Woody Paige Reveals How Much He Got Paid For ‘Around The Horn’

After 23 years, Around The Horn will air its final episode this Friday. Few panelists will remain as synonymous with the ESPN studio show as Woody Paige.

The all-time leader in wins and appearances, Paige stayed a steady member of Around the Horn‘s revolving door of journalists competing for points from host Tony Reali. The longtime columnist consistently displayed jokes on a blackboard behind him while filming the show.

Around The Horn had a profound impact on Paige’s career, and checking account. He told the Washington Post‘s Ben Strauss that he initially received a $500 appearance fee that eventually increased to $2,000 per episode.

“The show changed how I approached life,” he said. “I made $1 million one year.”

In a profile from New York Magazine’s Jake Nevins, Paige noted that Around the Horn‘s early panels were “always middle-class white guys.” The show evolved to feature diverse voices.

“The point is that we had to grow and expand not only with the people on the show but expand our talking points,” Paige said. “I think that kept us fresh, but it also might have kept us from reaching higher heights in our ratings.”