ESPN Cancels "Barstool Van Talk" After Airing Only One Episode

ESPN has cancelled “Barstool Van Talk” after just one episode. ESPN President John Skipper in a brief statement this afternoon said, “While we had approval on the content of the show, I erred in assuming we could distance our efforts from the Barstool site and its content.” The show drew 88,000 viewers during its only airing late last Tuesday night at 1:00am ET. ESPN’s association with Barstool Sports drew criticism from “Sunday NFL Countdown” host Sam Ponder, who had been targeted in an article posted on the website several years ago (THE DAILY). Author Jim Miller writes, “Criticism from outside was matched by criticism from inside @espn & Skipper placed great deal of import on the later” (TWITTER.com, 10/23).