As one era of ESPN’s “SportsCenter” is set to end, another one is just beginning.
Elle Duncan, who has become one of the faces of ESPN due to her sharp wit, hosting duties for the “6 p.m. SportsCenter” and coverage of several sports including women’s college basketball and the WNBA, is departing the network and will become the face of Netflix’s sports coverage. ESPN not only announced Duncan’s last episode, but confirmed Christine Williamson would be elevated to two marquee spots for the long-standing sports network.
In a press release, Williamson was confirmed as the new co-anchor for the “6 p.m. SportsCenter” alongside Kevin Neghandi and the lead anchor for the network women’s college basketball studio show.
“Christine has earned these high-profile roles on two of our most important content areas – SportsCenter and women’s college basketball,” Burke Magnus, ESPN’s President of Content said. “Christine connects with fans through her energy, personality and knowledge of sports, and she’s proven throughout her ESPN career that she can anchor coverage at the highest level — both on SportsCenter and on the road with GameDay.”
A Florida native, Williamson played volleyball at the University of Miami before transitioning to media. She joined ESPN in 2019 and quickly elevated from their SC on Snap show for Snapchat to becoming a prominent member of the network’s coverage for college football and college basketball. Williamson currently hosts the 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. ET editions of “SportsCenter” with Matt Barrie.
For Duncan, her arrival at Netflix signals a changing of the guard in sports media. The streaming giant has already begun carving out a place with sports fans, broadcasting two NFL Christmas Day games last year and broadcasting rights to the Women’s FIFA World Cup. However, Netflix doesn’t have a daily sports show, but knowing Duncan, who has risen from radio in Atlanta to the top of the sports media world, the company will definitely make sure to put her front and center on more things.
Congrats to both Williamson and Duncan on their next moves.
