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Emily Kaplan Discusses New Role as Sideline Reporter for ESPN

Before this season, Emily Kaplan hoped to get a “couple of games” on the sideline for ESPN’s hockey coverage. Now, she’s the network’s top sideline reporter.

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Emily Kaplan
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When ESPN got the NHL back on its network, Emily Kaplan saw it as an opportunity to expand her coverage of the sport.

Before this season, she was writing about the sport for ESPN.com. This year, she got the chance to add something else to her resume: sideline reporting.

On The Block Party with Seth Kushner podcast, Kaplan said she went to her bosses to ask if she could try sideline reporting this year. She never imagined it would lead to her being on the opening night broadcast on the network’s lead coverage team:

“I had some initial conversations with the big bosses and I pretty much said I’d love to try sideline reporting. It was something I always wanted to add to my repertoire. I think I would be good at it… If you could give me 1-2 games of experience, that would be great, maybe I’d grow from that. Then, when I found out that I was going to be on the opening night broadcast from Tampa Bay as they raised the banner, I just had chills. That’s something I couldn’t even dream about.”

Sometimes being a sideline reporter means having to ask the tough questions when someone’s struggling. Kaplan did receive some criticism during the Rangers-Hurricanes series last round when she was interviewing Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour about benching goalie Anti Raanta when Raanta was right in front of her.

She discussed it with Julie Stewart-Bunks over the weekend on The Third Period NHL Live Show on Twitter in the link below. Kaplan mentioned that the key to having success on sideline reporting is to be the vehicle for the viewer:

For me, it’s all about being economical with words. I have such tiny windows in hockey to get on-air. It is such a fast-paced game. My biggest fear is talking over a goal and robbing the viewer of that moment. For me, the little stresses right beforehand is I need to be directed with every word that I say has to be intentional.

“For me, my philosophy behind questions is I’m just there as the vehicle. People don’t really care about my opinion right now. I’m just there to get the subject to open up… Sometimes, I get a little bit of jitters. I think that’s natural. In this job, like any job, it’s all about reps. The more I’ve done it, the more natural it has been.”

One thing Kaplan is tired of hearing criticism about is wearing a mask during interviews. She wanted to make it clear that while some fans might be distracted by it, it is a required by the NHL to wear a mask while interviewing players and coaches:

“I’m really tired of it. I think it’s unfortunate that it’s becoming distracting. For me, I just want people to focus on my work, focus on the interviews I’m doing, focusing on the subjects and the answers I get out of those subjects. Unfortunately, it seems like 50% of the tweets I receive, and one of the reasons I have not been checking my Instagram and DMs and things like that, is because people just want to yell and shout at me.”

“The reason I wear a mask while I interview players and coaches is because the NHL requires me to. I would not be able to do my job if I didn’t. They literally won’t let me turn on the camera. So, that’s why I do it. I understand it’s distracting and frustrating for viewers. It is what it is.”

You can catch Kaplan reporting on the action during the rest of the Eastern Conference final for ESPN as well as the upcoming Stanley Cup Final later this month on ABC as part of the broadcast team with Sean McDonaugh and Ray Ferraro.

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Sports TV News

Report: NFL to Put Christmas Day Doubleheader Up For Bids

Bidding is expected to start at $50 million among the current NFL media partners but some think the games could sell for $75 million to $100 million apiece.

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The NFL will reportedly put its Christmas Day games up for auction, allowing its current media partners to bid for the games. Now, it’s up to CBS, FOX, ESPN, NBC, and Prime Video to pay up for rights to one of these two marquee games.

According to Front Office Sports Michael McCarthy, preference will be given to linear networks, so Prime Video and Peacock may sit this one out. Bidding is expected to start at $50 million but McCarthy and his sources expect that number to rise. John Kosner, the former ESPN executive, thinks the new Christmas Day games could sell for $75 million to $100 million apiece.

The NFL announced a Wednesday Christmas Day doubleheader during its annual league meetings. The league originally said it wouldn’t force games on Christmas Day if the holiday fell on an odd day of the week, though as the NFL continues to put games on days outside of Sundays, Mondays, Thursdays, and sometimes Saturdays, we’re running out of days that don’t feature NFL football.

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Colorado Rockies & DirecTV Reach Agreement to Carry Games on TV

“Colorado sports fans have made DIRECTV the top destination for their favorite local teams. We will continue to work with MLB…so fans can get their games.”

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Breathe easy, Rockies fans — you will be able to watch your club on linear TV this year. At the buzzer, DirecTV and the Colorado Rockies agreed on terms to distribute the team’s games throughout its local service.

Starting today, DirecTV Choice subscribers across Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, Southern Idaho, Western Nebraska, and Northern New Mexico can now watch the Rockies on a special channel simply titled, “ROCKIES.” The games will be available on DirecTV and DirecTV STREAM via channel 683.

“Colorado sports fans have made DIRECTV the top destination to get all their favorite local teams,” said Rob Thun, chief content officer of DIRECTV. “We will continue to work with MLB, the NBA, NHL, and other top leagues and their local franchises so the most avid fans can get the games they want while other customers have more choice over the content they want to pay to have in their homes.”

Reports just days ago out of Colorado said there were “no guarantees” the Rockies would not find a TV home in time for Opening Day following the sunsetting of AT&T SportsNet. The only other way to watch the team is to use its direct-to-consumer Rockies.tv streaming service, which fans say is too pricey for a team that lost 103 games last season. Luckily, the team was able to secure a TV home for 2024, though the future is still uncertain.

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Erin Andrews Reveals Infertility Journey in Emotional ‘Today Show’ Interview

FOX reporter Erin Andrews sat down with ‘The Today Show’s’ Kristen Welker to discuss her journey, how Welker’s own journey inspired her, and more.

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FOX reporter Erin Andrews shared her story of infertility and surrogacy with NBC’s Today Show. Last summer, Andrews and her husband welcomed a baby boy via surrogate after trying for a decade to get pregnant via IVF, during which she was diagnosed with cervical cancer in 2016. Today, she sat down with Kristen Welker to discuss her journey, how Welker’s own journey inspired her, and more.

Andrews says Welker’s announcement on the Today Show made her think a baby could be possible. “I remember Kristin Welker’s announcement on your show,” Andrews said last year, “and I actually watched that the morning Mac was born, because that just hit me.”

When they finally sat down, Welker asked Andrews why her journey resonated with the sports reporter so much:

“Because I see myself in you. Kristen, the video of you moderating debates after you’re waiting on bad news or maybe you just received it, that’s me. I can tell you every stand-up I’ve done at a football game where I’ve gotten the news that it didn’t work. I’d be talking about Tom Brady going for this record and my record is that I still was failing…I would have chest pains every time I was waiting for the call if it worked, and I knew it wouldn’t work.

Erin Andrews on ‘Today’

Andrews knew surrogacy was the only path to having a child. Although her family’s first attempt failed, her second attempt was a success, and she got to hear her child’s heartbeat for the very first time. The pair discuss the complex emotions that come with surrogacy, saying that bonds with their child could be affected because they didn’t carry their child. However, Welker assured Andrews that those feelings go away once you can talk to your child.

Once her son was born in June, who Andrews called, “a miracle,” she then talks about her child glowingly, talking about how he is just like mom — vocal. “He’s all me,” she says.

Andrews supports Baby Quest, a non-profit that grants money to families in need of IVF or surrogacy to have a baby but don’t have the funds to pursue these expensive treatments. Both Andrews and Welker acknowledged how difficult and unattainable their journies are for some families — and Andrews even used the NFL’s “My Cleats, My Cause” initiative to raise awareness for her cause.

“People don’t need to feel embarrassed that they have a surrogate or are looking for other help,” Andrews said.

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