Karl Ravech signs off from ESPN MLB coverage after 33 years
Karl Ravech, who worked for ESPN for 33 years anchoring SportsCenter, Baseball Tonight, and Sunday Night Baseball, broadcast his final game on 24 August during the Little League Classic between Atlanta and Milwaukee. He was laid off by ESPN in July 2026 but was retained for contracted summer dates including the Little League broadcasts he has anchored for two decades.
Karl Ravech called his final game for ESPN on 24 August, covering the Little League Classic between the Atlanta Braves and Milwaukee Brewers at Historic Bowman Field in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. According to Awful Announcing, Ravech was laid off by ESPN in July 2026 after 33 years with the network but was retained to complete contracted summer dates, including the Little League broadcasts he has anchored for two decades. He called the final game alongside analyst Eduardo Perez and reporter Buster Olney.
Ravech anchored SportsCenter for much of his tenure at ESPN, per Awful Announcing, and served as the longtime host of Baseball Tonight, the network's nightly Major League roundup show. Baseball Tonight was discontinued, according to Awful Announcing. In recent years, Ravech was ESPN's lead play-by-play voice on the Sunday Night Baseball franchise.
Broadcast tributes marked the closing. Brewers outfielder Garrett Mitchell said on air, according to Awful Announcing: "Hey Karl, I want to say one thing to you real quick. I appreciate all that you've done. I know this is your last broadcast. I appreciate everything you've done for this game. I've been listening to you for a long time, and it's a pleasure to share this last one with you." Braves starting pitcher Chris Sale delivered remarks on air as well, per Awful Announcing: "Gotta say congratulations and thank you. Congratulations on playing some more golf, and thank you for the 30 years. You were a staple in my living room for 30 years, watching ESPN. You made it fun to watch ESPN. I just wanna say thank you for everything you did, man. It was awesome. You're one of the good ones."
Ravech learned of his layoff when a reporter called him for comment rather than hearing from ESPN management directly, according to Awful Announcing. The handling drew criticism from within the industry. Dan Patrick publicly called out ESPN for not showing Ravech more dignity in how the separation was handled, per Awful Announcing. Katie Nolan accused ESPN of exploiting Ravech's loyalty by keeping him on air for weeks after cutting him loose, according to Awful Announcing. Ravech declined to air grievances, calling his experience surreal and saying he held no ill will toward the network, per Awful Announcing. Linda Cohn has also departed ESPN, marking another exit of a long-tenured talent, according to Awful Announcing.
Ravech, a 33-year ESPN anchor, concluded his final MLB broadcast on 24 August after being laid off in July; he learned of the firing from a reporter rather than from network management.
Ravech's final broadcast closed a 33-year chapter at ESPN marked by institutional instability and a departure process that drew internal criticism for its lack of direct communication. The next phase of broadcast-booth transitions at ESPN will indicate whether the network's approach to veteran talent reflects a broader strategy or a one-off case.
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