Holly Rowe re-signs with ESPN on long-term deal

One of ESPN’s most familiar faces will continue to appear on your screen over the next couple of years.

Reporter Holly Rowe, who has prominent positions on ESPN/ABC’s college football, women’s college basketball, women’s college softball, and WNBA coverage, has re-signed with the company on a long-term deal, she confirmed to The Athletic on Wednesday night. Here’s what you need to know:

“I feel like I am living my best life and I am so grateful to ESPN for letting me keep doing this,” said Rowe, whose contract was up this April.

Rowe will continue to work on some of ESPN’s highest-profile events including the College Football Playoffs, college football regular season, NCAA Women’s Final Four, NCAA Women’s College World Series and WNBA game and draft coverage. She has worked the last two years with Chris Fowler and Kirk Herbstreit on ABC’s “Saturday Night Football.” Rowe is in her 27th college football season for ESPN and ABC.

In February, Rowe was named a 2023 Curt Gowdy Media Award Winner (for electronic media) for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

In 2021, the Utah Jazz made Rowe the first female color commentator in a game.

The Athletic’s instant analysis:

How valuable is Rowe to ESPN’s programming?

She’s extremely valuable, which is why they are locking her up long-term even as Disney is going through company layoffs. Look at the properties Rowe has a role in: She can morph from major college football to women’s college basketball to the NBA to women’s softball to the WNBA. That’s an incredibly broad skillset. She’s one of the most well-liked front-facing people at the company. Smart move by ESPN.