12/21/24
March 19, 2016
Rebecca Lowe Leaving NBCSN Premier League Desk for a While: The face of Premier League soccer in the U.S. is taking a leave of absence during a season that could make history. Rebecca Lowe would rather give birth to her first child than see whether Leicester City can shock the world or Tottenham take its first title since 1961. "Of all the seasons in the Premier League, it's typical that this is arguably been the best one and I won't be there for the end," said Lowe, who is eight and a half months pregnant. Her last game is Sunday's Manchester derby.
To me, the thing is that a woman is the TV face of a men's sport in the U.S. I can't think of that happening before, though it would depend on what makes someone a face.
Phyllis George anchored NFL Today on CBS with Brent Musberger and Irv Cross in the 1970s. Chris Evert and other female tennis stars have gone on to prominent roles in the broadcast booth for both men's and women's coverage. But the anchor desk on men's sports is still mostly a man's game. Lowe's a trendsetter, and an excellent host on Premier League days.
posted by rcade at 02:34 PM on March 21, 2016
I think this would be more of a thing if Rebecca Lowe's husband were the US face and he decided to take parental leave at this point. I mean, the woman actually giving birth doesn't have much choice that I can see nor should she want to; IMO neither should the father who is, after all, the coach of an American soccer club.