Rachel Nichols is leaving ESPN for a new job with CNN and Turner Sports.
Rachel Nichols is one of the most recognizable reporters on ESPN and one of the most popular. After nine years at the network and countless sideline reports from NFL games, Nichols is set to take a sports role with CNN and Turner Sports.
According to USA Today, Nichols will anchor a weekend program on CNN while also handling a range of other assignments on Turner Sports, including NBA games and Major League Baseball. The report also says that Nichols will work larger events, including the Olympics. Her first report will be working on the upcoming Super Bowl in New Orleans.
"I couldn't be more excited," she said in a statement.
Nichols spent a number of years at the Washington Post and the Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel before joining ESPN.
In a tweet Thursday, Nichols says she "couldn't be more grateful for my time at ESPN."
While working at ESPN, Nichols worked on a range of events and programs, including SportsCenter, Sunday NFL Countdown, NBA Countdown and E:60. Nichols also worked on the sidelines for the network's NFL studio shows and on some Monday Night Football games.
Miami Heat forward LeBron James tweeted: "Congrats to @Rachel__Nichols on the new gig!! Best of luck to you"
CNN put out a release about the news, which was announced by President Jeff Zucker.
"We're just thrilled that a sports journalist of Rachel's stature and expertise will now be a regular part of the CNN lineup," said Zucker. "Her arrival, beginning next week, is an important step in expanding the range of programming and storytelling on CNN."
Nichols went to Northwestern University and earned a degree in journalism before working as a reporter on the Washington Post.
Zucker also announced information on a new weekend program that Nichols will host, which will include other programs from Anthony Bourdain, the food and travel writer and television personality, as well as documentary filmmaker Morgan Spurlock.
