Katie Nolan
Nothing's been typical about Katie Nolan's career. Getting her start on YouTube, she soon found a community of followers all looking to her for her sports knowledge and comedic attitude. This got her recognition from FOX Sports, who soon gave her her own show, "Garbage Talk with Katie Nolan". While the show airs on TV, it skews towards a younger, digital audience, continuing to make her Internet presence an important one among female sports reporters. Although she didn't grow up playing sports, her impact on the industry is known, winning an Emmy Award for her show and changing how women can enter the sports broadcasting industry.
Style and Presentation |
Internet Pressence |
The above video exemplifies Nolan's style of reporting and presentation. In it, she comments on the sexism of Ladies' Nights in Sports, a phenomenon of sports franchises pandering to women to try and get them interested in the game. Throughout the video, Nolan not only makes jokes about the ridiculousness of the situation but uses current and former sports knowledge to make her points. By doing so, it not only proves that Nolan knows her audience, but that she's knowledgable of the content she's reporting on. By having this balance, Nolan becomes a perfect example of what the new generation of sports fans is looking for in a sports reporter. Unlike more traditional reporters, Nolan doesn't shy away from the fact that she's indeed a woman, commenting on player's looks and joking about sex. This is something that differentiates Nolan's brand and attracts a younger audience, as she doesn't want to be "one of the guys" or accepted as a reporter like her male counterparts. She embraces her femininity rather than trying to escape it, making Nolan such a vital female sports broadcaster.
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Nolan's personal channel has gained more than 50,000 subscribers over the last three years, amassing more than 12 million views. While she was forced to delete her former channel after being hired by FOX Sports, the video exemplifies how in tune she is with the Internet. She responds to hate comments in a way that's both funny because she's being nice, but also poignant because of how horrible the comment sections for female sports reporters. Nolan also has a podcast, once again pushing her Internet brand. The podcast, which is put released by FOX Sports as well, features Nolan's humor and sports knowledge but allows for her to further connect with younger audiences. Podcasting has become a staple of the digital age, and by Nolan participating in it, it exemplifies why Nolan is so popular among her demographic. She understands what her audience wants and delivers it to them in ways that will allow her popularity to continue to grow.
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