Top 100 Sports Media Personalities for Speaking Engagements
- By Aaron Peterson
- Feb 20, 2024
Top 100 Sports Media Personalities for Speaking Engagements
Around 70% of Americans admit to being sports fans, and the popularity of professional sports is just about even across all generations. People love sports, and it’s not just a passing fancy, it’s a lifelong passion that crosses divides, builds comradery, and kicks off friendly rivalries. Sports media personalities are fantastic speakers for all kinds of events, whether it is a team-building initiative, sports-themed exposition, or tradeshow.
A sports speaker is a master at driving valuable messages home due to their expertise, charisma, and outdoing attitudes. Our selection of sports speakers involves coaches, players, and analysts. Here are the top 100 who are ideal for your next event.
1. Chris Berman
Chris Berman joined ESPN in 1979, right after the network launched, and he’s been part of it ever since. He started as an anchor on “SportsCenter” and has anchored several Home Run Derby, Stanley Cup Finals, and U.S. Open Golf tournaments. He’s currently the host of “NFL Primetime.” Chris has a Hollywood Walk of Fame for his sports broadcasting and has won several “Sportscaster of the Year” awards from the American Sportscasters Association and the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association.
2. Joe Buck
As the son of the late Jack Buck, a sports broadcasting legend, Joe Buck holds the honor of being on the only father-son team to call a Super Bowl on national television. He’s won seven Emmy awards for his work with Fox MLB, NFL, and USGA. He’s announced everything from the U.S. Open Championship to MLB All-Star games, Super Bowls to the World Series, and even has done a lot of play-by-play announcing since 1996. Finally, he’s the host of the annual “The Joe Buck Classic,” a charitable golf tournament.
Michael Wilbon is a Washington Post sports columnist and co-host of ESPN’s “Pardon the Interruption” since 2001. He’s the first sports writer to move beyond print to radio, television, and more. Along with Tony Kornheiser, his “Pardon the Interruption” co-host, he is also on SportsCenter for the “Big Finish” segment. His sports media work has him covering local and national baseball, basketball, and football, as well as hockey, the Olympics, soccer, and tennis.
4. Bill Walton
He became a college basketball star for UCLA under Coach John Wooden and built a career in the NBA with the Boston Celtics and the Portland Trail Blazers. While he seemed to have it all, he struggled with a tremendous stutter and a foot disorder that required dozens of surgeries, which put him on the sidelines for a lot of his career. Despite this, he is on the list of “75 Greatest Players in NBA History,” “50 Greatest NBA Players of All-Time,” and is in the Basketball Hall of Fame. But, he’s also down-to-earth, and that makes him one of the best speakers in the world of sports.
5. Doris Burke
Doris Burke became an ESPN NBA game analyst during the 2017-2018 season. For more than 30 years, she’s been one of ESPN’s top sports commentators on college basketball, the NBA, and the WNBA. She’s also a sideline reporter for NBA playoff games and the NBA Finals. She’s the 2017 WISE Women of the Year recipient and a great choice for sports-related speaking engagements.
Kirk Herbstreit is a three-time Emmy winner for ESPN’s “College GameDay Built by The Home Depot.” He’s been an analyst for that show since 1996. He’s also a game analyst for ABC’s “Saturday Night Football.” Sporting News magazine ranked him, Lee Corso, and Chris Fowler as “2003’s Most Powerful Media Personalities in Sports.”
Victoria Allen battled rare neurological disorders that left her in a vegetative state for four years and unable to walk for about a decade. She remained determined to compete in the Olympics. For the first time in a decade, she returned to swimming and qualified for the 2012 London Paralympic Games where she won three Silvers, a Gold, and broke a World Record.
Cris Collinsworth is an NBC “Sunday Night Football” game analyst. The Houston Chronicle said he’s “arguably the most thoughtful and well-spoken of football analysts.” Along with Al Michaels, his broadcasts averaged 16.8 million viewers (2020). “Sunday Night Football” is the first ever 10-time honoree for “Outstanding Live Sports Series.” The show has also won 28 Sports Emmys.
He’s the “Voice of SEC” and is well-known as a leading southern sports authority. He’s the host of ESPN’s “The Paul Finebaum Show,” and he’s also appeared on “College Football Live,” “College GameDay,” “ESPN The Magazine,” and “SportsCenter.” Sports Illustrated ranked him “One of the 20 Most Powerful People in Sports Media” in 2013, too.
10. David Feherty
Northern Ireland’s David Feherty is a former professional golfer who won five European Tour events and 10 world titles. He was on Europe’s 1991 Ryder Cup and the PGA Tour in 1994 and 1995. He moved into golf broadcasting in 1996 and spent almost two decades with CBS before transitioning to NBC. In 2014, he earned an Emmy nomination for “Outstanding Sports Personality.”
Charissa Thompson is the host of Fox NFL Kickoff, a career that has an unusual start. She was an assistant in the Fox Sports HR department. She ended up having the chance to cut and organize game clips, and that led to a strong interest in TV production and led to a move to Fox Sports Net Rocky Mountain where her comfort and ease in front of the camera led her to take a job on the “Best Damn Sports Show Period” before moving on to her current role.
12. Tom Rinaldi
Tom Rinaldi became an ESPN correspondent in 2002. He also contributes to “College Gameday” and is a sideline reporter for college football. He’s also covered golf and tennis for ESPN. Through his work in golf, he was the first reporter to interview Tiger Woods after his car accident, and he’s also interviewed Derek Jeter, Jack Nicklaus, Serena Williams, and many others.
13. Mike Greenberg
After a career as a sports anchor and reporter at Chicago’s WMAQ-Radio, Mike Greenberg became half the popular ESPN Radio’s “Mike & Mike,” a weekday morning sports show that came out in 2005. Over the years, he’s hosted prime-time bowling with pro athletes, part of the ESPN.com “Off Mikes” animated show, and author of “Mike & Mike’s Rules for Sports and Life.”
14. Mina Kimes
Mini Kimes was an investigative reporter for Bloomberg News and left for ESPN The Magazine in 2014. She moved to the role of NFL analyst in 2020 offering insights on “First Take,” “Get Up,” and “SportsCenter.” She launched “The Mina Kimes Show,” an ESPN podcast, in 2019 She’s a two-time Dan Jenkins Medal For Excellence in Sports Writing finalist and a National Headline Award winner.
15. Pat McAfee
Since retiring from the NFL, Pat McAfee hosts the pre-flight NXT show for the WWE. He’s also a college football analyst for ESPN and works on the Thursday night primetime games. In addition to that, he contributes to several other ESPN shows, including “Get Up!”
16. Mike Golic, Sr
For 17 years, Mike Golic, Sr. was the other half of the ESPN show “Mike and Mike” until 2017. He also worked on ESPN’s “Golic and Wingo” for three years. He’s landed this role after playing eight seasons with the Houston Oilers, Miami Dolphins, and Philadelphia Eagles.
Dan Katz is the host of “Pardon My Take” for Barstool Sports. The show pokes fun at sports media and hot sports topics. He also hosts “The Corp” podcast through A-Rod Corp, a show where he travels with Alex Rodriquez to interview sports legends.
18. Rowdy Gaines
Rowdy Gaines became known as the fastest swimmer worldwide in the 1980s. Swimming World Magazine voted him “World Swimmer of the Year” the same year that the Olympic Boycott happened. He’d been expected to take several gold medals, but the boycott eliminated those dreams. He retired, only to come back and win three Golds in the 1984 Olympics.
19. Howie Long
Howie Long has a long NFL career with the Raiders and is in the National Football League Hall of Fame. He’s an Emmy-award-winning in-studio analyst for Fox NFL Sunday. He’s also been on “Howie Long’s Tough Guys Show” and appeared on HBO’s “Inside the NFL,” “NFL Diary,” and “NFL Live.” He’s also written sections of “Football for Dummies” and wrote the introduction to Bo Jackson’s biography “Bo Knows Bo.”
20. Chiney Ogwumike
Chiney Ogwumike is a Los Angeles Sparks forward and full-time ESPN commentator. She provides professional basketball analysis on First Take, NBA Today, and SportsCenter. As a WNBA player, she’s a two-time WNBA All-Star and Vice President of the WNBA Players Association. When ESPN hired her to host ESPN Podcast Chiney, she became the first Black woman to host a national, daily sports talk show.
21. Ashley Fox
Ashley Fox has been in sports media for more than two decades, including seven years where she was the lead NFL reporter and analyst for ESPN. In her time, she’s covered the Final Four, NBA Finals, Olympics, PGA Championship, Stanley Cup Finals, Super Bowl, Wimbledon, and the World Series. She’s also contributed as a writer to the Philadelphia Inquirer, Sports Illustrated, and The Undefeated.
22. Phil Simms
His long football career started when he played for Morehead State and was drafted by the New York Giants. Phil Simms went on to win two Super Bowls and played in two Pro Bowls. He’s also a Super Bowl MVP winner. Once he retired, he went on to be one of the nation’s best-known NFL sports media personalities working for CBS, ESPN, and SiriusXM’s Mad Dog Sports Radio.
23. Maria Taylor
Maria Taylor is a commentator for ESPN, covering both college and professional basketball and football. She became an ABC “Saturday Night Football” and “College GameDay Built by Home Depot” reporter in 2017 and added “NBA Countdown” to her resume a couple of years later. She provides studio coverage for “Get Up!”, “College Football Live,” and the “NCAA Women’s Final Four.”
24. Adam Schefter
In 2009, Adam Schefter joined ESPN and appeared on several shows, including “NFL Insiders,” NFL Live,” Monday Night Countdown,” Sunday NFL Countdown,” and “SportsCenter.” Adam is part of the yearly NFL Draft and Super Bowl. In 2014, he was named “Media Person of the Year” by The MMQB” and “The Most Influential New Yorker on Twitter.”
25. Colin Cowherd
Colin Cowherd is a sports host for Fox Sports and Premiere Networks. He’s host of “The Herd With Colin Cowherd” and appears on “Fox NFL Kickoff.” Before this, he hosted “Colin’s New Football Show” on ESPN2. He won a Sports Emmy for his work at Tampa WTVT and several “Nevada Sportscaster of the Year” awards.
26. Ramona Shelburne
Ramona Shelburne played on the first Stanford women’s softball team to make it to an NCAA tournament, and in 2001, she won a Women’s College World Series. She began her sports journalism career at Los Angeles Daily News before moving to ESPNLosAngeles.com. Today, she’s a senior writer for ESPN and NBA Insider. Ramona also co-hosts “SportsNation” with Michelle Beadle.
27. Skip Bayless
Skip Bayless developed a passion for sports when he was young, and in high school, he became the school’s sports columnist. He continued his work in sports journalism while in college and took work as a sportswriter for the Miami Herald after graduation. After moving to the Los Angeles Times, he won an Eclipse award for “Outstanding Newspaper Writing” and later a “Texas Sportswriter of the Year” three times for the Dallas Morning News. He’s well-known for his work on ESPN and Fox Sports.
28. Desmond Howard
ESPN hired Desmond Howard in 2005. Prior to that, he was in the NFL for 11 seasons. Won a Heisman Trophy and Super Bowl MVP. He became a “College GameDay Built by The Home Depot” analyst in 2005, after a couple of years with Fox Sports where he contributed to the “Best Damn Sports Show Period.”
29. Tony Romo
Tony Romo was with the Dallas Cowboys for 14 seasons before retiring in 2017. He’s currently the lead NFL game analyst for CBS Sports. His foray into the NFL occurred when he became the starting quarterback after replacing the veteran quarterback halfway through the season. His skill in the NFL makes him a knowledgeable analyst for CBS.
30. Malika Andrews
Malika Andrews is a writer and reporter for ESPN. She’s often assigned to the NBA, specifically the Milwaukee Bucks. Before her work with ESPN, she reported for The Seattle Times, covering the WNBA’s Seattle Storm and the University of Washington Huskies’ basketball and football teams.
31. Lauren Sisler
She’s a two-time Emmy winner for sports broadcasting. Lauren Sisler joined the SEC Network and ESPN in 2016 as a sideline reporter for college gymnastics and football. Her specialty isn’t as much about the sports itself as it is about the stories of the fans, players, and coaches.
32. Tony Reali
Tony Reali is the host of “Around the Horn,” a daily sports debate show that’s one of ESPN’s most popular offerings. He’s been the host since 2004 and has been in more than 3,500 episodes. He’s also on “Pardon the Interruption.” Before that, he’d come to ESPN as a sports trivia writer for “Two Minute Drill.”
33. Jeff Passan
He joined ESPN in 2019 as an MLB Insider. You’ll see Jeff Passan on shows like “Baseball Tonight,” “Get Up!,” and “SportsCenter.” He’s also a frequent guest on “Baseball Tonight With Buster Olney.” He’s an on-field reporter for “Monday Night Baseball” and “Wednesday Night Baseball.”
34. Yogi Roth
If you want a sports media personality with decades of experience, Yogi Roth is an excellent choice. He’s a former University of Pittsburgh wide receiver and USC coach. He won an Emmy in filmmaking for “Life in a Walk” and excels in keynote speaking where he's spoken to crowds at SXSW, and giving TEDx Talks. He’s a renowned mentor and has worked with several college football programs, including Gonzaga, San Jose State, USC, and the University of Washington.
35. Emily Kaplan
Over the years, Emily Kaplan has worked for the Associated Press, the Boston Globe, the Philadelphia Inquirer, and Sports Illustrated. She advanced from those roles to become a national NHL reporter for ESPN. Among her career highlights were her coverage of the 2023 NHL Draft and co-host of “In the Crease,” an NHL postgame analysis show.
36. Nate Burleson
Nate Burleson was a third-round NFL draft pick in 2003. He spent his first three seasons with the Minnesota Vikings before moving to the Seattle Seahawks and Detroit Lions. After his 11-year career, he became the host of “Good Morning Football” on NFL Network and “The NFL Today” with CBS.
37. Jessica Mendoza
Former Olympian Jessica Mendoza has a lot of experience with baseball. In her softball career, she had a .475 batting average, .94 hit average, 31 stolen bases, and 71 career home runs. Using her insight into the game, she became an Olympian and World Champion before moving to the role of field reporter for Yahoo! Sports and lead college softball analyst for Fox Sports. Today, she’s on ESPN’s “Sunday Night Baseball.”
38. JJ Redick
After playing for Duke University and being selected by the Orlando Magic in the 2006 NBA Draft, JJ Redick transitioned to sports broadcasting. He hosts “The J.J. Redick Podcast,” a sports and pop culture podcast. He’s also a regular contributor on ESPN.
39. Rece Davis
With more than 25 years with ESPN, Rece Davis is a veteran sports media professional. He’s the host of the Emmy-winning “College GameDay Built by The Home Depot,” and host for major college football events like the College Football Playoff National Championship, ABC’s NFL Draft, and ESPN’s NBA Draft. During basketball season, Rece hosts “College GameDay Covered by State Farm,” a role he’s had since 2005.
40. Joey Galloway
Joey Galloway was a Seattle Seahawks pick in the 1995 NFL Draft. He went on to play in the NFL for 16 years, but he balanced his time playing on the field with radio work in Dallas, Seattle, and Tampa. After leaving the NFL, he joined ESPN as a college football analyst.
41. Jessica Mendoza
ESPN hired Jessica Mendoza to the “Sunday Night Baseball” team in 2016. She landed this position after becoming the first female analyst of a nationally televised MLB Postseason game. Her skills come from years of playing softball. She’s a two-time Olympian, winning Gold and Silver, and a three-time World Champion and World Cup Champion. In 2006, she won “USA Softball Athlete of the Year,” and two years later became the Women’s Sports Foundation’s “Sportswoman of the Year.”
42. Buster Olney
Robert Olney, aka Buster, is an ESPN.com senior writer and reporter for ESPN’s “Sunday Night Baseball.” He’s been with ESPN since 2003, after being a beat reporter for the Triple-A Nashville Sounds, San Diego Padres, and Baltimore Orioles. He also covered the New York Mets and Yankees for the New York Times, which led to his bestselling book “The Last Night of the Yankee Dynasty: The Game, The Team, The Cost of Greatness,” about Paul O’Neill and Tino Martinez.
43. Kate Fagan
Kate Fagan is a sports reporter and commentator who spent years with ESPN. She’s a former basketball player at a college run by Born-Again Christians, and she came out and wrote about her experience in “The Reappearing Act: Coming Out as Gay on a College Basketball Team Led by Born-Again Christians.”
Emmy winner Kenan Kamwana Holley is a Duke graduate and played football all four years. He became an NFL Films filmmaker and was the first African American man hired as a producer. He moved from this role to NASCAR Productions where he directed and edited “Wendell Scott: A Race Story.” He continues to work for ESPN doing the “30 for 30” series and others. He and Spike Lee also worked together on “Redemption Song,” a documentary about the Howard University team’s Division One NCAA National Championship win.
45. Laura Rutledge
Laura Rutledge is a host and reporter for ESPN and the SEC Network. Her career in journalism has had her covering Tampa Bay Ray and San Diego Padre games for Fox. She hosted several college football games for Fox College Football. She’s the current host of “NFL Live” and “SEC Nation.”
She’s the Chief Content Officer for Outside Interactive, which specializes in outdoor sports and fitness. Amy Dubois Barnett is also working with ESPN on the launch of “The Undefeated,” which is now known as Andscape. It’s a Black-led sports and pop culture website meant to share uplifting stories.
47. Dianna Russini
Dianna Russini is an NFL analyst and reporter for ESPN. Currently, she works on “NFL Countdown” and “NFL Live.” She’s also worked as a “SportsCenter” anchor and ABC where she’s about to share her passion for football and soccer.
Canada’s host of “Off the Record” is well-known for his aggressive, honest quest to get to the truth. Michael Landsberg found himself winning over fans when he revealed his own battles with depression while interviewing an athlete. “Off the Record” was one of the longest-running sports talk shows in Canada, and it led to Michael launching a radio show with Carlo Colaiacovo, a former Toronto Maple Leaf star.
49. Suzy Kolber
Since 1993, Suzy Kolber has been a main part of ESPN’s NFL coverage. She hosts “Monday Night Countdown,” “Monday Night Football” (pregame, halftime, and postgame), and “NFL Live.” She’s interviewed draftees for the NFL draft since 2004 and is a big part of Super Bowl week reporting. Suzy was the first woman to win the Maxwell Football Club’s “Sports Broadcaster of the Year” in 2006 and Sports Business Daily’s “10 Favorite Sports TV Personalities of the Past 10 Years.”
50. Michelle Beadle
Michelle Beadle is the host of ESPN’s “Get Up!” and ABC’s and ESPN’s “NBA Countdown.” Over the years, she’s worked with several other sports media personalities including Colin Cowherd, LZ Granderson, and Marcellus Wiley. She worked for HBO Sports and NBC Sports before moving to ESPN.
51. Chris Rose
Since “Intentional Talk” came out in 2011, Chris Rose became the co-host. He’s also the host of “NFL Gameday Highlights,” “NFL Gameday Final,” and “NFL Total Access” for the NFL Network. Before this, he was a play-by-play and game-break announcer for Fox and an MLB network sportscaster.
52. Sage Steele
Sage Steele is the anchor of the 6 p.m. EST “SportsCenter” and host of “SportsCenter on the Road.” She and her co-anchor Kevin Negandhi have hosted the Tournament of the Roses Parade since 2019, and she guest hosted “New Year’s Rockin’ Eve” during the inaugural College Football Playoff.
Gene Wojciechowski is an ESPN reporter for “College Gameday Built by The Home Depot,” “SportsCenter,” and “SportsCenter Featured,” among others. He joined ESPN in 1992 working first as a college football reporter and progressing to a national columnist for ESPN.com and senior writer for ESPN The Magazine. He’s also written many books, working closely with professional athletes like Reggie Miller (I Love Being the Enemy: A Season on the Court With the NBA’s Best Shooter and Sharpest Tongue.”) or Jerome Bettis (The Bus: My Life In and Out of a Helmet.)
54. Shelley Smith
She’s won five Emmys for her sports reporting with ESPN. Shelley Smith excels in both investigative and long-form features and has written three books, too. Sports Illustrated named her “Journalist of the Year” in 2016, and Reverend Jesse Jackson presented her with the Rainbow Sports: Life Beyond the Playing Field Courage Award.
55. Ryan Fitzpatrick
Ryan Fitzpatrick played football for Harvard and was drafted in 2005 by the St. Louis Rams. He’s currently a quarterback for Washington. He’s the first quarterback to throw more than 400 yards in three consecutive games and tied Peyton Manning and Dan Marino for 400-yard passing games during one season.
56. Molly Qerim
Stephen Smith, Max Kellerman, and Molly Qerim Rose all host ESPN’s “First Take,” a sports debate show. Before that, she hosted “Fantasy Football Now,” an award-winning football show. Before that, she worked for CBS Sports Network and the NFL Network. Her sports experience has had her providing on-site reporting and interviews and covering the MLB, NBA, and NFL.
Domonique Foxworth placed in the NFL for six seasons after being drafted by the Denver Broncos in 2005. He retired in 2012 and went to Harvard Law School. After gaining his law degree, he joined ESPN as an NFL analyst and commentator for “First Take,” “NFL Live,” and “SportsCenter.” His expertise in sports also goes into another branch. He was also the president of the National Football League Players Association, a union for former and current NFL players, for two years.
58. David Duval
He’s a professional golfer who’s competed in several PGA Tour tournaments, winning 13 of them. David Duval won the Open Championship in 2001. Once he left professional golf, he moved to his work as a golf analyst and commentator for NBC/The Golf Channel.
59. Booger McFarland
Anthony McFarland is a two-time Super Bowl champion with Tampa and Indianapolis. After his almost 10-year career, he became a football analyst. He’s currently an ESPN NFL analyst. Before that, he was on SEC Network as a college football analyst. He’s a regular contributor on ESPN Radio, “Get Up!,” and “SportsCenter.”
60. Melissa Stark
Melissa Stark is well-known for her role as a sideline reporter on “Monday Night Football.” Before that, she was an NBC “The Today Show” correspondent and ESPN reporter. Since then, she’s moved to the NFL Network.
61. Boomer Esiason
Boomer Esiason is a former NFL quarterback who played for 14 seasons. He won the NFL Most Valuable Player in 1988 and was selected to the Pro Bowl four times during his career. He was honored with the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award in 1995 and was inducted into the Bengals Ring of Honor in 2023. He’s currently a CBS Sports Network announcer.
62. Grant Hill
He wears a lot of hats as the co-owner of the Atlanta Hawks, managing director of USA Men’s Basketball, NBA and NCAA Hall of Famer, and analyst for CBS and Turner Sports. Grant Hill played basketball for years with Duke, where he was All-American, Rookie of the Year, seven-time NBA All-Star, and five-time All-NBA selection, playing for teams including the Detroit Pistons, Orlando Magic, Phoenix Suns, and L.A. Clippers.
63. Josina Anderson
Josina Anderson is ESPN’s first female NFL Insider. She’s both an Emmy and NABJ award-winning journalist who appears on “NFL Live,” “SportsCenter,” and “Sunday NFL Countdown.” Her skill as a journalist and sports reporter has led to her breaking many major stories, but she’s also a powerful sports speaker on sports and fitness.
64. Dan Orlovsky
Dan Orlovsky played in the NFL for 12 years and went on to a role as a college football and NFL analyst for ESPN. Over the years, he’s contributed to or called games for “First Take,” “Get Up!,” “NFL Live,” and “SportsCenter.”
Jim “Bones” MacKay went from being the golf caddie for Phil Mickelson to an NBC golf commentator for NBC/The Golf Channel. He earned the nickname “Bones” when Fred Couples couldn’t remember his name during the PGA Tour.
66. LZ Granderson
Elzie Lee Granderson went from being an actor in the movie “Zebrahead” or the remake of “To Sir, With Love.” He co-hosted “Joan Rivers’ Straight Talk,” which led to his career in sports media. He’s a columnist for ESPN’s “ESPN The Magazine,” co-host of “SportsNation, and co-host of “Mornings With Keyshawn, LZ, and Travis.” He’s a GLAAD Award winner and member of the Advisory Board for You Can Play, a campaign that fights homophobia in the world of sports.
67. Clinton Yates
Clinton Yates joined ESPN in 2016 and helped form “The Undefeated,” a website focused on sports, race, and culture. He’s currently a television commentator and panelist on “Around the Horn” and “Outside the Lines.” He also co-hosted “The Morning Roast” with Mina Kimes and Domonique Foxworth.
68. Marty Smith
Over the years, he’s hosted “Marty Smith’s America” for ESPN2. Marty Smith is one of ESPN’s top sports journalists, covering college football, NASCAR, NBA, and NFL. He’s also the host of his podcast, “The Masters: Fore Please!”
69. Elle Duncan
Elle Duncan joined ESPN in 2016 where she became a “SportsCenter” anchor. Within a few years, she was co-hosting “Get Up!” and became a co-host of the noon edition of “SportsCenter” in 2020. Before becoming part of ESPN, she also worked for NESN and co-hosted pre-game, halftime, and post-game shows for the Atlanta Falcons Radio Network.
70. Dara Torres
At the age of 15, Dana Torres broke her first World Record. She went on to appear in five Olympics, starting with the 1984 Olympics. Today, she holds 4 Gold, 4 Silver, and 4 Bronze. Throughout her long athletic career, she’s overcome eating disorders, injuries, and bullying, Plus, she frequently appears on “We Need to Talk,” the first all-female sports talk show. Dana’s a fantastic role model for younger audiences.
71. Bill Barnwell
Bill Barnwell is one of ESPN’s senior writers, specifically covering NFL games, players, and teams. He’s specifically knowledgeable about how teams win and the ways players have impacted their teams. He also hosts “The Bill Barnwell Show,” a podcast where he talks about sports with friends and appears regularly on “SportsCenter.”
72. John Brenkus
He’s won six Emmy awards as the creator, host, and producer of “Sports Science” on ESPN. He’s also the creator and host of “The Brink of Midnight,” a show that highlights the moments when a person’s life changed forever. Through this position, he’s interviewed athletes like Ray Lewis and Larry Fitzgerald, Jr.
73. Steve Levy
For three decades, Steve Levy has been an ESPN sportscaster and well-known name in the sports media world. Since his first day with ESPN, he’s been a “SportsCenter” anchor and has hosted the show from major events like the NBA Finals and Super Bowl. His celebrity in the world of sports has also landed him guest appearances in movies like “Fever Pitch,” Mystery, Alaska,” and “Tooth Fairy.”
74. David Pollack
David Pollack is a retired NFL player and college football analyst for ESPN. He’s on the eight-time Emmy-award-winning show “College GameDay.” He also contributes to ESPN’s “College Football Live” and “Thursday Night College Football.”
75. Greg McElroy Jr
Greg McElroy Jr. was quarterback for the University of Alabama and was drafted by the New York Jets. But, he was injured and ended up only being able to play in one NFL game. He’s currently co-host of the SEC Network’s “Thinking Out Loud.”
76. Ariel Helwani
Ariel Helwani is an MMA reporter for several ESPN platforms. Since he began covering MMA in 2006, he’s won eight “MMA Journalist of the Year” awards. Before his career with ESPN, he also covered MMA for Fox and NBC.
77. Nastia Liukin
As a five-time Olympic medalist, Nastia Liukin is a member of the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame, the United States Olympic Hall of Fame, and the USA Gymnastics Hall of Fame. After she retired from gymnastics at the young age of 22, she became a leading analyst and gymnastics commentator. She’s also a popular sports speaker who is honest about the failures and triumphs she’s experienced.
78. Ryan Ruocco
He’s an expert play-by-play announcer for ESPN, covering the NBA and WNBA. Ryan Ruocco also covers the Brooklyn Nets and New York Yankees for YES Network, and he’s a boxing announcer on DAZN. With a wealth of experience with many sports, he’s a great speaker on the rules of the game and sports insight.
79. Marcellus Wiley
After spending 10 years in the NFL, where he was an AFC Pro Bowl starter, Pro Football Weekly All-AFC Team, and “Top Player in the NFL at Any Position,” Marcellus Wiley didn’t stop there. He’s a three-time nominee for the Walter Payton Man of the Year due to his charity and volunteer work, including an at-risk youth leadership training organization he founded. Since retiring from the NFL, he’s been a co-host of SportsNation, FS1’s “Speak for Yourself,” and an NFL analyst for ESPN.
80. Danny Kanell
As a four-year quarterback at Florida State, Danny Kanell was drafted by the New York Giants and played in the NFL for eight years. He also played baseball and was drafted by the New York Yankees, which gave him tremendous insight into both professional sports. ESPN hired him as a studio analyst and he remains in that career analyzing college football games for CBS Sports and SiriusXM.
81. Evan Washburn
Evan Washburn played college lacrosse for four years, leading his team to the NCAA Tournament Final Four. After graduating with a degree in journalism, he’s been a studio host, lacrosse analyst, and college basketball reporter for CBS Sports. He’s also a sideline reporter and has been on the sidelines for two Super Bowls.
82. Barrett Jones
ESPN Radio hired Barrett Jones as a college football announcer in 2019, but he’d done a lot before that. He was a University of Alabama offensive lineman and won three BCS National Championships. He was drafted by the St. Louis Rams, and he’s provided football coverage for ESPN radio since 2017, contributing to the Homers Telecast and several other shows.
83. Allie LaForce
Allie LaForce went from Miss Teen USA to college basketball playing for Ohio University. She started reporting in 2008 and won an Emmy for her high school football sports program, “Friday Night Touchdown.” Today, she covers NBA games on TNT and is a well-known sports reporter for Turner Sports.
84. Jason Sobel
He’s a Golf Channel and The Action Network sports writer. Through that work, Jason Sobel won the 2009 Special Projects Award from the Golf Writers Association of America. He’s also won four Sports Emmy awards for ESPN.
85. Israel Gutierrez
Israel Gutierrez is an ESPN NBA reporter and sports writer. He’s offered both pre- and post-game coverage, worked as a sideline reporter, and conducted interviews during games. He’s been an NBA analyst, too. You may have seen him on ESPN’s “Around the Horn, “Izzy and Spain,” or “Highly Questionable.”
86. Mark Shunock
While some may recognize Mark Shunock through his acting career, he’s a noted sports announcer and host for the Las Vegas Knights and Top Rank Boxing. He played in the Canadian Hockey League, too, before retiring to pursue his acting career.
87. Molly Morrison
Molly Morrison’s career in sports speaking started at the age of 12. She established a Twitter fan page for the Memphis Grizzlies and it grew into the most popular page in Memphis. She had to wait until she was 18 to reveal ownership, however. In 2022, she started working for The Bleacher Report, which secured her spot in basketball pop culture reporting.
88. Jason Doyle
His career in sports reporting started when he became the producer and director of The Score Television Network’s “Basketball Jones.” Jason Doyle went on to produce and direct the Turner Sports NBA show “The Starters,” and he’s now the executive producer of The Athletic’s “No Dunks” podcast.
89. Pat Forde
Pat Forde is a long-time collegiate sports journalist. He’s worked in the past for ESPN, the Louisville Courier-Journal, and Yahoo! Sports. He’s currently a senior writer for Sports Illustrated. He earned a Pulitzer Prize nomination in 1990 for his investigative work surrounding the University of Louisville's academic scandals in the basketball and football programs.
90. Taylor Lewan
The Tennessee Titans' Taylor Lewan is one of the best offensive linemen in the NFL’s history, and he became the highest-paid in 2018 when he signed a five-year, $80 million contract with the Titans. Season-ending injuries led to his release from the Titans. He and former teammates host “Bussin’ With the Boys" on the Barstool Sports network.
91. Chris Long
Chris Long played for the St. Louis Rams for eight seasons before signing with the New England Patriots and winning his first Super Bowl. He earned back-to-back titles when he moved to the Philadelphia Eagles where he played one more season before retiring. His family is thoroughly enmeshed in football as his dad, Howie Long, is a Hall of Fame defensive end and his brother, Kyle, is an offensive lineman.
92. Jayson Williams
Jayson Williams grew up on the streets, but he had to change his life after two sisters died from the AIDS virus and another was murdered. He took in his sister’s children and raised them while attending college. He thrived and became a top pick in the NBA draft, ending up with a six-year, $90 million contract with the New Jersey Nets, but he suffered a career-ending injury that same year. He became an NBC sports analyst but ended up in prison for aggravated manslaughter. He established a program of Extreme Sports and “Adventure Therapy” as a means to overcoming addiction, and his facility, "The Rebound” uses his passion for sports to help others.
93. Ross Bernstein
Ross Bernstein has written dozens of sports books over the years, including “The Champion’s Code: Building Relationships Through Life Lessons of Integrity and Accountability From the Sports World to the Business World.” He’s a master at pinpointing what traits a sports champion possesses and how to use accountability, ethics, and respect to thrive.
94. Steve Covino
Steve Covino is the host of “Covino & Rich,” a sports, lifestyle, and pop culture show on Fox Sports Radio and SiriusXM. He’s also a sports and social media expert for ESPN’s “Now or Never.”
95. David Jacoby
David Jacoby joined ESPN in 1999 and has been a guest host on “SportsNation" and a co-host of “Jalen & Jacoby.” Before this, he was ESPN’s Grantland executive producer, where he created and produced audio and video content like the “Grantland Basketball Hour” or the Emmy-nominated “Grantland Features.” His work with Grantland led to three Emmy nominations, a National Magazine Award nomination, several Webby nominations, and two EPPY Award wins.
96. Ryan Harris
Ryan Harris is a color commentator for Notre Dame football on Notre Dame radio and host of “Fantasy Football Hour” on CBS. Before this, he played in the NFL for a decade, including being on the Denver Broncos when they won the 2015 Super Bowl.
97. Samantha Ponder
Sam Ponder became the host of the “Sunday NFL Countdown” in 2017. She became the third person in this ESPN Sunday morning pre-game show to hold this honor. Before this, she was a contributor to College Football Live and six-time Emmy-winning “College GameDay Built by The Home Depot.” She’s also been an ABC Saturday Night Football, Fox Sports Net, and Fox College reporter.
Aditi Kinkhabwala was a Wall Street Journal reporter and a beat writer for the New York Giants. She left that role to become a reporter for NFL Media based in Pittsburgh. Over the years, she’s written on sports for SI.com, The Record in New Jersey, where she reported on men’s and women’s basketball and football for Rutgers, and the San Antonio Express-News.
99. Sarah Kustok
Sarah Kustok is a YES Network and Fox Sports sports reporter. Her years playing collegiate basketball for DePaul University help her in her role. Sarah became the first full-time female analyst for YES Network when she became the Brooklyn Nets sideline reporter.
100. Gary Striewski
Unlike many of our top sports media speakers, Gary Striewski has done something others haven’t. He co-hosted a children’s sports program, “NESN Clubhouse.” He’s also worked as a sideline reporter for the Boston Red Sox and is an ESPN anchor for shows like “SportsCenter.”
If any of our top 100 sports media speakers sound ideal, reach out online to get pricing or more information. Engage’s platform offers a simple platform to arrange customer sports talks or choose a keynote topic from a list of options.
Sources:
https://www.ipsos.com/en-us/cornhole-and-bowling-are-sports-most-americans-played-last-year
