We’re not going to sugarcoat it. Sports journalism is a man’s world.
But there are a few women who manage to break through the gender barrier and make their way to the top of the sportscasting world. Like most broadcast journalists, they have to look a certain way to play the part (i.e., they need to be attractive). However, unlike their attractive male counterparts, these women have had to prove every step of the way that they’re so much more than their looks.
Their tenacity in one of the most difficult careers for women is truly inspiring. These are the top five female sports reporters around the world who have garnered the most attention for doing what they do best.
Laura Rutledge
Country: United States
Network: ESPN
Primary sports: NFL, college football
Instagram handle: @lauramrutledge
IG followers: 262,000
During the same year she was named Miss Florida 2012, Laura Rutledge was also working for Fox Sports as a sideline reporter covering Tampa Bay Rays games and San Diego Padres games.
But she joined ESPN in 2017 as a host of “SEC Nation,” covering college football. Then, in 2020, she became the host of ESPN’s “NFL Live” show.
Maria Taylor
Country: United States
Network: NBC
Primary sports: College football, college basketball, college volleyball
Instagram handle: @mariataylor
IG followers: 336,000
Maria Taylor gained her notoriety as a reporter and host on ESPN’s “College Gameday,” which she joined in 2017. She then began hosting “NBA Countdown,” ESPN’s pregame show for Friday night and Sunday afternoon NBA games.
Making the switch to NBC Sports in 2021, she’s since covered everything from the 2020 Summer Olympics to NBC’s Sunday Night Football pre-game show, “Football Night in America.”
Like most sports reporters, Taylor also has an impressive athletic career to boot. She was a four-time All-SEC volleyball player at the University of Georgia, where she also played basketball.
Charissa Thompson
Country: United States
Network: Fox
Primary sports: NFL, college football, college basketball
Instagram handle: @charissajthompson
IG followers: 510,000
Charissa Thompson has been a sportscaster for well over a decade. She gained notoriety as a co-host on “The Best Damn Sports Show Period” on Fox, followed by two years at ESPN (2011 to 2013) before rejoining Fox for the launch of Fox Sports 1 as a host on “Fox Sports Live.”
Now, she’s best known for hosting Fox’s NFL pregame show, “NFL Kickoff,” as well as being a “Thursday Night Football” host on Amazon Prime.
In 2008, she famously got a lot of flack for dying her hair black to “rid herself of this Barbie thing,” she was quoted saying. The negative attention inspired her to change her hair back to blonde.
Erin Andrews
Country: United States
Network: Fox
Primary sports: NFL
Instagram handle: @erinandrews
IG followers: 2.2 million
Arguably the most famous female sports reporter, Erin Andrews rose to fame in the early 2000s as a sideline reporter, covering college football for ESPN. She eventually moved to Fox in 2012 to become the lead sideline reporter for the network’s NFL broadcasting team. She expanded her reach even further as the co-host of ABC’s “Dancing With the Stars” from 2014 to 2019.
She also hosts the “Calm Down” podcast with previously mentioned Charissa Thompson.
Diletta Leotta
Country: Italy
Network: DAZN
Primary sports: Soccer
Instagram handle: @dilettaleota
IG followers: 9.1 million
Here’s another pretty yet highly intelligent face — she has a law degree from Rome’s Luissa University — on this list of best female sports reporters. While Diletta Leotta is perhaps lesser known in the U.S., she’s huge in Europe. (Just check out that Instagram following.)
Her ever-growing media presence includes high-profile coverage of the Serie A Italian football league for streaming service DAZN after covering Serie B for Sky Sport Italy.
For more popular sports reporters, check out “Most Popular Sideline Reporters on Instagram.”