Writer’s Strike End a Boon for Sports Networks, Agencies
During its original run in the late 2000s, “Sport Science” was a cult hit as a segment of ESPN’s SportsCenter.
Now, the show is returning, according to its host and executive producer John Brenkus, who tweeted the news earlier this week and said he had a “big announcement coming.”
The twist? Brenkus says the revival won’t be on ESPN.
So now the question becomes where could the show end up?
Before being picked up by ESPN, Sport Science began its life on Fox Sports Networks, where it was distributed around the country to FSN regional sports networks. The Walt Disney Company acquired FSN as part of its purchase of 21st Century Fox in 2019 — and Disney subsequently sold FSN to Sinclair Broadcast Group, who rebranded the RSNs to Bally Sports.
A return to the regional model on Bally is a possibility. Sport Science could also return to the Fox suite of programming on FS1, which Fox Sports still owns.
But, of course, you should never count out the Mouse.
Brenkus is the co-CEO of BASE Productions, a production company that largely makes reality TV programming. One of BASE’s shows is “Crime 360,” which airs on A&E — a joint venture between Disney and Hearst Communications — and streams on Disney-owned Hulu.
So while Brenkus may not have been lying when he said “Sport Science” would not be on ESPN, it could end up on a property owned by the sports network’s parent — potentially on streamers Hulu and/or Disney+.
