There’s no question that SportsCenter is a smaller part of the ESPN brand than it was in its heyday, and the show has evolved significantly. Recently, SportsCenter:AM anchor Gary Striewski has been active on social media defending the program against claims of irrelevance or being just another opinion show caught up in sports narratives. In a recent TikTok video, Striewski directly addressed a commenter who lamented that SportsCenter no longer provides highlights from major games, showcasing his preparation for Thursday morning’s episode where he featured highlights from Alabama-Missouri and Kentucky-Vanderbilt in men’s basketball.
Striewski challenged viewers, stating, “Don’t ask yourself where else you get this highlight besides Twitter (X) or these local, regional markets. Where else do you get these highlights, this collection of important stuff? Because we aggregate all the important stuff and deliver it to you in a nice, curated package called SportsCenter. Where else do you get this on a national scale?” He acknowledged that many ESPN programs tend to focus on similar topics in a debate format, admitting as he sorted through his notes that he initially couldn’t find any sections on the Lakers or Cowboys, before realizing SportsCenter had shown Lakers-Hornets highlights that day.
While SportsCenter may be different from its earlier iterations featuring icons like Keith Olbermann and Stuart Scott, Striewski stressed that the show continues to deliver value. In a world filled with social media feeds and recommendation algorithms, SportsCenter still offers must-see sports highlights and news in an engaging manner. “I do understand some of the people who might be disinterested,” Striewski remarked. “But to those people, I would say, maybe give us another try. For those who say, ‘I haven’t watched ESPN or SportsCenter in five years, seven years, or ten years … just give us another shot, man. We’re not all in the box that you think we’re checking.”
As the popularity of platforms like X, Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube grew, the habit of sports fans tuning into SportsCenter dwindled. However, if Scott Van Pelt’s viewership numbers and the value of sports highlight rights are any indicators, fans still want to catch up on their favorite teams and leagues. After all these years, Striewski and his team remain dedicated to providing that experience.
