Olbermann was a television sports talk show hosted by Keith Olbermann on the American cable network ESPN2. The show, broadcast live daily from Times Square Studios in New York City, premiered on August 26, 2013, and featured Olbermann offering commentary and analysis on issues in the sports world.
Olbermann was originally a sixty-minute nightly program, usually starting at 11:00 PM Eastern. For a brief period of time, specifically during the ESPN networks’ coverage of the Australian Open, the show temporarily aired at 6:00 PM in a thirty-minute format. During this period a repeat of the program aired on ESPNEWS at 2:00 AM.
In September 2014, Olbermann was moved from its nightly spot to a late afternoon time slot and began airing at 5:00 PM Eastern in a thirty-minute format. ESPNEWS added two additional repeat airings; the first aired at 6:30 p.m., the second one in the usual 2:00 a.m. slot, and the last at 5:00 a.m.
On July 10, 2015, two days after ESPN declined to renew his expiring contract, Olbermann announced on air that the series would be coming to an end on July 24. The announcement came after The Hollywood Reporter claimed that ESPN wanted Olbermann to tone down his critical commentary, but the network claimed the move was to cut costs related to Olbermann's salary and the use of the space at Times Square Studios, claims later confirmed by an aborted move of Mike & Mike to the same facility and releases of other network talent at the end of their contracts throughout 2015 and into 2016.
Background
Olbermann marked the second tour of duty for Keith Olbermann with the ESPN organization, having served as a popular co-anchor (alongside Dan Patrick) of the main network's SportsCenter between 1992 and 1997; it's also Olbermann's second stint at ESPN's secondary network, ESPN2, where he briefly served as original anchor of the network's SportsNight in 1993–1994. In the decade before Olbermann's debut, Olbermann gained notice as an anchor/commentator on hard news and political discussion, serving as host of Countdown with Keith Olbermann, which aired on MSNBC and, briefly, Current TV.
Since Olbermann's return to the ESPN family was formally announced in July 2013, much mention had been made in media coverage of the anchor's abrasive off-screen demeanor and his acrimonious partings with several of his previous employers, including his 1997 departure from ESPN. Both Olbermann and ESPN executives had reported "no friction" between them in the run-up to Olbermann's debut (ESPN VP/Programming Jamie Horowitz has noted Olbermann's openness to ideas and suggestions for the program); the anchor himself has owned up to his tempestuous past and his efforts to rebuild bridges with his old colleagues. Olbermann had also indicated he is happy returning to covering sports on a regular basis, telling The New York Times, "If you cover politics for eight years without interruption like I did, you need a change."
Format
The format rundown below was the format in use when the show was reduced to thirty minutes.