‘Bonds on Bonds’ Is Finished

“Bonds on Bonds,” the reality television series on San Francisco Giants slugger Barry Bonds, has struck out for the last time.

ESPN and Tollin/Robbins Productions released a brief statement Friday saying there would be no additional episodes of the program, which had been following Bonds’ pursuit of the major league home run record held by Hank Aaron.

The series, which began airing on April 4 but was already going on hiatus because of poor ratings, was supposed to have a final episode on Bonds’ hitting his 715th home run, which moved him past Babe Ruth for second place all-time.

But in the statement, ESPN officials said, “Bonds’ representatives wanted creative control for the final episode, which Tollin/Robbins Productions and ESPN have been unwilling to give throughout the project.”

Mike Soltys, ESPN’s vice president of communications, said Friday there are no plans to revive the show even if Bonds, who has been dogged by allegations of steroid use, got close to Aaron’s 755 home runs. There will also be no reruns now.

“The entire show is dead,” Soltys said.

Bonds was in New York with the Giants on Friday. Their scheduled game against the New York Mets was rained out. Representatives for Bonds and Tollin/Robbins could not be reached for comment.

-- Mike Terry

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