ESPN reporter Erin Andrews is leaving the Worldwide Leader to join Fox Sports. Andrews will anchor a new primetime college football pregame show, and will contribute to Fox Sports’ NFL and MLB coverage.
It is something of a homecoming for Andrews, who started her career as a junior sports reporter at Fox Sports Florida in 2000.
At ESPN Andrews quickly became a household name to college football and basketball fans as a sideline reporter. When she re-signed with ESPN in 2010, she added anchor duties on ESPN “College GameDay,” and also became a contributor to ABC’s “Good Morning America.” Andrews was in the news at that time because of a scandal involving a stalker, who videotaped her in hotel rooms where she was staying.
Her first story for “GMA” was about the stalking incident. She would appear on the program only a handful of times after that.
More information from Fox Sports, after the jump.
ERIN ANDREWS JOINS FOX SPORTS
Hosts New Prime Time College Football Pregame Show, Contributes to NFL and MLB on FOX Coverage & Other Marquee Events
New York & Los Angeles – College football on FOX just became must-watch TV this fall as the popular Erin Andrews, one of sports television’s brightest stars, rejoins the FOX Sports family. A versatile broadcaster whose talent bridges sports and entertainment, Andrews’ position includes hosting the new prime time college football pregame show, making significant contributions to the network’s NFL and MLB coverage, along with other marquee sports properties. The announcement of Andrews’ multi-year agreement was made today by Executive Producer, Co-President & COO, FOX Sports Media Group, Eric Shanks.
“Opportunities to add someone of Erin Andrews’ caliber don’t come along often and we’re thrilled to welcome her back to the FOX Sports family,” said Shanks. “Erin is one of the hardest-working, most-respected individuals in sports television and we expect her to have an immediate impact. In addition to having her anchor our new college football show and studio coverage, we expect her to be a big contributor to our MLB and NFL coverage as well as other major events.”
“To have the chance to not only host the primetime college football pregame show, but cover the NFL, MLB and various other incredible FOX Sports properties is a once in a lifetime opportunity,” said Andrews. “I couldn’t be more excited to get to work.”
FOX Sports’ new 30-minute college football pregame show, which originates live each week from the FOX Network Center in Los Angeles, leads into FOX Sports’ first-ever regular-season over-the-air college football package. The network’s coverage kicks-off on Saturday, Sept. 1 (7:30 PM ET) as Hawaii visits USC, live from the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
Andrews, one of the most-followed sports television personalities on Twitter with over 1.3 million followers, returns to FOX Sports after spending eight years at ESPN. Most recently, she hosted the first hour of ESPN’s College GameDay on ESPNU and was a features reporter for the full three-hour program, a role she held since the 2010 season. Andrews also served as a sideline reporter for college football and basketball games.
Prior to ESPN, Andrews worked for Turner Sports from 2002 to 2004 as a studio host and reporter. She covered college football (reporter) and the Atlanta Braves (studio host) for TBS and the Atlanta Thrashers (studio host) and Atlanta Hawks (reporter) for Turner Sports South. From 2001 to 2002, she worked for the Sunshine Network as a Tampa Bay Lightning reporter. She got her start as a sports reporter at FOX Sports Florida in 2000.
Andrews is also known for appearing on the 10th season of Dancing with the Stars. Andrews, who was partnered with Maksim Chmerkovskiy, was one of three contestants to make it to the finals, where they placed third.
Andrews, a native of Lewiston, Maine, graduated from the University of Florida in 2000 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in telecommunications. She was a member of the Gators’ basketball dance team from 1997 to 2000.
In addition to broadcasting 13 consecutive weeks of regular-season action, including 12 prime time games and seven doubleheaders, FOX Sports boasts exclusive coverage of college football’s Pac-12 Conference Football Championship Game on Friday, Nov. 30 (8:00 PM ET) followed by the Big Ten Conference Football Championship Game on Saturday, Dec. 1 (8:00 PM ET). FOX Sports wraps up its 2012-13 campaign with an exciting Big 12/SEC match-up in the AT&T Cotton Bowl Classic live from Cowboys Stadium on Friday, Jan. 4 (8:00 PM ET).