John Anderson, a veteran SportsCenter anchor who has been with ESPN since 1999, has announced that he will be leaving the show and the network when his contract expires at the end of June. Anderson, who typically hosts the 11 p.m. ET show, shared the news on social media. Despite his departure from SportsCenter, Anderson will still be part of ESPN’s track and field coverage, which includes prestigious events like the New York City and Boston marathons.
In addition to his work at ESPN, Anderson has also called track and field events for Olympic Broadcasting Services during the Tokyo Games. He completed the New York marathon in 2010 and briefly hosted the reality TV show “Wipeout.” Anderson expressed his excitement about continuing to cover track and field events, highlighting his passion for the sport.
Anderson admitted that the daily grind of hosting a nightly show like SportsCenter has taken its toll on him. He mentioned the possibility of returning to one of the places he lived before joining ESPN, such as Phoenix, Arizona; Arkansas; South Carolina; Missouri – his alma mater; or Wisconsin, his native state. The full interview with Anderson will be released on the “Inside Wisconsin Show” on Thursday, where he discusses his uncertain future beyond leaving SportsCenter.
This news comes after longtime SportsCenter anchor Neil Everett announced his departure from the show after a 23-year run at ESPN. Change is in the air for SportsCenter as some of its most experienced anchors transition into new chapters.