Sarah Spain
Sarah Spain | |
---|---|
Cleveland, Ohio, U.S. | |
Education | Cornell University |
Occupation | Sports reporter |
Years active | 2009–present |
Employer | ESPN |
Spouse |
Brad Zibung (m. 2016) |
Sarah Colby Spain (born August 18, 1980)
Early life and education
Spain was born in
In 1998, as a senior at Lake Forest High School, Spain was the MVP and captain of her track and field, field hockey and basketball teams.[3][4][5] Spain attended Cornell University, where she majored in English. She was a heptathlete on the Cornell Big Red track and field team, for which she was co-captain her senior year.[6]
Super Bowl XLI
Spain first gained widespread attention in 2007 when she made a post on eBay offering to be someone's "date" to
Spain states that criticisms of the Super Bowl stunt misinterpret both her actions and motives.[8]
Career
Before joining ESPN, Spain worked for Fox Sports Net, MouthpieceSports.com, ChicagoNow.com and was the recurring guest-host of WGN's radio show called ChicagoNow Radio.[6] Spain also worked as a sideline reporter for the Big Ten Network and hosted the Coors Light Fantasy Players Minute. She was one of the original co-hosts of the WGN-TV show Chicago's Best, with Ted Brunson and Brittney Payton.[6] She joined ESPN 1000 in Chicago in 2010 and signed on as a writer for espnW.com in October of the same year.
On January 23, 2015,
In 2018, Spain and co-host Jason Fitz (a former member of The Band Perry)[12] launched the national radio show Spain & Fitz. In 2019, Fitz moved to mornings, and the show (with rotating co-hosts) was renamed Spain & Company.[13] In August 2020, Fitz returned as co-host of the evening broadcast, again known as Spain & Fitz.[12] The Spain & Fitz show ended on December 1, 2023.[14]
On March 1, 2021, the Chicago Red Stars of the National Women's Soccer League announced that Spain had joined the women's soccer team's ownership group.[15][16][17] She was bought out when Laura Ricketts' investor group purchased the team in September 2023. [18][19]
#MoreThanMean
In 2016, Spain, along with Chicago sports radio host Julie DiCaro, appeared in a video entitled "More Than Mean," in which unsuspecting, ordinary men read real, degrading tweets directed to Spain and DiCaro to them while sitting face-to-face.
Accolades
- Crain's Chicago 40 Under 40 (2017)
- Peabody Award (2017)
- Gracie Award (2016, 2017)
- Sports Clio Grand Award (2016)
- Deadline Club Award (2018)
- Sports Emmy Awards (2018, 2018)
References
- ^ "Sarah Spain".
- ^ "Reporter Sarah Spain Is a Chicago Sports fan". chicagomag.com.
- ^ "Title IX 40 for 40: Sarah Spain". ivyleaguesports.com.
- ^ "His & Hers: Finding Your Voice: 12/17/15". ESPN.Go.com. Retrieved December 17, 2015.
- ^ "Glory Days with Lake Forest High School Athlete Sarah Spain". patch.com. October 26, 2011.
- ^ a b c "Sarah Spain's Website". sarahspain.com. Retrieved December 18, 2015.
- ^ "Sarah Spain - Jeff Pearlman". www.jeffpearlman.com. May 22, 2013.
- ^ "Sarah Spain » I'm Mad As Hell & I'm Not Going To Take This Anymore". sarahspain.com.
- ^ "Two women are bringing down the last old boys club with the help of ESPN". USA Today. January 23, 2015. Retrieved January 23, 2015.
- ^ "ESPN Signs espnW Writer and ESPN Radio Host Sarah Spain to Multiyear Extension - ESPN MediaZone". espnmediazone.com. September 20, 2016.
- ^ Rosenthal, Phil (August 11, 2017). "ESPN pushes expanded fantasy football coverage with 28-hour marathon". Chicago Tribune.
- ^ a b "Jason Fitz". ESPN Press Room U.S. Retrieved April 11, 2022.
- ^ "Jason Fitz Moves To ESPN Radio Mornings With 'Golic & Wingo,' Sarah Spain Continues In Evening Slot". All Access. Retrieved October 10, 2019.
- ^ Keeley, Sean (November 23, 2022). "Sarah Spain says Spain & Fitz is ending but she's 'sticking around' ESPN". Awful Announcing. Retrieved April 1, 2024.
- ^ "Chicago Red Stars Introduce Groundbreaking New Ownership Group" (Press release). Chicago Red Stars. March 1, 2021. Retrieved August 24, 2022.
- ^ "Why I Believe" (Press release). Chicago Red Stars. Retrieved August 24, 2022.
- ^ Mikula, Jeremy (March 1, 2021). "Chicago Red Stars have an expanded ownership group — including Israel Idonije and Kendall Coyne Schofield — as they look to increase revenue and drive growth with new investors". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved August 24, 2022.
- ^ "Chicago Red Stars purchased by Laura Ricketts-led group of investors for $60 million". NBC Sports Chicago. September 2023. Retrieved September 16, 2023.
- ^ "A Note about the Red Stars". Instagram.
- ^ Laird, Sam (April 26, 2016). "More than mean: Powerful video highlights harassment of women in sports media". Mashable. Retrieved February 23, 2018.
- ^ Gibbs, Lindsay (May 3, 2016). "'More Than Mean' Roundtable: Female Sportswriters Speak Up About Online Harassment". ThinkProgress. Retrieved February 23, 2018.
- ^ Blanchard, Margaret (April 25, 2017). "News, Public Service, Radio/Podcast, and Web winners round out the Peabody 30". UGA Today. Retrieved February 23, 2018.