Some people thought ‘SportsCenter’ was dying — but things are turning around

After a ratings slip that lead to the Huff Post writing headlines like “How Twitter killed ‘SportsCenter,’“ the iconic ESPN franchise is turning around.

Some of those losses are attributed, as that headline suggests, to easy access to sports highlights on social media and other media outlets.

The change in fortune has been at least partially driven by changes made by Norby Williamson, who was put in charge of the shows in November 2017.

Sports Business Journal reports Williamson has essentially returned the show back to its “basics.”

“Linear TV can do things that digital can’t: duration, high-level anchors, entertaining,” he told the publication.

Williamson isn’t done — he says there’s a three year cycle for “big tweaks.”