ESPN's Maria Taylor asks an interesting question

[Alma]

In the middle of this story:

Women In Sports Media Are Making Waves, But There's Still Work To Do

"She's been covering it for 22 seasons, but you don't see people reaching out to Holly Rowe every time a story happens in college football. You find Kirk Herbstreit commenting on it. They go straight to Rece Davis… part of that is ingrained in us that that's who SportsCenter called. That's who they called on, but they're not thinking about the women who operate in the same space, who are in the same coaches meeting, who talk to these players every single week… because they're women."

The question is interesting for two reasons:

1. Taylor asks a good question.

2. Rowe, the person covering the sport for 22 seasons, was not interviewed. Taylor, who has been covering it for five years, was.

 

[exmediahack]

TV sports will never have true gender equality about the reporters and anchors.

Women have to constantly battle to be taken seriously. However, for that, they also don't have to start in Quincy or Rapid City. They often get to start in Nashville or Charlotte and get to ESPN at 26.

Maria Taylor started in Atlanta with IMG. She wasn't shooting high school volleyball in Biloxi for two years.

There's tradeoffs with everything.

 

[JimmyHoward33]

Who are these "people" reaching out to men to comment? Doesn't everyone comment on all news in the landscape of their field in Twitter now? Are print reporters really looking for a Kirk Herbstreit quote for their column when college FB news breaks?

 

[Batman]

I haven't watched Sportscenter regularly in years, but isn't Rachel Nichols one of ESPN's go-to talking heads on NBA and, previously, NFL stories?

 

[Steak Snabler]

I haven't watched Sportscenter regularly in years, but isn't Rachel Nichols one of ESPN's go-to talking heads on NBA and, previously, NFL stories?

Nichols actually hosts a daily NBA show (The Jump) that is one of the network's marquee programs these days.

I'm guessing Maria Taylor became a go-to name after the run-in with Saban after the Alabama-Louisville game. She's also quite good on camera (not really sure about her reporting chops).

As for Holly Rowe, I think she's fantastic at what she does. Always hustling and gives great information when the guys in the booth throw down to her. But she's not considered attractive by traditional TV standards, so she hasn't become a "breakout" star.

 

[Ice9]

Katie Nolan is the sports personality of the future -- and always will be.

Seriously, there are Sherpas moving into the mountain of hype behind her at this point. Am I missing something?

 

[Alma]

Who are these "people" reaching out to men to comment? Doesn't everyone comment on all news in the landscape of their field in Twitter now? Are print reporters really looking for a Kirk Herbstreit quote for their column when college FB news breaks?

I believe Maria meant ESPN's own Sportscenter.

I mean, Herbstreit knows more about football than Rowe. But what he communicates on SportsCenter...Rowe could communicate that. What's more she knows every bit as much as Finebaum, and likely more.

 

[Alma]

Katie Nolan is the sports personality of the future -- and always will be.

Seriously, there are Sherpas moving into the mountain of hype behind her at this point. Am I missing something?

I like Nolan as a personality/comedy type. She's funny and clever. My curiosity about her new show is whether it'll be for all sports fans or the niche of Coastal and/or liberal sports fans ESPN seems interested in attracting.

 

[exmediahack]

I like Nolan as a personality/comedy type. She's funny and clever. My curiosity about her new show is whether it'll be for all sports fans or the niche of Coastal and/or liberal sports fans ESPN seems interested in attracting.

ESPN lifted Katie Nolan from FOX to *keep* her from being a breakout star across the street. She's making $1M to, essentially, be a guest here and there and do an online video once a week. Not that different than NBC lifting Megyn Kelly from FOX. To neutralize her with money.

After three years, ESPN will not have found an avenue for Nolan that justifies her salary and she'll quietly go elsewhere.

 

[exmediahack]

Nichols actually hosts a daily NBA show (The Jump) that is one of the network's marquee programs these days.

I'm guessing Maria Taylor became a go-to name after the run-in with Saban after the Alabama-Louisville game. She's also quite good on camera (not really sure about her reporting chops).

As for Holly Rowe, I think she's fantastic at what she does. Always hustling and gives great information when the guys in the booth throw down to her. But she's not considered attractive by traditional TV standards, so she hasn't become a "breakout" star.

ESPN is constantly trying to figure out how to make a sideline reporter into a breakout host. It hasn't happened often. Different skill sets. They tried with Erin Andrews a few years ago on GameDay (as the early morning host) and it just didn't work. Asking coach two questions at halftime is far different than commandeering an hour of live TV with people yelling behind you and a producer barking in your ear. Maria Taylor might, MIGHT be able to do it.

 

[Alma]

ESPN lifted Katie Nolan from FOX to *keep* her from being a breakout star across the street. She's making $1M to, essentially, be a guest here and there and do an online video once a week. Not that different than NBC lifting Megyn Kelly from FOX. To neutralize her with money.

After three years, ESPN will not have found an avenue for Nolan that justifies her salary and she'll quietly go elsewhere.

The way Nolan explains it (in a GQ interview she did with John Skipper's son of all people) she quit Fox on purpose, sat out the end of her contract (while not leaving her house for weeks) and went to ESPN.

To her credit, she's pretty honest...and a little strange and inside her own head. That last part is like most of us.

 

[BitterYoungMatador2]

I believe Maria meant ESPN's own Sportscenter.

I mean, Herbstreit knows more about football than Rowe. But what he communicates on SportsCenter...Rowe could communicate that. What's more she knows every bit as much as Finebaum, and likely more.

Given some of the blathering nonsense Herbstreit has said in recent years I think it's a toss up.