A HILL TOO HIGH
ESPN tried options before parting ways with outspoken host
JEMELE Hill and ESPN tried to stay together before agreeing to a divorce and a buyout on the nearly three years and millions of dollars remaining on her contract.
Hill had the option to become a regular part of “Highly Questionable,” according to sources. Hill has been a frequent guest with the show’s host, Dan Le Batard, and his father, Gonzalo, who is better known as Papi. The idea would have been to have Hill become a regular part of a rotation for the program.
Besides “HQ ,” Hill — the controversial commentator who sparred last year with President Trump — had discussions this summer about becoming a host on “SportsNation,” sources said. The show has subsequently been canceled.
Hill and ESPN also examined the possibility of her doing more in-depth work for The Undefeated, the network’s race and cul- ture website. The thought was that her work could appear on ESPN+. The company is trying to boost its subscriber base on its $4.99 monthly extra video service.
Instead, ESPN and Hill agreed to a buyout of the final $6.25 million she is owed over the next 2 ¹/2 years. Sources on both sides called the final discussions “amicable.”
The Post had previously reported her final day would be last Friday, but it is Sept. 15 — though she is not expected to be on the air much. Last week, she was on “Highly Questionable,” which — along with an already completed interview with the Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford — is expected to be her final appearance on the network.
Since leaving “SportsCenter” earlier in the year, Hill had not done much for ESPN. She wrote some columns for The Undefeated and did some fill-in work on the late-afternoon talk shows. She continues to tweet regularly about politics and other subjects.
In two weeks, Hill, 42, will become a free agent, and there are no restrictions on what she can do next. She has begun a production company, which seems as if it will be part of the next stage of her career.
A year ago, her profile at ESPN was raised because of her criticisms of the president, whom she called a “white supremacist.” Though it broke ESPN’s social media rules to comment on politics when it is unrelated to sports, then-ESPN president John Skipper chose not to discipline her. Later, after a more innocuous tweet about boycotting the Cowboys because of owner Jerry Jones’ stance on the national anthem, Skipper suspended Hill for two weeks. Jones is an important member of the NFL’s TV committee.
Hill and her former TV partner, Michael Smith, were highly touted as the new hosts of the evening “SportsCenter,” dubbed “The 6.” Though there was a lot of publicity, the show never found its stride. With new hosts Sage Steele and Kevin Negandhi and a more traditional “SportsCenter” approach, the program’s ratings have risen.
ESPN still wanted to keep Hill in a new role, but in the end, both sides decided it was time to move on.
➤ Radio Row: Joe Benigno isn’t back yet — nor is he gone. Benigno has been off the air since a sexual harassment suit alleged inappropriate behavior by the longtime WFAN host. The day after Labor Day is traditionally when all talk-show host vacations are over and everyone is back to work. Tuesday morning, the jingle that features Benigno and his cohost, Evan Roberts, played, but Roberts quickly said that once he has information about the empty seat next to him, he will pass it on. (Same here, by the way.)
Benigno, 64, has been talking about retirement for years, but this is not how anyone would want to go — especially after being such a nice story, from caller to longtime host. FAN must decide if it would be admitting guilt if Benigno is not on the air again. That said, the station executives and their bosses also must decide if Benigno could take calls given the salacious allegations. A call screener would have to be on his or her A game. It can be done.
Starting Sunday, WABC will add a Sid Rosenberg sports show, beginning at 8 a.m. Rosenberg and Bernard McGuirk do some sports during their weekday morning show, but the main focus is politics.
The price of Mike Francesa’s app is going to stay at nearly $100 per year, or $8.99 monthly, unless Francesa admits he made a mistake. Francesa said any criticism of the app’s price is “utterly ridiculous.”