Cari Champion is an American broadcast journalist, television personality, and author. She is the host of The Cari Champion Show on Amazon Prime Video Sports Talk. She has worked as an anchor and reporter for the Tennis Channel and as the host of ESPN2's First Take. In July 2014, Champion became an anchor for ESPN's flagship program SportsCenter. After almost eight years at the network, she left ESPN in February 2020. From August 2020 to February 2021, she co-hosted Cari & Jemele (Won't) Stick to Sports with Jemele Hill on the Vice on TV network.
Champion was born in Pasadena, California, and raised in San Diego. She attended the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), where she majored in English and minored in mass communications. While at UCLA, Champion was a member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority.
Champion began her career in television as a production assistant for Fox Sports Net. She then worked as a reporter for the Tennis Channel, where she covered the US Open, Wimbledon, and the Australian Open. In 2007, Champion joined ESPN as a host for ESPNU. She later became a host for ESPN2's First Take, where she co-hosted the show with Skip Bayless and Stephen A. Smith.
In 2014, Champion became an anchor for ESPN's flagship program SportsCenter. She was the first African-American woman to anchor the show on a permanent basis. Champion left ESPN in February 2020 after her contract expired.
In addition to her work in television, Champion is also the author of the book The Juice: The Unadulterated Truth About the Sports World and How to Make It Big. The book was published in 2017.
Champion is a vocal advocate for social justice and equality. She has spoken out against racism, sexism, and homophobia. In 2017, Champion was named one of Glamour magazine's Women of the Year.
Champion is a role model for many young women. She is an inspiration to anyone who wants to achieve their dreams.