Madelyn Burke Lands ESPN ‘SportsCenter’ Anchor Role After Decade with Giants
Madelyn Burke will join ESPN as an anchor for SportsCenter in April, the network announced Tuesday, marking a transition for the veteran broadcaster after a decade covering the New York Giants.
Burke’s departure from the Giants was announced last week and ESPN confirmed Monday that she will be based at its headquarters in Bristol, Connecticut. The network is currently finalizing her on-air schedule, according to an ESPN press release.
“I’m thrilled and honored to join ESPN, and to be a part of a program as iconic as SportsCenter,” Burke said in a statement. “It’s a show that has meant so much to me and to generations of sports fans. I’m excited to help carry that tradition forward although bringing energy, joy, and a genuine love of sports to every show.”
Burke spent nearly ten years as a multi-platform host covering the Giants, most recently with MSG Network, and Giants.com. She also hosted for CBS Sports HQ, contributing to studio, digital, and live game coverage, including pre- and post-game programming and sideline reporting.
The move to ESPN represents a “full circle moment” for Burke, who previously interned with the network while in college. She also worked as a production assistant for ESPN’s coverage of Super Bowls XLII and XLIII, the Giants’ victories over the New England Patriots and the Pittsburgh Steelers respectively, according to an interview with the New York Post. She also served as a production assistant for “Monday Night Football” and the NBA Finals.
“Nearly 20 years later, to be here now joining ‘SportsCenter,’ I honestly feel a lot more gratitude than anything else to the people and the experiences and the opportunities that have helped me get here,” Burke told the Post. “It’s also just the full circle moment of remembering being a young PA just cutting her teeth and trying to do whatever it takes to be in and around the industry. And now, I’m about to start my dream job.”
Prior to her work with the Giants, Burke covered college football and the NBA, including time on the Los Angeles Clippers beat and with Sports Illustrated. She graduated from Arizona State University with a degree in journalism, and hosted the nationally televised college football show Running with the PAC on FOX while still a student.
Mike Foss, Senior Vice President, Sports & Studio Entertainment at ESPN, praised Burke’s versatility and connection with fans. “Madelyn is a versatile and dynamic storyteller who brings credibility, energy and a deep understanding of sports to everything she does,” Foss said. “Her experience across multiple platforms and connection with fans make her a great addition to SportsCenter.”
Burke expressed gratitude for the support she received from the Giants organization and its fanbase following her announcement of departure. “The amount of people who have reached out and shown support and gratitude for what I did in that coverage has really been heartwarming,” she said.