As if Who’s Now was not evidence enough.
Starting Monday, ESPNews will present what amounts to a mini-50 States in 50 Days feature called City by City. Each day for thirty days, ESPNews will profile one American city “via unique and customized segments on its signature programs“.
The list of “America’s 30 Leading Sports Cities” appears fairly random; while every city involved is host to a team from at least two of the four major sports, there seems to be no rhyme or reason as to why one city would be picked while another one would be passed over.
Additionally, ESPN will conduct its features in alphabetical order, going from Anaheim on Monday to Washington, D.C., on August 17 (hitting Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, East Rutherford, N.J., Green Bay/Milwaukee, Houston , Indianapolis, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, Minneapolis, New Orleans, New York, Oakland, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Pittsburgh, St. Louis, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, and Tampa Bay in between).
Unlike its ancestor 50 States in 50 Days, City by City will not feature any on-site reporting (or music by Bryan Adams). Instead, the segments will involve “[p]rofiles of the city?s top athletes, pro and college teams“, memories of the best moments in each city’s sports history, and interviews with local athletes, celebrities and journalists. In other words, what ESPNews already shows besides highlights — just with a name and a press release.
First Who’s Now, and now this. Will “This is SportsCenter” be making a comeback any time soon?
