Negandhi and Steele have worked together recently on the "SportsCenter:AM" platformESPN IMAGES
ESPN's Sage Steele and Kevin Negandhi will be the "new co-hosts" for the 6:00pm ET time slot on the flagship network, and the show will "change the name back" to “SportsCenter” from the “SC6” brand previously created for Jemele Hill and Michael Smith, according to sources cited by Hannah Withiam of the N.Y. POST. Steele and Negandhi’s "first show together will be Monday." While Steele has been continuing her 7:00am “SportsCenter:AM” duties, Negandhi was "part of a rotating group of hosts ESPN had been using" at 6:00pm until it was "ready to name permanent replacements." ESPN appeared "willing to prolong the multiple-host strategy with the ratings" for 6:00pm showing a 16% uptick this April over last. ESPN now turns the slot over to Steele and Negandhi, "believing the veteran anchors can continue their recent run of success." The two have "worked together recently on 'SportsCenter:AM'" (N.Y. POST, 5/10).
DIFFERENT DIRECTION: USA TODAY's Steve Gardner notes Hill and Smith rolled out "SC6" in February '17, but Hill "left in January to become a columnist for The Undefeated and Smith exited 'SportsCenter' in March." Steele is "no stranger to controversy on social media, having been criticized for posts" about Buccaneers WR Mike Evans "sitting during the national anthem and travel ban protests" at L.A. Int'l Airport (USA TODAY, 5/10). In Boston, Alex Reimer noted it is "unlikely Steele will take her conservative-leaning politics to the airwaves." In an interview on the “Dan Patrick Show" in August '17, she said that ESPN viewers "don’t want to hear about hot-button social topics on 'SportsCenter'" (WEEI.com, 5/9).
