Darren Rovell
{{short description|American sports journalist}}
{{Lead too short|date=June 2019}}
File:ESPN's Darren Rovell makes his T-Mobile -HRDerby pick - Adam Duvall. (28365179461).jpg
Darren Rovell (born June 30, 1978){{cite tweet|number=1277988496054108166|user=darrenrovell|title=What do I want for my birthday? The most simple...and most complex gift I have ever asked for. |date=30 June 2020}} is a sports business analyst who works for The Action Network. He previously worked for ESPN.{{cite news|url=http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/darren-rovell-leaving-cnbc-for-espn-and-abc_b133981|title=Darren Rovell Leaving CNBC for ESPN and ABC|work=TVNewser|date=21 June 2012|author=Chris Ariens | archive-date=June 23, 2012 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120623212557/http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/darren-rovell-leaving-cnbc-for-espn-and-abc_b133981}}
Early life and education
He attended and graduated cum laude from Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, in 2000, where he is on the advisory board for graduate programs in sports administration. He majored in theater. However, he also hosted a college radio show about sports business.{{cite web|url=https://www.buzzfeed.com/stevekandell/the-ports-guy-the-making-of-darren-rovell|title=The $ports Guy: Why Do So Many Fans Hate Darren Rovell?|last=Kandell|first=Steve|date=September 30, 2013|website=Buzzfeed|access-date=30 September 2013}}
Professional life
Rovell was recruited out of college as a sports business writer for ESPN.com. He reported on sports agents, endorsements, and contracts frequently on ESPN's SportsCenter.
Rovell joined CNBC in 2006.[https://www.cnbc.com/darren-rovell/ Darren Rovell Profile, Biography, About] CNBC.com
He has anchored five primetime documentaries for CNBC:
- Swoosh! Inside Nike
- Inside Track: Refueling the Business of NASCAR
- As Seen on TV
- Business Model: Inside the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue
- Behind The Counter: The Untold Story of Franchising
Rovell wrote the book First In Thirst: How Gatorade Turned The Science of Sweat Into A Cultural Phenomenon and co-wrote the book On the Ball: What You Can Learn About Business From America's Sports Leaders with David Carter.
He also reports on non-sports business matters for ABC News.
Rovell was part of the Outside the Lines report that disclosed the NCAA's investigation into whether Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel was earning money from the sale of autographs, in potential violation of NCAA rules.
On November 28, 2018, The Action Network announced that Rovell was joining the company as a senior executive producer reporting to Michael J. Leboff.Strauss, Ben. [https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2018/11/28/darren-rovell-his-move-espn-action-network-theyre-buying-me-brand/ Darren Rovell on his move from ESPN to the Action Network: 'They're buying me as a brand']. The Washington Post. 28 November 2018. Retrieved 15 January 2019.
Controversy
In November 2009, Rovell made controversial remarks in an article regarding an American athlete, Meb Keflezighi, the first American to win a New York City Marathon since 1982, by suggesting that he was a ringer.{{cite news|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2009/11/04/marathons-headline-win-is-empty.html|title=Marathon's Headline Win Is Empty |work=CNBC |date=2 Nov 2009|author=Darren Rovell}} He later apologized.{{cite news|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2009/11/03/what-i-got-wrong-about-keflezighi.html|title=What I Got Wrong About Keflezighi|last=Rovell|first=Darren|date=3 Nov 2009|work=CNBC|access-date=2009-11-03}}
On November 17, 2011, Rovell sent a tweet to his followers on Twitter, asking them to come forward with stories about how their businesses were losing money during the 2011 NBA lockout. A high school senior named "Tim," annoyed with Rovell's behavior at the time, created a fake name and email account, telling Rovell online that he owned an escort service in New York frequented by NBA players, which was losing 30% of its business.{{cite web |website=Deadspin |url=http://deadspin.com/5916245|title=How A Teenager With A Fake Escort Service Duped Darren Rovell And CNBC|date=6 June 2012|author=John Koblin}} Rovell failed to verify the authenticity, and ran the story in a CNBC column. "Tim" came forward with the story months later to the website Deadspin, because, he said, "he's just such a [expletive] on twitter all the time [I] just got fed up." Deadspin made Rovell aware of his mistake. On the same day, Rovell released an apology on CNBC saying, "there will always be people out there who want their 15 minutes of fame and not really care how they get there."{{cite news|author=Darren Rovell|date=6 June 2012|title=An Apology to My Readers |work=CNBC |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2012/06/06/an-apology-to-my-readers.html}}
Awards
Emmy Award for his contribution to NBC's 2008 Election coverage.
Personal life
References
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Category:American sports journalists
Category:20th-century American Jews
Category:Northwestern University School of Communication alumni
Category:News & Documentary Emmy Award winners
Category:American television journalists
Category:People from Roslyn Heights, New York
Category:American male journalists