NBC Sports announcers Dan Patrick, Tony Dungy, and Rodney Harrison on air. Photo by Jeffrey Beall. Wikimedia Commons

20 Influential Sports Journalists of Today


 

Sports can bring people together and provide a break from the monotony of daily life. However, watching or playing sports and being a journalist who writes about it are two entirely different things.

While playing is an art in and of itself, being able to analyse a game, evaluate an athlete, and highlight the most important events takes a keen eye and a lot of effort. The sports journalists who tell those stories, who get people excited, and who highlight the important things deserve to be honored on this special list of top Sports Journalists!

1. Pedro Pinto

Pedro Mendonça Pinto is a journalist who is both Portuguese and American. He worked as a sports anchor for CNN International in Atlanta and London before becoming the managing director of communications at UEFA in Switzerland. He is the founder and CEO of Empower Sports, a sports communications firm.

In November 2006, he was invited to CNN, as a sports anchor in London. He appears on the Guardian football podcast Football Weekly on occasion.

Pinto left CNN in 2013 to become UEFA’s Chief of Press, reporting directly to President Michel Platini. He has presided over the UEFA Champions League draw.

He also co-hosted the 2009 FIFA World Player of the Year awards ceremony with Charlotte Jackson in Zürich, Switzerland, and the 2010 FIFA Ballon d’Or with Carol Manana. Pinto and Corina Caragea co-hosted the UEFA Euro 2020 group stage draws in Bucharest on November 30, 2019.

2. Carolina Guillen

Carolina Guillen. Photo by Tmo Wiki. Wikimedia Commons

Carolina Guillen is regarded as one of sports journalism’s most versatile reporters. Carolina was the first Venezuelan woman to appear on ESPN. She joined this channel in 2004 as an ESPN Latin America Sports Center anchor. She made her debut at the 2004 All-Star Game in Houston.

Prior to joining ESPN, she worked as a Sports Reporter for Meridiano Television for two years. During her time at the station, she hosted a weekly Tiempo Fuera segment for all sports in Venezuela. Carolina also worked as a week-by-week winter baseball reporter for the Venezuelan League.

3. Melanie Collins

Melanie started her journalism career as a sophomore in college. While working as a bartender, she was approached about a job at AccuWeather. Due to her hard work and presenting abilities, the NFL presenter landed an internship at WPSU-TV, which has PBS connections. The job would eventually lead to a full-time position.

Melanie Collins enjoys her job as a CBS NFL sideline reporter, but one aspect of travelling is “disturbing.” During a recent “Ask me anything” on her Instagram Story, Collins was asked if she gets tired of travelling. While she dislikes the exhaustion, the Penn State alum says, “it’s all worth it.”

4. Erin Andrews

Erin Andrews at USC Oregon game 2010. Photo by Neon Tommy. Wikimedia Commons

Erin Jill Andrews is a sportscaster, television personality, and actress from the United States. After joining the American cable sports channel ESPN in 2004, she rose to prominence as a correspondent.

She later joined Fox Sports in 2012 and has since become the network’s lead sideline reporter for NFL broadcasts. She rose to prominence after finishing third on the tenth season of ABC’s Dancing with the Stars in 2010, and she eventually co-hosted the show with Tom Bergeron from 2014 to 2019.

5. Colin Cowherd

Colin Cowherd during a live broadcast of his radio program. Photo by Asolsma1988. Wikimedia Commons

Colin Murray Cowherd is a sports media personality in the United States. Cowherd began his broadcasting career as the sports director of Las Vegas television station KVBC and as a sports anchor on several other stations before joining ESPN in 2003. There he hosted a radio show on the ESPN Radio network and was one of the original hosts of ESPN’s television show SportsNation, as well as Colin’s New Football Show.

Cowherd is the current Fox Sports Radio and Fox Sports 1 host of The Herd with Colin Cowherd. Cowherd was fired from ESPN after making a controversial statement about Dominican baseball players in 2015. He later joined Fox Sports. The Herd is FS1’s most popular studio show. He also worked as a host.

On FS1, he also hosted Speak For Yourself. In 2021, Cowherd founded and launched “The Volume,” his own podcast network.

6. Guy Heveldt

Guy Heveldt did not decide on a career until the final term of his final year at Christ’s College. He began to consider his interests, which are talking and cricket. As a result, he enrolled in the broadcasting program at Christchurch Polytechnic. Finally, he has discovered his calling. He is still willing to cover all sports stories because cricket is his passion.

Guy has a Bachelor of Broadcasting Communications and is now a well-known sports reporter, having covered the Glasgow Commonwealth Games in 2014 and the Cricket World Cup in the United Kingdom in 2019. Guy also worked as a researcher for Eye works in Auckland for six months and worked shifts at Radio Sport.

He spent seven “amazing” years at Radio Sport, learning how to speak confidently on air, as well as how to elaborate, tell stories better, and write better. Later, he moved into production, hosting radio shows before joining TVNZ.

7. Sara Orchard

Sara Orchard is a professional rugby referee and coach. She was the first female lead rugby commentator in the United Kingdom, covering the England-Fiji match in November 2016. She continues to make inroads into male-dominated rugby broadcast teams, believing that women have the same interest in sports as men.

Sara is a well-known BBC commentator on a variety of sports, particularly rugby. She’s, one of the BBC’s youngest female sports correspondents. She was covering the Rugby World Cup. Not only that, but she also worked as a reporter for Olympic Broadcast Services, including the Winter Olympics in Sochi, between 2010 and 2014. 

8. Ashley Stroehlein

Since August 2019, Ashley Stroehlein has worked as a sports anchor and journalist for WCNC Charlotte.  She was the weekend sports anchor at WBTV for five years. Ashley also works as a sideline reporter for the NFL Network at Conference USA games and as a pit reporter for Bristol Motor Speedway’s Cup, Xfinity, and Truck series races.  Ashley also works as an in-game host for both the Charlotte Knights and the Charlotte Checkers.

Her life has been heavily influenced by the world of sports. In high school, she was a four-sport standout, earning All-District honours in basketball, volleyball, softball, track, and cross-country. In 2006, she was named Virginia High School Scholar-Athlete of the Year and graduated from as her school’s valedictorian.

Her work as a news anchor and storyteller has earned her numerous professional accolades. She is a two-time winner of the prestigious Gracie Award, which recognizes outstanding programming created by, for, and about women in all aspects of media and entertainment.

9. Taryn Hatcher

Taryn Hatcher is a well-known sports broadcaster in the United States.
Taryn rose to prominence as a result of her sports broadcasting and journalistic abilities. She began her career as an intern at IHeart Media and Comcast SportsNet while still in college.

Taryn has also worked as a sports broadcaster for RVision for ten months. She was later hired as a sideline journalist by the Big Ten Network.

She is currently employed by NBC Sports Philadelphia in the United States of America. Taryn is now a well-known broadcaster and sports journalist.

10. Jonathan Wilson

Jonathan Mark Wilson is a British sports journalist and author who contributes to publications such as The Guardian and Sports Illustrated. He is the founder and editor of The Blizzard, as well as a columnist for World Soccer and Unibet. He also appears on Football Weekly, The Guardian’s football podcast.

Wilson discovered his love for football while growing up Jewish in London. It remained an important part of his life throughout his adolescence, adulthood, and well into his later years. Wilson’s international passport helped him find friends and community all over the world, from England to Israel to the United States. 

11. Dana Jacobson

Dana Jacobson at the Super Bowl Experience. Photo by Thomson200. Wikimedia Commons

She works as a reporter for CBS Sports and as a co-host for CBS This Morning Saturday. This award-winning journalist has worked for ESPN and CBS since 2013, highlighting a variety of sports assignments.

She has covered the NBA, the X Games (winter and summer), and the Olympics. Dana Jacobson, who has built a successful sports broadcasting career, most notably at ESPN and currently at CBS, once admitted that she doubts she will ever leave sports completely.

Jacobson has been named a Hall of Fame inductee by the Michigan Jewish Sports Foundation, and he has received National Headliner and Edward R. Murrow Awards for sports reporting. She demonstrated her ability to report on both news and sports.

Jacobson said that as a woman in the sports industry, she had to earn the respect of many men because there were fewer female reporters and anchors.

12. Kenny Albert

Kenny Albert. Photo by Keith Allison. Wikimedia Commons

Kenny Albert was born into a sporting family. Marv Albert, a legendary sportscaster, is his father. He has a long history as a field reporter, announcer, and sports commentator in games and on various TV shows. Kenny Albert is one of sports’ most versatile broadcasters.

He worked as an announcer for NBC Sports Group’s NHL games as well as for Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) shows on NBCSN. Albert is the only national sports announcer who can call football, baseball, hockey, basketball, and boxing. Albert has also worked as the New York Rangers’ radio play-by-play announcer since 1995.

He has worked as a play-by-play commentator for the NFL on FOX since the network’s inception in 1994, and he has called five NFC Divisional Playoff games and three BCS bowl games. Albert has been nominated for a Sports Emmy Award as a sports personality.

13. Dan Patrick

Dan Patrick on Football Night in America. Photo by Jeffrey Beall. Wikimedia Commons

Dan Patrick is a well-known sports journalist and television host, currently working for NBC Sports. He has been in the industry for over three decades. He is known for his smooth and professional hosting skills, as well as his ability to conduct in-depth interviews with athletes, coaches and other sports figures.

He is the host of “The Dan Patrick Show”, a popular sports talk radio show that is syndicated across the country. The show covers a wide range of sports topics and features interviews with some of the biggest names in sports. 

He has received several awards for his work in sports journalism, including National Sportscaster of the Year from the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association.

14. Tony Kornheiser

Tony Kornheiser works for ESPN as a sports journalist, television personality, and radio host. He is best known as a co-host of the popular sports talk show “Pardon the Interruption,” which airs on ESPN and ESPN2.

He co-hosts the show with Michael Wilbon, which covers the latest sports news and features witty and humorous commentary on a variety of sports topics. He also contributes to “Monday Night Football” and “The Tony Kornheiser Show,” a daily sports talk radio show.

Kornheiser has a distinct style of commentary that is frequently regarded as an acquired taste and can be contentious at times.

15. Mike Greenberg

Mike Greenberg and Mike Golic. Photo by National Archives at College Park. Wikimedia Commons

Mike Greenberg is a sports journalist, radio host, and television host. He is best known as the co-host of “Get Up!” on ESPN, a daily sports talk show. 

Greenberg is well-known for his thoughtful analysis of the latest sports news, as well as his ability to connect with a diverse range of sports fans. He has a distinct hosting style and is well-known for his ability to bring balance to the conversations.

Greenberg has won several awards for his work in sports journalism, including National Sportscaster of the Year from the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association. He is also a member of the National Radio Hall of Fame.

16. Rich Eisen

Rich Eisen prepares for 2011 NFL Draft. Photo by Marianne O’Leary. Wikimedia Commons

Rich Eisen works for the NFL Network as a sports journalist, television host, and radio host. He is best known as the host of the popular sports talk radio show “The Rich Eisen Show,” which airs on DirecTV, NBC Sports Radio, and the NFL Network.

He’s well-known for his in-depth analysis of the latest NFL news as well as his ability to connect with a diverse group of NFL fans. 

Eisen has received numerous honors for his contributions to sports journalism, including the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association’s National Sportscaster of the Year award, and he has been inducted into the National Radio Hall of Fame.

17. Rachel Nichols

Rachel Nichols. Photo by Rachel Nichols. Wikimedia Commons

Rachel Nichols is a television host and sports journalist. She is best known as the host of “The Jump,” an ESPN daily sports talk show. The show features interviews with some of the biggest names in sports as well as coverage of the latest sports news. She also covers major sporting events like the NBA Finals and the Super Bowl.

Nichols is well-known for her in-depth interviews with athletes and coaches, as well as her insightful analysis of sports news. She’s known for her ability to ask tough questions of her guests and for her no-nonsense reporting style.

Nichols has received numerous honors for her work in sports journalism, including the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association’s National Sportscaster of the Year award and an Emmy for her NFL coverage. She is also regarded as one of the industry’s leading female sportscasters and an advocate for gender equality in sports media.

18. Skip Bayless

Skip Bayless works for Fox Sports as a sports journalist, television personality, and radio host. He is best known as the host of “Undisputed,” a Fox Sports 1 sports debate show.

Bayless is known for his controversial and opinionated take on the latest sports news. He is known for his strong opinions and for taking a contrarian stance on a variety of sports topics. 

Bayless has received several awards for his work in sports journalism, including the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association’s National Sportscaster of the Year award and recognition from the Pro Football Hall of Fame for his NFL coverage.

19. Michael Wilbon

Sportswriter Michael Wilbon in 2010. Photo by Michael_Wilbon_and_Gene_Wojciechowski.jpg. Wikimedia Commons

Michael Wilbon works for ESPN as a sports journalist, television personality, and radio host. He is best known as a co-host of the popular sports talk show “Pardon the Interruption,” which airs on ESPN and ESPN2.

Wilbon is known for his thoughtful analysis of current sports news as well as his extensive knowledge of sports history. He has been in the industry for over three decades and has covered a wide range of sports, including football, baseball, basketball, and college basketball. He’s known for providing context and perspective to the stories he covers, as well as bringing a unique and diverse perspective to the conversation.

20. Dan Rafael

Dan Rafael is a boxing and baseball reporter in the United States. Rafael worked part-time at The Saratogian, a local newspaper in Saratoga Springs, New York. He accepted a full-time position at the newspaper, then moved on to a reporting position at the Press & Sun-Bulletin, where he covered college sports and local auto racing. He was eventually assigned to cover the Binghamton Mets.

Gannett (owner of the Binghamton newspaper) nurtured promising writers by deploying them to Virginia for four months and immersing them in the newspaper industry while working at USA Today. Rafael started his studies in August 1998.

He covered major league baseball. Rafael was asked to cover boxing after the baseball season ended because the newspaper’s main boxing reporter (Jon Saraceno) was moving up.

Rafael’s assignment at USA Today came to an end in December 1998, and he returned to Binghamton. In January 2000, he was asked to return to USA Today as a boxing writer on a permanent basis. Rafael was approached by ESPN in September 2004, with the intention of expanding its boxing coverage. He began working for ESPN.com in March 2005. He writes in-depth coverage pieces, and his weekly ranking compilation is his specialty.

Rafael agreed to a new multi-year contract with ESPN in January 2016. Rafael joined World Boxing News in May 2021 after talks with WBN Editor Phil Jay.  Rafael left WBN in early 2022 due to financial issues at the network. In April 2022, he joined Big Fight Weekend, a boxing podcast.

Rafael received the Boxing Writers Association of America’s Nat Fleischer Award for Excellence in Boxing Journalism in 2013.