As someone looking for work in sports, you should stay in the loop of the sports world. If your circle is buzzing about sports stories, learn how to contribute to the conversation and share insights.
This is where influencers come in. They’re the experts in the sports world who have established credibility and share their knowledge through Twitter and other social media platforms.
Some of the best influencers for all sports fans to follow are the TV personalities in broadcasting. If you are looking to work in sports, no matter your field or expertise, you can learn a lot from these sports media personalities:
Tony Reali – 813K Followers
After years of being the ‘Stat Boy’ for the wildly popular TV show, Pardon the Interruption, Reali made a name for himself as the charismatic host of Around the Horn, a roundtable discussion show that integrates panel game elements.
His popularity skyrocketed and continues to climb. He has a great sense of humor, but he’s also known for his expertise in statistics. He keeps his Twitter feed active by tweeting several times a day. This account is great for numbers nerds and Around the Horn fans.
Michael Wilbon – 4.97M Followers
Wilbon began his career at the Washington Post, covering the culture of sports in his column. His work in sports continued when he joined ESPN as a commentator and analyst.
Now, he co-hosts Pardon the Interruption, a discussion-based show that focuses on sports stories and other miscellaneous topics. He tweets regularly — mostly his thoughts during sporting events.
Tony Kornheiser – 119K Followers
Kornheiser is a busy host. Not only does he co-host Pardon the Interruption with Wilbon, he also hosts The Tony Kornheiser Show, a sports podcast talk show that he started as a radio show in 1992.
He maintains an active Twitter account, usually retweeting humorous musings from around the sports world.
Darren Rovell – 1.96M Followers
Rovell is perfect to follow for those who want to work in sports business. He started his career as a sports business writer for ESPN, and he sometimes appears on SportsCenter, ESPN’s flagship program that delivers daily sports news.
Outside of ESPN, he worked for CNBC as their sports business reporter. He appeared on several programs, like Power Lunch and Squawk Box and wrote for their Sports Biz blog. Follow his Twitter for the latest news in sports business.
Scott Van Pelt – 1.89M Followers
Van Pelt began his career in sports broadcasting at a FOX affiliate in D.C., before joining the Golf Channel for five years. Then, he joined ESPN as one of the top golf correspondents.
Currently, he is the solo anchor of the midnight edition of SportsCenter. Before taking this role, he co-hosted SVP & Russillo, an ESPN radio show. He provides expert analysis on several sports, and he shares his sports knowledge through posts like making college football predictions and more, on his Twitter feed every day.
Tim Kurkjian – 623K Followers
Since he was in college for journalism, Kurkjian always wrote about sports. He covered high school sports as a college student, then earned the Texas Rangers beat writer role for a Dallas publication. Now, he is one of the top baseball analysts for ESPN. He frequents Baseball Tonight, SportsCenter, and other major baseball shows.
He also writes for ESPN. While he doesn’t tweet consistently, he’s worth following because he writes great content for baseball fans.
Mike Golic – 714K Followers
Golic played eight years in the NFL for various teams, then started his broadcasting career in Philadelphia. From there, he co-hosted the wildly popular Mike & Mike radio sports show for 17 years.
He is now hosting Wingo and Golic, a new ESPN radio program that covers all things sports. His Twitter feed includes his thoughts on sports news, retweets about his radio show, and funny observations.
Bill Simmons – 6.02M Followers
Between podcasts, columns, and books, Simmons is one of the most prolific, influential people in sports. His unique style is what sets him apart — he mixes pop culture references and his personal life in with sports analysis.
He’s also involved in several media projects through HBO and launched his website, The Ringer, a sports and pop culture resource and podcast network. He shares content from his website regularly on his Twitter feed.
Jay Bilas – 1.92M Followers
With nearly two million followers, Bilas is a leading voice for college sports. He is an outspoken advocate for paying college athletes and is a regular contributor for ESPN in many facets — he frequents SportsCenter and ESPN Radio, and is a featured basketball writer for their website.
His college basketball career started when he played for Duke, where he helped lead his team to the Final Four and National Championship game in 1986. He coached at Duke for a few years, then started his broadcasting career with ESPN.
For all college sports fans, Bilas’ Twitter is a must-follow. He posts several times a day and shows some behind-the-scenes action of his broadcasts.
These personalities and analysts are the best of the best. By following them, you can keep up with water cooler conversations and add your own insights.
What sports influencers do you follow and why? Share in the comments below!
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