Talent Profile: Pam Ward, Play-by-Play (ESPN)

Editor's Note: I first worked with Pam Ward as her runner when she was a sideline reporter for an ESPN broadcast of a University of Georgia football game. In a March 2, 2008 conversation with me, Pam recalled that game. "It started raining at kick-off and did not stop until the final gun went off. I knew at that game that I did not want to remain a sideline reporter." This is her profile as published by the ESPN Networks. Last updated March 2, 2008.

Pam Ward joined ESPNEWS, ESPN’s 24-hour sports news network, as an anchor November 18, a few weeks after the network’s November 1, 1996, launch. In addition to ESPNEWS, Ward serves as a commentator on select NCAA women’s basketball, the WNBA and college football games as well as an occasional anchor on ESPN’s SportsCenter.. She hosts the NFL on ESPN Radio and works as a reporter and on-site host for the Women’s Final Four. Ward has also hosted NBA Today, NBA 2Night, NHL 2Night, NFL Tonight and major league baseball pre- and post-game shows on ESPN Radio.

Ward had been an anchor/host at WBAL-Radio in Baltimore, Md., since March 1995. Her duties included hosting WBAL’s Baltimore Ravens’ pre-game show on Sundays. Ward also served as a fill-in sports anchor on WBAL-TV in Baltimore (1995-96).

In 1996, Ward began working as a sideline reporter for ESPN2’s college football games; she also served as an analyst for select games on ESPN/ESPN2’s coverage of the 1996 Women’s Basketball Championship. Since 1992, she had worked women’s college basketball games on a variety of networks, including Home Team Sports (HTS).

Prior to WBAL, Ward worked as an anchor/host for WTEM-Radio (all sports) in her native Washington, D.C. (April 1992-March 1995). Ward graduated from the University of Maryland with a degree in communications.

Photograph Copyright 2008 by Christopher Byrne/Eye on Sports Media. All Rights Reserved.