ESPN anchors go too far - shocking on-air stunt on Astronomer CEO Andy Byron and Kristin Cabot sparks outrage
ESPN
's "SportsCenter" hosts attempted to capitalize on the viral wave, but may have gone too far.
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The two ESPN anchors drew criticism for recreating a viral concert kiss-cam moment between
Astronomer CEO
Andy Byron and HR Head
Kristin Cabot
.
Why did this moment from a concert end up on ESPN?
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Undo
A middle-aged couple appeared to be having an intimate moment on the kiss cam at Coldplay's Boston show on Wednesday night. But as soon as they became aware that they were the center of attention, they hurried apart. That response somewhat surprised Chris Martin, the singer of Coldplay. He concluded, "Either they're having an affair or they're just very shy."
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The viral exchange from the Coldplay concert was recreated by "SportsCenter" hosts Gary Striewski and Randy Scott on Friday morning.
Many people found the lighthearted segment inappropriate and off-brand, sparking an online debate. While some viewers laughed it off, others chastised ESPN for straying from sports coverage, as per a report by The Spun.
SportsCenter began today's broadcast by recreating the viral cheating CEO from the Coldplay concert
pic.twitter.com/mNjgC4Rm85
— FearBuck (@FearedBuck)
July 18, 2025
Some people thought Striewski and Scott's stunt was fantastic. But for others, it was extremely cheesy.
"Recycling jokes that have already been beaten to death with no hint of originality? Sounds pretty on brand for ESPN," a fan said.
"Notice how corporations always ruin funny trends," said another fan.
"This is too much," expressed a third fan. "Trying to be relevant...that story didn't have a thing to do with sports but here they are."
Another fan stated, "There was a reason why I stopped watching SportsCenter."
It's not surprising that Striewski and Scott, two of the most gregarious "SportsCenter" hosts, would make fun of this circumstance. It's worth noting that other ESPN members have also voiced their opinions about this Coldplay disaster, as per a report by The Spun.
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Kristin Cabot and Kenneth C. Thornby Divorce: Here's big revelation about couple's marital status and children
Was the ESPN stunt too much?
Striewski and Scott are known for their charm and sense of humor, but some people thought the joke was unfair to people who didn't want to be in the public eye. People who don't like it say that turning what could have been a private or innocent moment into something for the network to talk about goes too far, especially since the people involved haven't talked about it themselves.
FAQs
Who was in the viral Coldplay kiss-cam video?
Although not officially confirmed, many people believe the couple was Astronomer CEO
Andy Byron
and his colleague Kristin Cabot.
Why are ESPN's anchors being criticized?
ESPN's Gary Striewski and Randy Scott recreated the viral moment on air, drawing criticism for being cringeworthy, unoriginal, and unrelated to sports.
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