Rich Eisen Making Return to ESPN With New Deal

Andrew Marchand of 'The Athletic' first reported the news, per sources.

Rich Eisen on Sep 12, 2021. / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

He's baaaaaaaaack.

Rich Eisen and his eponymous The Rich Eisen Show will be returning to ESPN come the fall as part of the network's new direct-to-consumer offering, The Athletic's Andrew Marchand reported Monday.

The show, which currently airs on Roku, could "also land on ESPN Radio," Marchand wrote, "where it would be viewed as an anchor for the network." Details there, however, are not yet final.

Eisen left ESPN for NFL Network in 2003. Despite the upcoming change, he will remain the featured host for NFLN's GameDay, partake in draft coverage and call regular-season games on the network, per Marchand.

In a contract structure similar to that of The Pat McAfee Show, ESPN will reportedly license Eisen's program, meaning the 55-year-old host will likely "maintain ownership and editorial control," Marchand added, clarifying that the exact deal terms are not yet known.

Eisen will not be featured on any of ESPN's linear networks; rather, adding the host is meant to bolster talent and options on the DTC app. The show will also be featured on ESPN+ and Disney+.

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