“SportsCenter” anchor Christine Williamson will succeed Elle Duncan at ESPN, serving as co-host of the TV program’s 6 p.m. time slot alongside Kevin Negandhi, as well as the lead women’s college basketball host on “College GameDay,” the Worldwide Leader said in a press release Thursday.
Williamson — who currently co-hosts the 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. editions of “SportsCenter” with Matt Barrie — will begin co-hosting the 6 p.m. “SportsCenter” with Negandhi in January.
Duncan, who’s reportedly headed to Netflix to be the face of the streamer’s sports coverage, will host her final show on Dec. 16, according to Front Office Sports.
Duncan reportedly is expected to serve in a Bob Costas–type role at Netflix, serving as host and gatekeeper to multisports coverage.
Williamson joined ESPN in 2019 as a digital host after stints at Fox Sports, the Big 12 Network and the Denver Broncos.
A Tampa, Fla., native, Williamson is a former collegiate volleyball player at the University of Miami.
Malika Andrews, the host of “NBA Today and “NBA Countdown,” is poised to take over Duncan’s role as the lead host of ESPN’s WNBA studio coverage — “WNBA Countdown,” the WNBA draft, WNBA All-Star and the WNBA playoffs — per Front Office Sports.
Duncan was a part of the countdown crew with Chiney Ogwumike and Andraya Carter, who garnered the nickname the “Big 3” as ESPN centered the expansion of its women’s sports coverage around them.
There is no bad blood between Duncan and ESPN, according to The Athletic, which was first to report the news of her move to Netflix.
Duncan’s deal with Netflix will include a “substantial raise” from her ESPN salary, and it will allow her to “work much less,” according to The Athletic. She may also work some non-sports events.
As part of the deal, Duncan reportedly could still appear on other networks or platforms — but Netflix will have priority over her services, should there be any scheduling conflicts.
