Karie Ross worked as a sports broadcaster from 1988 to 1996; then, she transitioned from her career to other pursuits.
Karie Ross is an American former sports broadcaster who was both a sports anchor and reporter for ABC, NBC, and CBS.
She was ESPN‘s third female on-air personality and was the first female reporter on ESPN’s College Football Gameday.
Beyond her broadcasting career, Karie also served as America’s global ambassador to the cotton industry. In 1981, she earned the title Maid of Cotton.
Highlights
- Karie Ross is a former sports broadcaster, reporter, and anchor on the news network, including NBC, ABC, CBS, and ESPN.
- Karie Ross confronted about harassment against women in ESPN in a staff meeting in 1989.
- Karie’s contract with ESPN was not renewed in 1989 after she spoke about workplace harassment.
Recently, Lee Fitting, a former ESPN executive, was hired as the head of production at WWE, sparking online controversies about WWE and Lee.
In 2023, Fitting was fired from ESPN following an allegation of misconduct.
Moreover, ESPN’s female employees claimed that they felt objectified and said Lee made crude and sexist remarks.
Following the news of Lee Fitting, netizens are reminiscing about when Karie Ross spoke up about the workplace harassment against women in the broadcasting industry.
In 1989, Karie Ross Confronted Sexual Harassment At A Staff Meeting Of About 200 Colleagues
Karie Ross joined ESPN in 1987. Her work was mainly based in Bristol, Connecticut. After two years, she stood up for herself against workplace harassment.
During a staff meeting in 1989, Ross stooped in front of about two hundred of her co-workers, many of them were males.
In the demands, she asked to end sexual harassment at the network. She also talked about editing time being traded for sex and about men groping and grabbing female employees.
During her time at ESPN, Karie was a valued female broadcaster and held a high position. Thus, other female employees and women working at ESPN constantly approached her with terror in their eyes.
Moreover, In the general meeting, she publicly stated,
I’m tired of women coming up to me upset because they can’t do their jobs without some jerk trying to sleep with them,
Karie Ross
After a few months, Karie Ross’s contract went unrenewed, making her leave ESPN, which her fans accused of forceful dismissal.
About fifteen years after she departed from ESPN, Karie Ross mentioned she had no hard feelings about leaving ESPN after just two years of working.
“I had a lot of bitterness there for a while, A lot of those thoughts and feelings and experiences, I don’t even think about them that much any more.
Karie Ross
The Book “ESPN: The Uncensored History” Critiques ESPN’s 20-year History Of The Network, Including Harrashments
In 2000, Michael Freeman published ESPN: The Uncensored History. This book offers a detailed exploration of ESPN’s journey from its inception to its evolution into a major media outlet.
Along with it, the book addressed the problems of sexual harassment and trumpeted Karie Ross’s bravery.
ESPN: The Uncensored History YQKTVYWhttps://t.co/8fFWmDHPen pic.twitter.com/ocoTsUX0md
— Herbert55yJP (@Herbert55yJ) November 7, 2022
Regarding the book and her story depicted in it, Karie Ross stated,
“When I read the book and the people at ABC are saying they were thinking I was going to file this big, gigantic lawsuit, that didn’t even enter my mind.
Karie Ross
Furthermore, she added,
“I was shocked when I read the book. I thought it (the sexual harassment) would end after I left there, but it just got worse.
Karie Ross
Karie’s broadcasting career started with KOCO-TV in Oklahoma City, then worked for four years at Columbus, Ohio’s WBNS-TV, and two years in Bristol for ESPN.
Furthermore, she also worked at Sports News Network in Washington, DC, and later contributed as a female weekday anchor at KLAS-TV.
Additional Information
- Karie Ross is married to David Dombrowski, an American baseball executive who serves as the president of baseball operations for the Philadelphia Phillies of MLB.
- Ross and Dombrowski married in 1995 after three years of knowing each other. They have two children, Landon and Dabri.
- Karie Ross was raised in Clinton, Oklahoma, by her parents, Lanny and Janet Ross.
