Erin Andrews, 36 (left), will replace Pam Oliver, 53 (right) as #1 FOX Sports NFL sideline reporter |
Erin Andrews, 36, (pictured left) is replacing Oliver, 53,
as FOX Sport’s top NFL sideline reporter. She will work with Oliver’s former
team members Joe Buck and Troy Aikman. Andrews was a college football sideline
reporter for ESPN before joining FOX Sports in 2012.
Oliver, a 19-year veteran that FOX Sports credits as its “longest-tenured
NFL sideline reporter,” will spend her final year as a sideline reporter with the number two team where she will work with play-by-play
announcer Kevin Burkhardt and analyst John Lynch.
“To go from the lead crew to no crew was a little shocking,”
Oliver said in a quote published by SI.com. “I said I wanted to do a 20th year
[on the sidelines]. I expressed to them that I was not done and had something
to offer. Again, I think it was predetermined coming in. Not at that meeting,
but two years ago it was determined that no matter what I did or did not do, a
change would be made for this year.”
Bonesteel added that: “It’s the second time this year that
she has replaced an older woman in some broadcasting capacity: In February, she
replaced Brooke Burke-Charvet, 42, as co-host of “Dancing With the Stars.”
The FOX Sports press release states that “in Oliver’s new
position, she expands her influence beyond the NFL to include the wide breadth
of sports and events covered by FOX Sports year-round, with her exclusive
interviews, commentary and essays featured on a variety of FOX Sports programs
and platforms, including FOX NFL SUNDAY, FOX SPORTS LIVE, AMERICA'S PREGAME,
FOX SPORTS 1 ON 1, college football and basketball and FOXSports.com.”
A graduate of FAMU, Oliver received her degree in broadcast
journalism. As an undergraduate, she
held school records in the 400 meters and was an AIAW track and field
All-American in both the 400 meters and the mile relay, and as a member of the
mile relay team, she had the distinction of participating on the first women's
team from FAMU to win a national championship (AIAW.) She was inducted into the FAMU Sports Hall of
Fame in 1996.