SC6, the reimagined SportsCenter hosted by Jemele Hill and Michael Smith, concluded nearly a decade ago, but its impact on ESPN and its eventual downfall still resonate today. During an appearance on The Rick Strom Show, Hill spoke about former ESPN executive Norby Williamson’s attempts to “de-Blackify” the show, particularly during Williamson’s oversight in the latter half of its run, which saw significant changes to the environment Hill and Smith had cultivated.
“He did a lot to de-Blackify the show,” Hill noted, pausing to invoke President Donald Trump’s mantra. “It just seemed very intentional and purposeful that he wanted to make SportsCenter great again.” Williamson, who was ousted from ESPN by Pat McAfee in 2024 before returning to Main Street Sports Group this year, stripped away many personal elements from SC6, including the intro music by DJ Jazzy Jeff and the side-by-side opening that Hill and Smith used to start each show. He even opted to remove photos of track stars Tommie Smith and John Carlos during their 1968 Olympics protest, along with images of the hosts with Barack and Michelle Obama.
Despite this, Hill asserts that SC6 was never meant to be a political show. Instead, she argues that ESPN executives and audiences perceived it as such simply because of the hosts’ identities. “If there was some political or social issue, it definitely was tied to sports and in the news,” she explained. “This is something a lot of Black people know: your presence is just political. Whether you want it to be or not. So really, what they were trying to say was, ‘Where did they get these two Black people from, and why are they on the 6 o’clock SportsCenter?’” At that time, Hill and Smith found themselves navigating a landscape fraught with optics-related concerns.
In comparison to the overt political discussions seen today on shows like The Pat McAfee Show or Stephen A. Smith considering a run for office, it’s evident how much has changed. With Williamson gone, current ESPN leadership focuses more on attracting talent aimed at drawing an audience.
