fill-in opportunities. Brian Windhorst would make a solid guest co-host as well. Why not think outside the network and see whether Tony Reali would be open to returning for an episode or two? Would it be out of the realm of possibility to consider Skip Bayless? PTI has always viewed itself as something of an outsider within ESPN’s programming ecosystem. Why not have Dan Le Batard make a one-time appearance in support of his good friend and former colleague, Wilbon?

For ESPN, the opportunity to try something different is right in front of it. For a show that has found success through consistency, the future is now worth examining. PTI succeeded because it was different. It thought outside the box and bet on an audience willing to embrace sports conversation rooted in factual, informed debate.

Now, 25 years later, it’s about planning for the next 25.

Race Against Time

Time always wins. That’s a reality ESPN can’t avoid, no matter how successful a program has been or how much its audience wants things to remain the same. Pardon the Interruption has spent 25 years proving that great sports television doesn’t need to be reinvented every few years. It needs the right personalities, chemistry and a commitment to intelligent conversation.

Michael Wilbon deserves the time to focus on himself, and hopefully, his absence is only temporary. But ESPN shouldn’t wait until the inevitable arrives to start thinking about what comes next. The network has an opportunity to let the audience see what the next chapter could look like without sacrificing what made the original so special.

Wilbon and Kornheiser built something that has stood the test of time. Now it’s up to ESPN to figure out how to make sure it doesn’t end when their time at the desk does.

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Source: sports.yahoo.com — article syndicated from the publisher’s feed; all rights remain with the original publisher.