Bomani Jones reportedly expected to leave ESPN when contract expires in March

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Andrew Marchand of the New York Post reports in his weekly SportsClicker newsletter that Jones is not expected to renew his contract with the network when it expires in March. Though an official decision has not been made, ESPN whittling down the properties on which Jones appears makes that conclusion likely.

As Marchand points out, if ESPN wanted to stay in the Bomani Jones business, Highly Questionable would probably have remained on the air with him hosting the show. Instead, the show was canceled and revamped into a new program titled Debatable which premieres today (Oct. 4) at noon ET on the network’s digital channels (Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and the ESPN app).

Jones being part of the Debatable crew seemed like a natural move. Yet in ESPN’s promotional video for the new show, he’s notably absent among “your favorite talking heads” — including Mina Kimes, Elle Duncan, Mike Golic Jr., and Pablo Torre — that will participate.

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If Jones leaves ESPN, the question is where he might land next. He has a role as commentator and roundtable contributor with HBO’s Back on the Record with Bob Costas. But that’s a monthly program, airing three episodes since its debut in late July.

Marchand mentions Showtime as a possibility, which appears to be a good place to build a show around him. The Right Time could join All the Smoke and Morning Kombat in the premium cable channel’s podcast lineup, providing a wider-ranging show to go with the sports-specific programs on the roster. And on the regular network, Jones could possibly develop a show around commentary and documentary, as seen with weekly programs Desus & Mero and The Circus, and the many documentaries (sports and otherwise) Showtime currently produces.

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