The ESPN staple "Around the Horn" is airing its final episode on May 23. It's the ending of an era as the show transformed sports television.

Longtime ESPN employee and "Around the Horn" guest Sarah Spain has an interesting theory for the show being canceled.

For his final goodbye, Cowlishaw took a parting shot at his network for butting out Around the Horn as it continues to favor shows with former athletes instead of reporters, via Awful Announcing. Tim Cowlishaw with some pointed words toward ESPN in his final Face Time on 'Around the Horn': pic.twitter.com/qyMSXZI7uG

Around the Horn, launched on November 4, 2002, and hosted by Tony Reali since 2004, concluded after 4,953 episodes. The show, known for its lively debates among journalists like Woody Paige, Mina Kimes, and Bill Plaschke, was canceled as ESPN seeks to ‘modernize’ its programming, per The Hollywood Reporter.

As "Around the Horn" airs its finale this week, The Athletic's Andrew Marchand examines its 23-year run and legacy.

Canceled by the network, an ESPN staple ends this week. Its longtime host is still trying to understand why — and what’s next.

It’s difficult to accept that it’s going to be gone. After 23 years and almost 5,000 episodes, Around the Horn, ESPN’s daily studio debate show will be no more, signing off for the final time on Friday evening after being cancelled by the network.

The legacy of “Around the Horn” isn’t the show itself — although it was a signature and metronomic component within ESPN’s five-decade history — as much as its alumni, a multiplier effect that will continue to be seen and heard daily across sports media.