The end is near for "Jim Rome is Burning", sort of. According to the Web site thebiglead.com, ESPN is pulling the plug on Jim's 30 minute daily sports talk show later this month after 8 years on the "Worldwide Leader". While the network has decided not to renew Jim's show, it reportedly won't be off the air for long.

The show, featuring the Los Angeles-based sports "shock jock's" opinions on the big sports news of the day and one-on-one interviews, will reportedly resurface on the recently renamed CBS Sports Network, DIRECTV 613, at an undetermined date. Sources say Rome will have an expanded role beyond the show he'll be doing on CBS' own 24/7 sports network. What that would be is unclear, and Rome isn't commenting at this time. CBS Sports Network is however planning a "big announcement" soon.

As for why ESPN has decided to cancel "Jim Rome is Burning", some sports media observers think that the Bristol, CT-based network has done the show no favors over the last 6 months to a year. For starters, the show now airs on ESPN2. The channel has constantly bounced the show around from a time slot standpoint, but hasn't been getting the publicity of 2 other daily shows. The shows in question, "Numbers Never Lie" with ex-FOX Sports sideline babe Charissa Thompson & ESPN.com's Michael Smith & "Dan LeBatard is Highly Questionable" with the Miami Herald columnist/The Ticket sports radio host & card-carrying member of ESPN's "Sports Reporters", have been getting a lot more publicity than Rome's show lately.

CBS Sports recently raised eyebrows with the hirings of former ESPN.com college football writer Bruce Feldman and most recently longtime Newsday MLB columnist Jon Heyman to provide expert analysis and write columns for CBSSports.com. The network, still very much heavy on college sports, recently added a TV simulcast of Yahoo! Sports Radio's "Tim Brando Show" weekdays 9a-Noon (CT) and also signed on as the new home of the PBR: Professional Bull Riders Tour. It's unclear what Rome's addition would mean for the CBS Sports Network moving forward.

I don't mean to laugh at the millions that love pro bull riding but I don't think I would puff out my chest
too much about pulling this league in under your wing.

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Flew too close to the sun on wings of pastrami

The only thing I can figure is that CBS Sports Network wants to branch out beyond college football & basketball that they air all the time.

He is way better on the radio. No big deal. I am a huge fan of Rome, but have not watched the show in over a year.

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"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."

They have succeeded in pulling in a whole new market that is for sure.

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Flew too close to the sun on wings of pastrami

100% agree

Rack him

Did you ever have a Rome mult RPB? Could have sworn you did.

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Flew too close to the sun on wings of pastrami

When ESPN 1000 first aired it live, neither Tony Kornheiser nor Dan Patrick were pleased that Jim Rome's show was on. Initially, Rome's "Jungle" nipped the final hour of Kornheiser's old show & the first 2 hours of the Patrick show before Rome's show got moved to nights on tape delay. Even that didn't please many listeners and eventually ESPN 1000 removed it completely. The radio show hasn't resurfaced on any other radio station in Chicago.

Truth be told, I haven't seen Rome's TV show for quite sometime, let alone Frank Caliendo's spoof on "FOX NFL Sunday" either. As for the end of "Jim Rome is Burning", I won't miss it, but I'm simply reporting the story.

You are correct, Sir

Here's a little more on why Jim Rome is leaving ESPN. According to SportsByBrooks, ESPN bosses wanted to move Jim's TV show from near his Orange County, CA home to the network's new Los Angeles complex adjacent to STAPLES Center. That's the spot where they now originate the midnight-ish (CT) "SportsCenter" with anchors Stan Verrett & Neil Everett as well as ESPN/ABC's new look "NBA Countdown". At the same time, network bosses also wanted to dump Rome's own non-ESPN production crew in a cost-cutting move. As it turns out, "Jim Rome is Burning" actually cost the "Worldwide Leader in Sports" about $7 million a year shooting near his home. The L.A.-based sports "shock jock" burns for the last time on ESPN January 27th.

It's unclear what will fill the void, but ESPN2 will move two of the shows before "Jim Rome is Burning" a half hour later once Jim signs off. "Numbers Never Lie", the new stats-driven sports talk show hosted by former FOX Sports' sideline babe Charissa Thompson & ESPN.com's Michael Smith, will start at 3p instead of 2:30p. "Dan LeBatard is Highly Questionable", starring the card-carrying ESPN "Sports Reporter" from the Miami Herald and The Ticket SportsRadio down there, will move from 3p to 3:30p (CT) starting January 30th. ESPN bosses are planning another original production on ESPN2 to fill Rome's void in its daytime afternoon schedule.

In addition to moving "Jim Rome is Burning" to CBS Sports Network, SportsByBrooks has also learned that Rome will also make regular appearances with CBS-owned Showtime. Rome will reportedly be the centerpiece of an aggressive move by Showtime Sports into original sports programming under the network's new EVP & General Manager Stephen Espinoza. It's unclear when Rome starts his new gigs with CBS & Showtime.

Awesome! Hopefully that frees up more time for professional cycling events on the new NBC Sports Network. I hated it when they competed against each other during the Tour season.