By: Annaliese Gumboc
On Friday, June 23, Neil Everett signed off from SportsCenter one final time, marking the end of his 23-year career with ESPN.
Everett had reportedly rejected a renewed contract that would have significantly reduced his pay. His departure is one of many amidst a series of budget cuts executed by Disney, ESPN’s parent company.
Everett, 61, began his media career in Hawai’i, where he spent 15 years climbing the ranks of local news stations. He was reportedly working as an assignment editor for KITV when he was given his first shot at sports broadcasting, as a fill-in for the regular anchors. He would later become the sports director and weekday anchor of KGMB-TV, a local CBS affiliate.
In July 2000, Everett landed a position as a sports anchor with ESPN. In 2009, he began hosting the late edition of SportsCenter with co-anchor Stan Verett.
Throughout his decades-long tenure at ESPN, Everett earned the respect and endearment of fans and colleagues alike. “For 14 years, he was the best teammate I could imagine,” Stan Verett tweeted. “Selfless, caring, generous, and a pro’s pro. He’s moving on now, but we are brothers for life. That’ll never change.”
Everett’s final broadcast for SportsCenter was filled with touching moments and tributes to the longtime anchor. In his final minutes on air, ESPN played a montage highlighting Everett’s storied career and affable personality. Then, Everett said goodbye to his viewers one last time.
“Love is a long road,” Everett concluded. “I’ll see you down it.”