ESPN considering move from NYC Seaport studios and closure of LA broadcast facility

ESPN is reportedly planning to shutter its downtown Manhattan production facility at South Street Seaport studios by the end of the 2025 fiscal year, per reporting from Puck’s Dylan Byers.

Opened in 2018, the location serves as the primary home of “Get Up,” “First Take” and “Around the Horn.” “NBA Countdown” and even “NFL Countdown” have originated from the facility with a temporary rooftop studio created for coverage in 2020.

The broadcast facility is inside the Pier 17 development at South Street Seaport, which includes a large rooftop lawn for events, concerts and large format activations. This unique home has provided space for special events ESPN has broadcast from the city – but it also means the area is less than ideal for day-to-day activities.

Pier 17 was initially designed with upwards of 150,000 square feet of office space available, with ESPN occupying 19,000 square feet including two studios, a small control room and ancillary production space. 

The location, however, has had trouble with traditional office clients and has largely transitioned into a venue for events with additional restaurants and public-oriented spaces. 

ESPN joins Nike, who shuttered its design studio at Pier 17 in recent years. 

The network is planning to relocate New York City operations to Hudson Square as part of a new development that will house the headquarters of The Walt Disney Company, ESPN’s parent company. 

Advertisement

The Hudson Square development, which covers nearly an entire city block, will eventually become the home of ABC News and WABC along with daytime programming including “The View” and “Live With Kelly and Mark.”

Set Design

ESPN NYC Studio 1

View a gallery of this project…

Set Design

First Take

View a gallery of this project…

In Los Angeles, ESPN is reportedly looking to cease daily studio operations, likely as a cost-saving measure. Impacted workers would likely relocate to Bristol, the network’s home, or transition to remote. 

The Los Angeles Production Center includes 72,000 square feet of space and two studios, part of the L.A. Live complex in downtown Los Angeles across from the Crypto.com Arena.

Currently, late editions of “SportsCenter” and select NBA programming originate from Los Angeles.

These moves follow the closure of ESPN’s Las Vegas studio inside the Linq Hotel + Experience in 2023, following the network’s deal with PENN Entertainment to launch ESPN Bet.  

Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly identified one of the shows scheduled to move to the new Disney building. The show is “Live with Kelly and Mark” and has been corrected above.