Things are beginning to look up at least a little bit for women in boxing. Earlier this year, Stephen Espinoza of Showtime told Yahoo Sports that his network was interested in broadcasting women’s bouts.
Now, a prominent journalist is going to serve as the host of the Premier Boxing Champions series on Spike TV, which begins on March 13 in Ontario, Calif.
Ex-SportsCenter Anchor Dana Jacobson will be the host for the series, making her the first woman in the U.S. to serve in such a role for an ongoing boxing series.
Jacobson, 43, works for CBS Sports. She had a long-time affiliation with ESPN and was a SportsAnchor as well as the host of “First Take,” among many other roles.
She has serious journalistic chops and won an Edward R. Murrow Award in 2000.
The Premier Boxing Champions named Al Michaels as the host of its fight cards on NBC, which will debut on March 7. So Jacobson’s hiring continues the trend toward serious broadcasters with significant reputations.
But it is wise to add a woman’s perspective to the conversation as well, though Jacobson’s credentials make her a fit regardless of her gender.
“We are thrilled to have such an accomplished sports journalist with such an extensive background to host our highly-anticipated and groundbreaking new boxing series,” Jon Slusser, the senior vice president of sports and branded entertainment for Spike, said in a statement.
Spike has yet to name its blow-by-blow broadcaster or its fight analyst. The debut show on March 13 will feature a welterweight bout between Andre Berto and Josesito Lopez, with the co-main pitting Shawn Porter against Roberto Garcia.
Jason Barrett is the President and Founder of Barrett Media since the company was created in September 2015. Prior to its arrival, JB served as a sports radio programmer, launching brands such as 95.7 The Game in San Francisco, and 101 ESPN in St. Louis. He also spent time programming SportsTalk 950 in Philadelphia, 590 The Fan KFNS in St. Louis, and ESPN 1340/1390 in Poughkeepsie, NY. Jason also worked on-air and behind the scenes in local radio at 101.5 WPDH, WTBQ 1110AM, and WPYX 106.5. He also spent two years on the national stage, producing radio shows for ESPN Radio in Bristol, CT. Among them included the Dan Patrick Show, and GameNight.
You can find JB on Twitter @SportsRadioPD. He’s also reachable by email at Jason@BarrettMedia.com.
