For the first time in 22 years, Disney, ESPN and Rich Eisen are joining forces, as the former SportsCenter anchor will bring The Rich Eisen Show to Disney+ and ESPN+ beginning this fall. The Emmy-nominated program will stream on weekdays in its traditional noon to 3 p.m. ET timeslot, with its debut on both platforms coinciding with the launch of ESPN’s direct-to-consumer offering.
Eisen’s reconnection with ESPN, his home from 1996 to 2003, will go beyond The Rich Eisen Show to include select appearances across ESPN studio programming. During his original ESPN tenure, Eisen was a prominent SportsCenter anchor while also contributing to multiple high-profile events. Separate from Eisen’s newest agreement, he maintains his role at NFL Network.
The Rich Eisen Show will continue to originate out of Los Angeles and features an engaging mix of sports, humor and pop culture, including an array of signature guests, driving the show to become a leader and conversation starter in the sports media landscape for more than a decade. Since launching in 2014, The Rich Eisen Show has been nominated for multiple Emmys and, in 2023, Eisen was honored with the prestigious Marconi Radio Award for “Network/Syndicated Personality of the Year,” recognizing his excellence in radio broadcasting
“Rich Eisen is an ESPN icon and his return to Disney and ESPN platforms is a great win for all,” said Burke Magnus, ESPN President of Content. “The Rich Eisen Show is a unique blend that fans seek, approaching sports conversations with information, heart and humor, featuring guests from sports, music, entertainment and beyond. We will continue to be aggressive in adding premier content to our platforms, with The Rich Eisen Show being today’s example.”
Said Rich Eisen, President/CEO of Rich Eisen Productions. “To say this has been a long time coming is an understatement, especially considering I never thought a reunion with ESPN would happen in any role, let alone such a crucial one of ‘partner.’ Immense thanks to Jimmy Pitaro, Burke Magnus and Dave Roberts for their belief in The Rich Eisen Show and our amazing crew, without whom none of this could have been possible. I can’t wait to connect alike with new fans on Disney and ESPN’s many platforms and reconnect with long-time ones who remember me with hair.”
Star-Studded Guests Have Joined The Rich Eisen Show
Throughout its 11-year run, The Rich Eisen Show has attracted some of the most recognizable names in sports and entertainment, including Tom Brady, Patrick Mahomes, Saquon Barkley, Travis Kelce, Josh Allen, Deion Sanders, Robert DeNiro, Matt Damon, Jerry Seinfeld, Jodie Foster, Matthew McConaughey, Larry David, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Morgan Freeman, John Hamm, Will Ferrell, Paul Rudd and other notables.
Good Karma Brands, ESPN’s partner across digital video, audio, and podcasts, will also be involved in the sales component of The Rich Eisen Show.
More on Rich Eisen
One of television’s most visible anchors and personalities, Rich Eisen was a mainstay at ESPN before becoming the first on-air talent added at the NFL Network in June 2003, five months before the network’s launch.
More than 20 years later, he continues to be a centerpiece at the NFL Network, having garnered four Emmy nominations for Outstanding Studio Host along the way. Each Sunday morning throughout the NFL season, Eisen hosts the network’s Emmy-nominated NFL GameDay Morning and is the signature host of the NFL Network, anchoring the network’s on-location coverage of the NFL Draft, NFL Scouting Combine and Super Bowl. He also serves as the emcee of the Pro Football Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony in Canton, Ohio.
In 2017, Eisen was honored as the 12th Pat Summerall Award recipient at the St. Jude Legends of Charity Dinner. A tireless supporter of St. Jude, Eisen transitioned his annual Spring “Run Rich Run” event to become a fundraiser and has raised more than $8M for the children’s hospital.
A graduate of the University of Michigan, Eisen earned a Master of Science degree in Broadcast Journalism from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism in 1994.
He resides in Los Angeles with his wife, Suzy Shuster. Together they have three children and two rescue dogs.