ESPN is set to assign Sage Steele and Kevin Negandhi to host a revamped SportsCenter, according to reports.
Steele and Negandhi are reportedly taking over the cable sports network’s signature show most recently hosted by Michael Smith and liberal activist Jemele Hill, according to USA Today.
It was also reported that the show will no longer be referred to as SC6 and will only be called SportsCenter.
The network has not made any official announcements, but reports say the new hosts will take over as early as next Monday.
The show’s previous host, Jemele Hill, was suspended twice for liberal outbursts on social media and for violating the company’s policies. But Hill remained outspoken of extreme liberal positions. Most recently she slammed President Donald Trump for inviting national anthem protester Colin Kaepernick to a White House race summit.
The choice of Steele to replace Hill is interesting as one might assume that the two hosts’ politics are completely opposite of each other. But, Steele is no stranger to controversy, either.
Steele was also criticized for posts on social media. In one case she was criticized for a social media post expressing her annoyance at leftist protesters who had shut down an airport causing her to miss her flight. In another case, Steele was criticized by social justice warriors for slamming NFL players who protest during the playing of the national anthem.
Steele also asserted that some employees at ESPN had started fearing for their jobs if they became known as conservatives.
The likely new host of SportsCenter also criticized her predecessor saying she had little sympathy for Hill’s troubles over her social media posts.
“I think Jemele is a completely different story in that she put that onto herself of her own volition,” Steele said in January.
“When you’re a public figure, and you choose to make a choice to express yourself, things come with that,” Steele added. “People are gonna take what they wanna take from what you say and what you do, and at some point, you’ve got to let go of that. Or just don’t talk.”
Follow Warner Todd Huston on Twitter @warnerthuston.
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