Cari Champion Net Worth, Relationships, Age/Birthdate & Birthday

A Voice Rising — The Journey of Cari Champion

From a childhood in Pasadena to the bright lights of national sports broadcasting, Cari Champion has built a career defined by drive, versatility, and a commitment to lifting voices underrepresented in media. Born on June 1, 1978, Cari Champion’s birthday has marked the start of a remarkable journey into journalism — one that blends passion for storytelling with a fierce determination to challenge norms.

Raised in Pasadena, California, Champion attended University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), where she majored in English and minored in mass communications — a foundation that would shape her voice. While writing for the student paper, she realized journalism could be a means to elevate underdog voices and offer representation that she believed was missing. 

Her early career took her far from the glitz of big networks. In her first reporting job in West Virginia, she carried her own camera — a “one-woman band,” as she later put it — exemplifying a work ethic born out of ambition, not ease.  Over time she moved through local newsstations — from California’s Orange County to Florida’s WPTV-TV — before eventually landing in Atlanta.

Her time at the local level came with stumbles: in 2007 she was briefly dismissed from her anchor role at WGCL-TV after a live-on-air misunderstanding. She later contested the firing, noting that a producer error led to the profanity being picked up. She was rehired — and soon left to seek broader horizons. 

It was in covering stories in Florida — including high-stakes human interest and dramatic weather events — that she discovered a love for sports, especially tennis. That affinity led her to audition for the news division of The Tennis Channel, where she was chosen from a wide cohort of candidates. In 2009, she began anchoring courtside and front-page segments, touching a chord with audiences and scouts alike. 

Spotlight on ESPN — Breaking Through the Noise

The real inflection point came in 2012, when Champion joined ESPN as host of ESPN2’s live-debate program First Take. She was selected over other contenders — a move that showed ESPN’s confidence in her ability to guide strong personalities and heated debates with poise. 

As host of First Take, Champion navigated conversations between top commentators including Skip Bayless and Stephen A. Smith — widely regarded among the “biggest, strongest personalities” in sports media. 

In 2015, after persistent advocacy, she achieved another milestone: promotion to anchor on SportsCenter, ESPN’s flagship program. From then on, she became a recognizable fixture in morning sports coverage — offering not just highlights, but thoughtful commentary and representation.

During her tenure at ESPN, she didn’t just report; she also produced — notably profiling NFL quarterback Cam Newton for a feature on E:60, showcasing her ability to weave narrative, context, and humanity into sports journalism.

New Chapters — Reinvention and Advocacy

After nearly eight years at ESPN, Cari Champion departed in early 2020, saying she was ready to explore new opportunities. She then co-hosted Cari & Jemele (won't) Stick to Sports with Jemele Hill — a bold show on Vice TV that merged sports, social issues, culture, and politics, refusing to quiet the voices that say “stick to sports.” 

In 2022, she launched her own show on Amazon Prime Video, titled The Cari Champion Show, marking her transition from anchor to auteur — granting her greater creative control, a wider canvas to explore sports, culture, and stories with depth. 

Throughout this evolution, Champion has remained true to a core mission: representing people whose stories are overlooked, using sports and media as lenses for bigger conversations. Many consider her a role model for rising journalists, especially women of color, who aspire to break into sports media.

Net Worth & Life Beyond the Camera

According to public estimates from sites such as Celebrity Net Worth, Cari Champion’s net worth is around US $4 million, with an annual salary during her ESPN days listed near US $1 million. 

Despite public curiosity, Champion maintains a private personal life. Recent profiles list her as single. Over the years there have been rumors — at one point, a connection to one of her ESPN colleagues drew attention — but nothing has ever been confirmed.

Why Cari Champion Matters — More Than Headlines

What makes Cari Champion stand out is not just her resume — it’s her story. She began in small local stations, lugging a tripod and camera, worked through setbacks, and navigated a male-dominated industry to become a respected national anchor and creator. But beyond titles, she has used her platform to amplify voices, challenge stereotypes, and broaden what sports media can be.

Her birthdate and birthday — June 1, 1978 — serve as a quiet reminder of how far dedication and vision can take someone. As media landscapes evolve, Cari Champion stands as proof that journalism can be more than reciting scores — it can be storytelling, advocacy, and representation.