It’s no secret that times are hard for fans of Chicago sports. The White Sox, Cubs, Bulls, and Bears are all in the midst of middling, or worse, performance in recent years. And the same is true of the team that used to be the reliable winner, the Blackhawks.When they drafted generational prospect Connor Bedard first overall in the 2023 NHL draft, the future appeared to be bright. An idea seemingly confirmed when Bedard brought home the Calder Memorial Trophy - the NHL’s rookie of the year award - in his first season on the ice.But year two has only added more angst to the situation. Bedard suffered through a sophomore slump to start the season, and Chicago is at the bottom of the standings in the NHL.So today, ESPN senior hockey reporter, Emily Kaplan tells Michele Steele, during an in person conversation, what the problem has been with Bedard and the Blackhawks in year two.Check out the playlist, featuring our favorite stories of 2024.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Every year the NBA Draft produces a crop of rookies that are full of expectations. And some are stamped with labels like “can’t miss” or “generational”. But where their careers go from there aren’t always inline with the guarantees they come into the league with.So today we talk with veteran NBA reporters Tim MacMahon and Michael Wright about two of the most recent prospects to have been deemed “can't miss”. Players who appear to be at crossroads in their careers – but heading in opposite directions.First, there’s Zion Williamson, the phenom prodigy from Duke, who can’t seem to stay on the court. And then there’s Victor Wembanyama, the wunderkind from France that seems to be living up to all the hype.And while these two former No. 1 draft picks still have plenty of basketball left, the final verdict on their legacies is yet to be determined.Check out the playlist, featuring our favorite stories of 2024.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The NFL regular season has come to a close. And the league saved the best for last, with the hunt for the NFC’s one seed coming down to a Sunday night matchup between the Detroit Lions and Minnesota Vikings.So with all of the byes determined, and playoff pairings set - Ben Solak and Michele Steele explore how the 14 playoff teams locked down their spots, and what the offseason holds in store for those who didn’t make it.Check out the playlist, featuring our favorite stories of 2024. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Join TJ Adeshola, former head of sports partnerships at Twitter, Reeta Hubbard, a seasoned sports commentator known as 'The NFL Chick,' and Jason Concepcion, Emmy-winning host and cultural commentator, as they dive into the changing dynamics of sports Twitter. They reflect on its decline post-Elon Musk's takeover, exploring the rise of toxicity and user migrations to platforms like Threads. With anecdotes on memorable sports moments and the vital role of online communities, they discuss where the future of sports conversations might lie.

The sports world is transforming in 2025, with new rule changes, new playoffs formats, and many other innovations across the landscape. So we brought on some of our favorite regular guests — Katie Barnes, Bill Barnwell, Elle Duncan, Luis Miguel Echegaray, Andreas Hale, Ryan McGee, Jeff Passan — and Clinton Yates, who will be back in the host’s chair later this month, to tell us not only what they’re most excited to cover in 2025, but also what they’re most excited to watch as fans. Plus, guest hosts Michele Steele and David Dennis, Jr. share their hot takes for the year and our team of ESPN Daily producers reveal what they’re most looking forward to covering on the show.Check out this playlist featuring our favorite stories of 2024. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On September 26th, 2024, the Athletics played their final game ever in Oakland, the city they’ve called home for 57 years. As friend of the show Jeff Passan wrote, baseball in the East Bay was “killed by greed… John Fisher did not have to move this team… This was a choice. A wrong one. History will sneer.” For the conclusion of our Death of a Sports Town series, we trekked to the Oakland Coliseum and bore witness to the sights, sounds, and emotions of a city’s last gasp as a big time pro sports town. It was a poignant and passionate display from a vibrant and rich fanbase, defiant to the very end. Today, we share that experience with you. Check out the playlist, featuring our favorite stories of 2024. Death of a Sports Town Episodes:Apple Podcasts: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, & Part 4Spotify: All episodes Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In covering Oakland’s unraveling as a big time sports town, we’ve documented the greed, the loss, the dubious decisions, and the rich sports community soon to be left behind. But we’ve yet to fully examine the most pertinent question of all––does the Athletics planned move to Las Vegas make any sense at all? Today, in part four of our series Death of a Sports Town, we take stock of why the A’s (and MLB) are so enamored with Las Vegas––a city soon to be the smallest market in the league––why this move will be extraordinarily messy, and why Oakland is America’s most-underappreciated sports town. Check out the playlist, featuring our favorite stories of 2024. Death of a Sports Town Episodes:Apple Podcasts: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, & Part 5Spotify: All episodes Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The loss of three professional sports teams in five years has thrust Oakland into the media spotlight, with coverage focusing on every twist, turn, stadium proposal, and relocation rumor. But amid all that noise, a central experience has been overshadowed: the story of the fans.In part three of our series, Death of a Sports Town, we turn our attention to the diehard Oakland sports fans who refuse to let their city’s reputation define them. We explore the thriving, tight-knit community that grew within the walls of the Coliseum and how, even after the teams have left, those bonds strive to endure in the face of an uncertain future.Check out the playlist, featuring our favorite stories of 2024. Death of a Sports Town Episodes:Apple Podcasts: Part 1, Part 2, Part 4, & Part 5Spotify: All episodesStatement from the Athletics:ESPN emailed the Oakland Athletics, asking “What does the team feel it owes its fans and the city of Oakland as September 26th approaches?” The team responded with the following statement: “We are deeply grateful to Oakland for being home to the A’s for nearly 60 years. In that span, the team and its fans celebrated four World Series championships, served as home to seven American League MVPs, made countless lasting memories, and achieved a storied place in baseball history. After an earnest and unprecedented effort to bring a visionary ballpark to downtown Oakland, we were unable to reach a deal, and more importantly, secure a reliable path to a fully approved project. We appreciate the community members, local leaders and staff who worked diligently to build a new home in Oakland and applaud the fans who passionately advocated for the team to stay. The A’s time in Oakland will always be a cherished part of this franchise’s history, and we carry that spirit forward on this journey to Sacramento and eventually to our new home in Las Vegas. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the loyal fans for their unwavering support throughout the years.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Any time a franchise owner threatens to leave a city, the pressure and scrutiny on civic leaders intensifies. But in Oakland, a parallel story emerged—a group of activist fans who refused to let the Athletics go quietly.In the second part of our series, Death of a Sports Town, we examine the three men who led the Warriors, Raiders, and Athletics away from “the Town,” the reasons behind their decisions, and the intimate story of one fan who launched a movement to fight back.The multipart series: ‘Death of a Sports Town’ is being re-published in the feed for the next 3 days. If you don’t want to wait, you can check out all of the episodes of this series from when they originally aired at the links below.Check out the playlist, featuring our favorite stories of 2024. Death of a Sports Town Episodes:Apple Podcasts: Part 1, Part 3, Part 4, & Part 5Spotify: All episodes Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On the afternoon of September 26th, the Oakland Athletics played the Texas Rangers in their final game ever in the city they’ve called home for 57 seasons. Following the lead of the Warriors and Raiders, they are the third major sports franchise to leave the city in just five years.This exodus is the culmination of decades of decisions, negotiations and missteps. And now, Oakland is no longer a big-time sports town. So how exactly did we get here? How does this all look and feel on the ground in the East Bay? And when a city loses all its teams, what’s left behind?With the help of lifelong Bay Area resident Tim Keown, we’ve been exploring these questions for months. And today, we kick off our multipart series Death of a Sports Town with a look at the ironically rich history of sports in “The Town,” and we unearth the 30-year-old decision that doomed sports in the gritty-city-by-the-bay.  The multipart series: ‘Death of a Sports Town’ is being re-published in the feed for the next 4 days. If you don’t want to wait, you can check out all of the episodes of this series from when they originally aired at the links below.Apple Podcasts: Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, & Part 5Spotify: All episodesCheck out the playlist, featuring our favorite stories of 2024.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices