No More Leftovers: “Cold Pizza” To Be Renamed, Remade

ESPN Exec VP/Studio & Remote Production Norby Williamson said that ESPN, which is moving ESPN2’s “Cold Pizza” from N.Y. to its corporate campus in Bristol, Connecticut, will complete the move and also rename the show by June 1, according to Michael McCarthy of USA TODAY. Williamson “wants [‘Cold Pizza’] to be more news program than fluffy morning show” and said that ESPN will “more closely integrate it with its lead-in,” a simulcast of ESPN Radio’s “Mike & Mike in the Morning.” Williamson: “We’ve made it more of a first take (on the news). We want to expand that.” He suggested that, “similar to ‘The Sports Reporters,’ ESPN will build a rotating team of four or five commentators to go head-to-head with” commentator Skip Bayless. ESPN Coordinating Producer Mike McQuade said, “Instead of being New York-centric, the show will be more national-centric.” Since its January 2 move from 8:00am ET to its current time slot of 10:00am, viewership for “Cold Pizza” is up 66% (USA TODAY, 2/23).