Bonnie Bernstein facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Bonnie Bernstein
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Bernstein in January 2013
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| Born | August 16, 1970 New York City, US
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| Alma mater | University of Maryland, College Park |
| Occupation | Sportscaster, Entrepreneur |
| Years active | 1992–present |
Bonnie Lynn Bernstein, born on August 16, 1970, is an American sports reporter and business leader. She is known as one of the best female sports reporters ever. For almost 20 years, she worked at ESPN, ABC, and CBS Sports. She reported on major sports like football (NFL and college), basketball (NBA and college), and baseball (MLB). Today, Bonnie is the founder and CEO of Walk Swiftly Productions. This company creates sports and entertainment shows, especially those that aren't scripted.
Bonnie Bernstein's Early Life and Education
Bonnie Bernstein was born in Brooklyn, New York. She grew up in Howell, New Jersey. At Howell High School, she was the second-highest-ranking student in her class. She is also a member of her high school's Hall of Fame.
High School Sports Achievements
Bonnie was a four-time Most Valuable Player (MVP) for her school's gymnastics team. She also earned varsity letters in indoor and outdoor track and field. In track, she competed in hurdles, the 4x400 relay, javelin, and shotput.
College Years at University of Maryland
Bernstein went to the University of Maryland. She graduated with high honors in broadcast journalism. She was also a four-time Academic All-America in gymnastics. This means she was excellent in both her studies and her sport. She received the Thomas M. Fields award for her achievements. Bonnie still helps her old university. She is on the board for the Philip Merrill College of Journalism and the Povich Center for Sports Journalism.
Bonnie Bernstein's Career in Sports Media
Bonnie Bernstein has had a long and successful career in sports broadcasting. She started small and worked her way up.
Starting Her Broadcast Journey
Bonnie began her career in local radio. She was the news and sports director at WXJN-FM radio in Lewes, Delaware. After that, she moved to television. She worked at WMDT-TV in Salisbury, Maryland as a weekend news anchor. Then, she became the first female weekday sports anchor in Reno, Nevada, at KRNV-TV.
Working at ESPN
In 1995, Bonnie joined ESPN. She was the Chicago Bureau Chief. In this role, she covered Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls. She reported on their amazing championship wins from 1996 to 1998. She also worked as a reporter for popular shows like Sunday NFL Countdown and College GameDay. She also filed reports for SportsCenter during the Major League Baseball playoffs and the NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Championship.
Time at CBS Sports
Bonnie moved to CBS Sports in 1998. She became the main sideline reporter for the NCAA Men's Basketball Championships. She also reported for The NFL Today. The next year, she started sideline reporting for the NFL on CBS. She worked with famous announcers like Verne Lundquist, Dick Enberg, and Dan Dierdorf. In 2003, she was promoted to the top team with Jim Nantz and Phil Simms.
Super Bowl Coverage
Bernstein covered two Super Bowls for CBS: XXXV and XXXVIII. During Super Bowl XXXVIII, she made history. She was the first reporter to cover the game for both network television (CBS Sports) and network radio (Westwood One Radio). This meant she often worked "double duty" during the NFL season. She would cover a Sunday game for CBS and then Monday Night Football for radio.
Other Sports at CBS
Besides NFL and college basketball, Bonnie hosted the NCAA Women's Gymnastics Championship. She also hosted Championships of the NCAA. She was a studio host for CBS SportsDesk and At The Half, which was CBS Sports' college basketball halftime show. Bonnie also covered tennis, track and field, horse racing, and figure skating. She hosted the U.S. Open Tennis Championships studio show and the Hambletonian.
Returning to ESPN
In July 2006, Bonnie Bernstein went back to ESPN. She became the lead college football reporter for ESPN on ABC. She was also the field reporter for Sunday Night Baseball with Jon Miller and Joe Morgan.
Health Challenge and Role Change
On October 11, 2006, Bonnie had a serious health scare. Doctors found dangerous blood clots in her lungs. These clots started in her left leg. She returned to ESPN and ABC a few weeks later. However, she reduced her travel schedule to stay safe. She then focused on hosting many of ESPN's big shows. These included NFL Live, Jim Rome Is Burning, Outside the Lines, First Take, and College Football Live.
Radio Hosting Roles
In September 2009, Bonnie became a co-host for The Michael Kay Show. This show was on 1050 ESPN Radio in New York. She also covered the New York Jets and hosted special shows during the 2009–10 NFL playoffs. In July 2010, Bonnie got her own daily NFL show. It was called New York Football Live. She co-hosted it with Jets linebacker Greg Buttle.
Campus Insiders and Digital Media
In April 2013, Bonnie Bernstein took on a new role. She became the vice president of Content and Brand Development for Campus Insiders. This was a digital partnership between Silver Chalice Ventures and IMG College. Bonnie was also the main on-air person for the network. She hosted daily studio shows during the college football season and the NCAA Basketball Championship. Off-air, she created new shows, found sponsors, and helped expand the network's digital and social platforms.
Founding Walk Swiftly Productions
In January 2017, Bonnie Bernstein started her own company. It is called Walk Swiftly Productions, and she is the CEO. Through this company and her other business, Velvet Hammer Media, Bonnie works with major sports groups. These include the NCAA and the College Football Playoff (CFP).
Award-Winning Productions
In 2019, an ESPN show called GOOD GAME: UC Irvine won an award. It was produced by Walk Swiftly Productions, with Bonnie as an executive producer. Another show, CMT's Country on Campus, was nominated for awards too. Other notable shows from WSP include the XFL's series, “For the Love of Football," and the audio series, She Got Game.
Other Broadcast Work
Bonnie Bernstein is the only woman ever to fill in as a solo host for The Dan Patrick Show. This show is broadcast on both radio and TV. She also appears as a guest on news channels like NBC, MSNBC, and FOX News Channel. On these shows, she talks about important sports stories.
