The evolution of SportsCenter

Sports

The evolution of SportsCenter

ESPN's daily news broadcast made its debut in September 1979, today it is broadcast a dozen times a day from a new "future-proof" studio in Bristol, Conn.

Late last month, ESPN debuted its “future-proofed” SportsCenter set, the crown jewel in a massive new digital facility that came with a $125 million price tag. It had been 10 years since the last studio revamp. So obviously it was due.

Before the change Studio F in Bristol, Conn., had just 15 TV monitors. The new one has 114. Chris McKendry and Jay Crawford on the set of SportsCenter in February.

Scott Van Pelt (right) never looked the same after 2003, when SportsCenter began broadcasting in high definition.

SportsCenter hosts Jack Edwards and Linda Cohn are shown posing for a promotional photo on the studio set. The tagline "This is SportsCenter" is introduced to the masses.

Hosts Charley Steiner and Bill Patrick ushered a in a new era of SportsCenter. Rapid-fire electric tracks with graphics and music accompanied stories in the late 1980s and early 1990s. ESPN's trademark six-note melody ("Duh-nuh-nuh, duh-nuh-nuh") made its debut.

ESPN on air talent members John Saunders and Larry Burnett are shown having a conversation on the SportsCenter studio set back in 1988.

Bristol, CT - April 28, 1981 - Bristol, CT: ESPN on air talent members George Grande, Sharon Smith and Bob Ley are shown posing for the camera on the SportsCenter studio set back in 1981. (Photo by Tom Ford / ESPN Images)

Hosts Chris Berman and Greg Gumbel took over the SportsCenter studio set back in the early 1980s.

SportsCenter made its debut on Sept. 7, 1979, with George Grande (left) and Bob Ley conducting the daily news broadcast from Bristol, Conn. Now SportsCenter airs 12 times a day from two locations.

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Late last month, ESPN debuted its “future-proofed” SportsCenter set, the crown jewel in a massive new digital facility that came with a $125 million price tag. It had been 10 years since the last studio revamp. So obviously it was due.

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