Nobody stumbles into national sports fame by accident, you’ve gotta have real talent to get there. It takes real grit, heart, and a whole lot of hustle. Fresh out of the University of Florida in 2000, Erin Andrews was chasing that first break. A year later, she landed it with the Tampa Bay Lightning at just 22. And since then, she has been working hard, excelling in the media field, starting with a hockey-reporting career. From not knowing anything about the sports to being a pro at it, she has seen it all. This hunger to learn helped her get another opportunity at Turner Sports. However, the major interesting twist in her professional journey came when she reached ESPN in 2004.
On Friday, Erin Andrews joined TODAY with Jenna & Friends and opened up about a moment that shaped her career. While chatting on the show, the Calm Down podcast host shared an honest life reminder – go for it, no matter how things might turn out. That mindset helped her take a bold step when she wanted to get on ESPN.
At the time, she knew they had playoff hockey coverage, and she felt ready for it. She’d been in that world, knew the game, and wanted a shot. So when she heard the ESPN crew would be in town, she made a move. “I wanted to try to be on ESPN because I knew that they had the hockey coverage for the playoffs, and I was good at it, and I was coming from that, and like most girls in the sports industry, you know, after a game, the crew goes to a bar.”
So, Erin Andrews showed up, introduced herself, and didn’t hold back. “Hi, I’m Erin Andrews,” she recalled saying. “I think this network (her current network at the time) is gonna get rid of me. Do you think there would be availability at this network (ESPN)?” She questioned the staff, and there it was. “And I got it,” she excitedly added.
Yeah, it was a gutsy ask, but it paid off. Her message was simple – take your shot. You never know what door it might open. As one of her fans rightly put on the shared Instagram clip, “Love this! Worst thing they say is no, but you’ll never know unless you ask! Great reminder!” It’s indeed a real victory for optimism – the optimistic attitude that Andrews kept since a very young age.
Erin Andrews’ favorite thing is making her wish a reality!
Erin Andrews didn’t land in the spotlight by chance. She grew up loving sports, sitting beside her dad, a reporter himself, soaking in every story behind the games they watched. That bond sparked something deep. In a different interview, she recalled her discussion with her father, Steven, “I just said, ‘Dad, I really want to do this for a living. I want to be on television. I want to be a sports broadcaster.’ Not just because I wanted to be on television, but I just loved the games so much.” Yes! She didn’t just cheer for teams, she wanted to tell their stories. So, when it was time for college, she picked the University of Florida not only for its journalism program but because she knew big networks would follow winning teams. And she was right.
Her freshman year, the Gators won the national championship. And there she was on the sidelines, reporting for the student station, dancing for the basketball team, and chasing every moment like it meant everything. Summers weren’t for slowing down, either. Andrews interned with her dad, building grit and connections. She didn’t think twice about being one of the few women in sports media. She just knew she belonged.
So, all in all, in her career, Erin Andrews kept showing up, following up, and putting in the work. After months of hustling, she landed her first big break with the Tampa Bay Lightning, and not long after, ESPN called. Although the reporter left that channel in 2012 and joined the FOX network, ESPN is still one of her best career alma maters.
The post “This Network Is Gonna Get Rid of Me”: FOX Free Agent Erin Andrews Turns Heads by Recalling ESPN Hiring appeared first on EssentiallySports.