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 a well-known American sports journalist and business leader. She's been called one of the most successful female sportscasters ever. For almost 20 years, she worked as a reporter and host for big sports networks like ESPN, ABC, and CBS Sports. She covered major sports events like NFL, NBA, MLB, and college football and basketball. Today, Bonnie is the founder and CEO of Walk Swiftly Productions, a company that creates sports and entertainment content.
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Early Life and School
Bonnie Bernstein grew up in Howell, New Jersey, after being born in Brooklyn, New York. She was a top student at Howell High School, where she is now in their Hall of Fame. Bonnie was a four-time MVP for her school's gymnastics team. She also earned varsity letters in track and field, competing in hurdles, relays, javelin, and shotput.
Bonnie went to the University of Maryland. She graduated with high honors, earning a degree in broadcast journalism. She was recognized four times as an Academic All-America in gymnastics. This award is for athletes who also do very well in their studies. 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.
Her Amazing Career in Sports
Starting Her Journey
Bonnie started her career in local radio and TV. First, she was the news and sports director at WXJN-FM radio in Lewes, Delaware. Then, she moved to television at WMDT-TV in Salisbury, Maryland. There, she was the weekend news anchor for the ABC channel. After that, she became the first female weekday sports anchor in Reno, Nevada, at the NBC channel KRNV-TV.
Working at ESPN
Bonnie first joined ESPN in 1995. She worked as their Chicago Bureau Chief. In this role, she covered Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls during their amazing championship wins from 1996 to 1998. She also reported for popular shows like Sunday NFL Countdown and College GameDay. She sent in reports for SportsCenter during the Major League Baseball playoffs and the NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Championship.
Her Time at CBS Sports
In 1998, Bonnie moved to CBS Sports. She was the main sideline reporter for the NCAA Men's Basketball Championships. She also reported for The NFL Today. The next year, she became a sideline reporter for the NFL on CBS. She worked with famous announcers like Verne Lundquist, Dick Enberg, and Dan Dierdorf. In 2003, she joined the top team of Jim Nantz and Phil Simms.
Bonnie covered Super Bowls XXXV and XXXVIII for CBS. 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).
From 2001, Bonnie often worked "double duty" during the NFL season. She would cover a Sunday game for CBS and then Monday Night Football for radio.
Besides NFL and college basketball, Bonnie hosted the NCAA Women's Gymnastics Championship. She also hosted Championships of the NCAA and was a studio host for CBS SportsDesk. She worked on At The Half, which was CBS Sports' college basketball halftime show. Bonnie also covered tennis, track and field, horse racing, and figure skating for the network. She hosted the U.S. Open Tennis Championships studio show and the Hambletonian.
Back to ESPN
In July 2006, Bonnie returned to ESPN. She became the lead college football reporter for ESPN on ABC. She was also the field reporter for Sunday Night Baseball. On October 11, 2006, Bonnie had a serious health issue. Doctors found dangerous blood clots in her lungs and leg. She returned to ESPN and ABC a few weeks later. However, she traveled less the next season to stay healthy. She 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 and Digital Media
In September 2009, Bonnie became a co-host for The Michael Kay Show 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 called New York Football Live. She hosted it with Jets linebacker Greg Buttle.
In April 2013, Bonnie was named 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 on-air "face" of the network. She hosted daily studio shows during the college football season and the NCAA Basketball Championship. Her work behind the scenes included creating new shows and finding new sponsors. She also helped make the network's digital and social platforms bigger.
Starting Her Own Company
In January 2017, Bonnie started her own company, Walk Swiftly Productions. She is the CEO. Through her company and her consulting work, Bonnie works with big sports groups. These include the NCAA and the College Football Playoff (CFP). In 2019, an ESPN show called GOOD GAME: UC Irvine, which Bonnie helped produce, won an award. Another show, CMT's Country on Campus, was nominated for awards too. Other projects from her company include the XFL series “For the Love of Football" and an audio series called 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, a popular radio and TV program. She also appears as a guest on news networks like NBC, MSNBC, and FOX News Channel. There, she talks about important sports stories.
