Michele Steele is joining Big Ten Network as a contributor across its game and studio programming, Front Office Sports has learned.
The former ESPN anchor and correspondent confirmed she’s joining the sports cable network during a telephone interview on Thursday. Her first assignment will be as a sideline reporter for Nebraska football’s Red-White Spring Game this Saturday.
The Chicago native spent nearly 14 years at ESPN from 2011-2025, anchoring SportsCenter, working as a national correspondent, and serving as a sideline reporter. In addition to her new role at BTN, she currently serves as a host and director of content strategy for Stocktwits.
Steele announced her departure from ESPN on her social media feeds last July. She credits her agent, Ethan Rautbort of UTA, for helping her land her new job at BTN. In a Q&A with FOS, Steele discussed her latest career move.
Front Office Sports: So tell us about your new gig with Big Ten Network.
Michele Steele: I’m going to be contributing in-studio across their studio shows and other programming, with my first assignment coming Saturday at Nebraska for the Red-White scrimmage. So I’m really excited about it. Year 4 of the Matt Rhule tenure at Nebraska. I’m a University of Illinois alumn. I went to Illinois quite deliberately because I’d gone to a very small parochial high school of about 100 students in my senior class. I really wanted the Big Ten, big sports, kind of experience in college. As a U of I alum it really feels a little bit like homecoming for me. There is something really special for me about getting to cover a conference that you literally grew up with and graduated from–while staying here in Chicago which is my hometown. So it’s great. This checks a lot of boxes for me.
FOS: Besides sideline reporter, will you also host and anchor for BTN?
MS: Yes. I will be anchoring in-studio across daytime shows and nighttime shows. This is a contributor role. I’ll be filling in for people. I’ll be in the same room with Dave Revsine, Rick Pizzo, and Mike Hall, who are the other anchors at Big Ten Network. Revsine was at ESPN. They’re like walking Big Ten encyclopedias, which is another exciting part of it.
FOS: Where else are you contributing now?
MS: It’s a mix. It’s definitely reflective of the portfolio of my career. I’m kind of doing a little bit of everything that I’ve done so far. First and foremost, I’m hosting podcasts and working for Stocktwits, which is a huge investor/social platform. I’m working with Rob Shaw, who was the head of local sports sponsorship at Meta for like a decade. Super-talented guy. He’s the chief operating officer. He and I worked together at Bloomberg Sports back in the day. Stephen Master from Nielsen is also at Stocktwits. I’m also a contributor for National Public Radio, talking to Scott Simon on the weekends about sports. I’m a fill-in [anchor] at WGN-TV in Chicago.
FOS: You had a long and successful career at ESPN. Wasn’t it mostly out of their Chicago bureau?
MS: I had a great run at ESPN. Almost 14 years. I was a five-tool player for them in multiple markets. I started in Bristol for a couple of coffee. I was doing wraps on ESPN3 with Andy Katz. Who, of course, is now at the Big Ten [Network]. So not only is it a homecoming for me in Chicago. But it’s a little bit like the band’s getting back together. After Bristol, I moved to Boston because ESPN needed somebody to cover the Patriots. Do you know who I’m driving to meet in Chicago right now? Stacey James [head of media relations for] the New England Patriots. Something is happening in the universe. We’re going to meet up. He’s actually here for opening weekend for the Cubs. So I was based out of Boston for almost four years. Ever since then, I’ve been in Chicago.
FOS: What were your favorite roles at ESPN?
MS: It goes without saying that my primary job there as a bureau reporter gave me so much satisfaction as a journalist. But I have to admit: I’m a little bit of a ham. The times I was called in to anchor SportsCenter, which I did for eight-plus years while I was based in Boston and even in Chicago. I think I might have been the only person, for a while, that they flew in to do SportsCenter. I loved working in-studio. I loved directing traffic. And I really loved getting to show another part of my personality. When you’re in the field, you’re on TV for about 90 seconds. Blink and you’ll miss it. You need to get to the facts and get out of there. In-studio you have a little more time to stretch. You get to know people a little bit more. There’s an aspect of not just delivering information but trying to do it in a compelling and entertaining way. I took improv classes the whole time I was in New York, when I was at Bloomberg. At UCB: The Upright Citizens Brigade. I took classes at the Second City during the pandemic. I really enjoy my time in-studio. That’s one of the many reasons this opportunity is exciting.
FOS: Thankfully, SportsCenter anchors have one of the few jobs where they’re encouraged to show their personality.
MS: I’d like to think so. We’re not here reading the phone book. If you’re going to go out there and play things straight the whole time, in an era of headlines being instantaneous on your phone 24/7, you have to give people a reason to watch. If you don’t have a personality people want to spend time with, they’re going to do something else. No matter what information you have.
