March is Women’s History Month, and at no time in the history of television have there been more talented and capable women in the sports media field. Viewers are blessed to enjoy the work of time-tested and experienced personalities, and equally fortunate to see an endless stream of young and driven women who want to make a mark in the industry.
The once male-dominated field has been plowed down like the cornfield in Field of Dreams. In its place is a wide-open and diverse roster of broadcasters whose gifts transcend any gender labels.
While there is always room for more progress, I believe we are in a golden age of female sports broadcasters right now, and a few women, in particular, continue to set the course and the standard for others. They are, in my opinion, vital figures in reshaping the sports TV landscape and making a lasting impact on the business.
FOX Sports’ Erin Andrews has risen to the pinnacle of the sportscasting world with her pleasant interviewing style, dogged work ethic, versatility, and pure talent. She is a welcome sight on any broadcast.
Her work as a sideline reporter over the years has validated that much-maligned position. She is a true reporter who seeks out stories, gets stories, and presents stories to her viewers. In her role as a sideline reporter, Andrews does not idly sit by and wait for something to happen. She is an initiator.
Perhaps her most memorable moment was her interview with Seattle Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman following the NFC Championship game in January 2014. Sherman went into a rant against 49’ers wide receiver, Michael Crabtree, and many thought part of it was directed toward Andrews.
In the face of such chaos, she remained calm, collected, and together. She answered Sherman’s shouts with ease and professionalism. Outside of sports, Andrews was without a doubt the best Dancing with the Stars cohost in the long history of that ABC program. She made the transition from sports to entertainment with ease and was a tremendous on-air partner for the epitome of hosting, Tom Bergeron.
Andrews is always bright, enthusiastic, gritty, and even sarcastic in the best of ways. Her multi-platform collaborations with longtime friend and colleague Charissa Thompson are eternally entertaining and fun. Andrews thrives in all of her roles, one of the most powerful talents in the industry right now.
Pam Oliver is as much a television trailblazer as anyone in the medium’s history. In her work at FOX Sports, she completely redefined the role of an NFL sideline reporter. In fact, I would go so far as to say that most sideline reporters, male or female, are basically doing impressions of Pam Oliver.
Oliver was the first NFL sideline reporter to bring personality, flash, style, and incredible reporting chops to the position. While the position of sideline reporter remains one that conjures up opinions and criticism, no one can deny the impact that Pam Oliver has had in her career.
Her ability to crack the surface of tough coaches and players is unmatched, and she was the first African-American sideline reporter, male or female, to really make a mark in the industry. Right from the jump, Oliver brought the same kind of charisma, presence, and power that the players and coaches bring themselves.
She made the role of the sideline port reporter vital, and more importantly, she continues to do just that. Like Jackie MacMullan in sports writing, Lesley Visser in television, and Beth Mowins in play-by-play, Oliver is a true media icon.
She doesn’t take any BS, asks insightful questions, timely follow-up questions, and if necessary, more pointed questions after that. She is, in my opinion, the quintessential sideline reporter, breaking barriers, setting new trends, and creating a standard to which others can only aspire.
I am not big on defining people by age or time, so let’s just say that Hannah Storm gets better every year and right now it feels like 2030. In a profession that changes with the whimsy of consultants, trends, and programmers, Storm has remained true to her last name. She is a hurricane of talent, a windstorm of experience, and a gale force of credibility, confidence, and on-camera magnetism.
Storm has traipsed in and out of the world of sports over her career and she is the ultimate pro regardless of the genre, field of endeavor, or production. As a sports fan, when I flip to ESPN’s SportsCenter, and Storm is one of the anchors, it’s a treat.
In addition, she does not miss a beat when filling in for Laura Rutledge on ESPN’s NFL Live. That is one of the best football shows on television, heavily reliant on the chemistry of its on-air cast. Rutledge is absolutely sublime at what she does, and Storm brings that same kind of verve and excitement to the broadcast.
Over the years, Storm has reinvented herself in different areas of television – from interviewer to anchor to reporter to commentator. What she has not done is use her experience and talent to condescend or look down upon less experienced colleagues.
On the contrary, she has been a leader, providing encouragement and building up the profiles and confidence of Marcus Spears, Ryan Clark, and so many other ESPN talents who have burst onto the scene in the last few years.
Storm is the embodiment of the word professionalism, and she shows absolutely no signs of slowing down. I can’t wait for the next reinvention.
Cari Champion does not have the comparatively lengthy history of Andrews, Oliver, or Storm, but in her own unique way, has created a style to emulate for sports reporters and hosts on television.
Champion first came to the forefront as an ESPN SportsCenter anchor in 2015, but her true mark came as the host of First Take, serving as referee, antagonist, and instigator for stars Stephen A. Smith and Skip Bayless. Sitting in the middle of these two vociferous and often vitriolic veterans had to be a challenge for Champion, but she not only thrived, she developed a prototype.
Her work on that show at that time defined the model for those who followed. The gifted likes of Molly Qerim, Jenny Taft, Jen Hale, Alex Curry, Joy Taylor, and others owe a lot to Champion. Certainly, she was not the first woman to host a debate show, but I credit her as being the first to not just be a host.
Champion interjected her opinion and her attitude on Bayless and Smith. She was not just a facilitator or a moderator. She became a crucial part of the discussion and exchange of ideas. Armed with her First Take pedigree, Champion has moved on to become a multimedia presence.
With her YouTube program Naked with Cari Champion and The Cari Champion Show on Amazon Prime, she has branched out from sports, talking about social issues and subjects beyond the sidelines and far from the top of the key.
It’s been an overused metaphor to say that Carrie Champion has lived up to her last name, so I’m going to say that she’s lived up to her first name. She has carried the banner for women in sports media and is all about excellence and performance.
John Molori is a weekly columnist for Barrett Sports Media. He has previously contributed to ESPNW, Patriots Football Weekly, Golf Content Network, Methuen Life Magazine, and wrote a syndicated Media Blitz column in the New England region, which was published by numerous outlets including The Boston Metro, Providence Journal, Lowell Sun, and the Eagle-Tribune. His career also includes fourteen years in television as a News and Sports Reporter, Host, Producer working for Continental Cablevision, MediaOne, and AT&T. He can be reached on Twitter @MoloriMedia.
