MEDIA WATCHDOG: Building The Ultimate Sports Babe

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Media Watchdog - MEDIA WATCHDOG: Building The Ultimate Sports Babe

Posted On: 11/2/07

Written By:

Scot Kleinfeld

MEDIA WATCHDOG: Building The Ultimate Sports Babe

Have you noticed how the sports media landscape has changed dramatically, in a good way, over the last 15 years as women have now become a staple of broadcast outlets?

It’s actually the rarity these days to watch a college or professional event on television where a woman is not part of the on-air broadcast team. In addition, women’s sports, on all levels, are televised now more than ever before.

If you like sports, as I do, I am sure you do some if not all of the following; attend events in person, watch games on TV and listen to sports talk radio. Are there any of us that don’t do these activities with our moms, wives, daughters and female friends at least some of the time? With this in mind I got to wondering what any sports fans’ definition of the “ultimate sports babe” (USB) would be.

Does this woman exist now? Do you know her? Is she a hybrid of several women in your life or a combination of well known female athletes and sports broadcasters? I don’t have the answer and I want your help to find it.

I’ll get you started below with some names and categories to consider, but don’t feel restricted in any way. Send me your ideas of who the “ultimate sports babe” should be. After I compile your feedback, a follow-up column will reveal the results. Maybe she will be someone we all know from TV or radio or maybe she will be some unattainable model of perfection never to be found.

Consider the following categories in your response:

Category	Definition
Looks	Does it matter if your USB is a 1 or a 10?
Sports knowledge	How much does she need to know about your favorite teams, the local scene or the national scene?
Delivery / voice	If she is on the radio or TV do you care how she sounds when she talks about sports news and events?
Style / fashion	Are jeans and jerseys OK…or should she rock in an evening gown too?
Sports environment compatibility	Can you take her to the game, the tailgate and include her watching the game at your house?
Athletic ability	Do you care if she was a jock? Do you care if she plays sports now?
Other	???

Suggestions to help build the USB…

Name	Occupation	Media outlet / sport
Amy Fadool	Sportscaster	Fox-45 TV Baltimore
Lisa Hillary	Sportscaster	Comcast Sportsnet
Kelli Johnson	Reporter	Comcast Sportsnet
Anita Marks	Broadcaster	ESPN Radio
Amber Theoharis	Broadcaster / Reporter	MASN TV

Erin Andrews	Reporter	ESPN
Bonnie Bernstein	Reporter	ESPN / ABC Sports
Michelle Bonner	Sportscaster	ESPN Sportscenter
Linda Cohn	Sportscaster	ESPN Sportscenter
Andrea Kramer	Reporter	NBC Sports
Suzy Kolber	Reporter	ESPN / ABC Sports
Chris McKendry	Sportscaster	ESPN Sportscenter
Pam Oliver	Reporter	Fox Sports
Lisa Salters	Reporter	ESPN
Michelle Tafoya	Reporter	ESPN / ABC Sports
Tracy Wolfson	Reporter	CBS Sports

Natalie Gulbis	Professional golfer	LPGA
Mia Hamm	World Cup Soccer	Team USA
Anna Kournikova	Professional tennis	ATP Tour
Summer Sanders	Olympic Swimmer	Team USA