ESPN Denies It Has Barred Paul Finebaum From Shows

ESPN has denied the report that has barred Paul Finebaum, 70, is a longtime sports radio host and ESPN personality best known as "the voice of the SEC" from appearing on shows.

Finebaum September 29 publicly revealed in an interview with conservative sports outlet OutKick (founded by Clay Travis) that he's seriously considering a Republican bid for Alabama's U.S. Senate seat in 2026. The seat is being vacated by incumbent Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), a former Auburn football coach who announced his run for Alabama governor instead. 

Finebaum, who has no prior political experience, said the idea initially came from "one or two people in Washington" who texted him to gauge his interest—something he "never thought about before."

What sparked his shift? Finebaum cited the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk (31), founder of Turning Point USA, on September 10, 2025, during a speaking event at Utah Valley University. Kirk, known for campus debates on hot-button issues, was killed in a shooting that Finebaum described as an "awakening." He recounted feeling "numb" and "empty" while hosting his show that weekend, realizing sports felt irrelevant amid national turmoil. 

"I spent four hours numb talking about things that didn’t matter to me," he told Travis. Finebaum also revealed he's a registered Republican (previously in North Carolina and Alabama) and voted for President Donald Trump in the most recent election, though ESPN instructs talent not to discuss politics on air.

He expressed hesitation due to rumors about former Auburn basketball coach Bruce Pearl (a personal favorite) running, but Pearl retired on September 28, 2025, and ruled out a Senate bid. Finebaum praised Alabama as the place where he's "felt the most welcome" and "cared the most about the people." 

He expects a decision within 30-45 days, ahead of Alabama's January 26, 2026, qualifying deadline for the May primary. 

Since the disclosure ESPN has canceled Finebaum's network appearances on all shows, including some that have occurred for a decade plus." 

Travis, citing unnamed sources, suggested this was retaliation for Finebaum's political disclosures, drawing comparisons to ESPN's tolerance of Stephen A. Smith's Democratic presidential flirtations.  AL.com and On3 quickly corroborated the claim, noting Finebaum's absence from his usual Sunday SportsCenter recap slot (a decade-plus staple) and Monday's First Take after a massive college football weekend. 

However, he did appear on ESPN-affiliated platforms over the weekend. Bill Hofheimer, ESPN's Vice President of Communications, quote-tweeted Travis: "This is not true at all." A spokesperson added that Finebaum remains fully active, with scheduled appearances on First Take (Tuesday, October 7) and SportsCenter (weekend). ESPN emphasized his ongoing role on SEC Network programming, which it owns. Travis stood by his sources, questioning absences and implying Hofheimer's denial was above his "pay grade."