NEOSI’s Matt Medley had a chance to chat with Fox Sports NFL Kickoff host Charissa Thompson on a variety of topics, including her start in the business, domestic violence in sports, the MLB postseason, and the company she’s working with – Biotrue. Check out what Charissa had to say in this one-on-one.
Matt: So we’re here with Charissa Thompson of Fox Sports NFL Kickoff host, “Extra” co-host, also works for Fox Sports 1, so thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to talk with us.
Charissa: Thanks for having me, thanks for including all my jobs. Sometimes I forget I do some of those things.
Matt: I would too, so you started as an assistant in the Human Resources Department at Fox Sports, and now being one of the more prominent women in sports reporting, what advice do you give to young women pursuing a career in sports journalism?
Charissa: Be willing to work anywhere. I am not equipped to work in HR. It’s probably an HR violation, in a lot of ways, but it was an opportunity in the sports department and so for me it was like as long as it gets me in the building, I don’t care as cliche as it sounds, newsroom, or cafeteria, or whatever, as long as you are close to where you want to be, be willing to do that. I tell a lot of girls a lot of times who ask like how they can get started, you kinda gotta be willing to move anywhere or do anything. So as the game changes and how people get in, and the numerous outlets you can now work for it still holds true that you gotta start somewhere. So I would say be willing to work in any department.
Matt: Exactly, it’s all about getting your foot in the door at any job. So I’m sure that in your career you have across some stereotypes whether we want to admit it or not I’m sure it’s happened, How do you handle situations like that?
Charissa: Yeah, that happens. I would say fortunately it becomes less and less as you continue to stay in this respected job. But yeah, of course there’s stereotypes. You know, “Why are you taking this job?” You’re either in this job because you “want to date the athletes”, or you just want to be the “Barbie on the sidelines”, or “you don’t really know anything about sports” I mean these stereotypes exist. I think for me the biggest thing, and I sort of live my life this way, is self-deprecation or just just owning the stereotype. If you say what everyone else is already thinking, it sort of diffuses the tension or the headline, right? Like “Yep, just here because I wanted to date an athlete.” Ha ha ha. Nope. Obviously that’s not why I’m here. Or I “don’t know anything about sports” but I’m still working in sports. I think addressing that these stereotypes exist and then quickly moving on, I always say women get a lot more opportunities in this field of sports reporting cause there’s not as many of us, but not a lot of them stay. So I think it’s once you’re given the opportunity it’s your job to stay there even more so than a man and show that you know more because that’s something that you’re gonna be up against. It hasn’t affected me too much so long as you can just kind of laugh at it and not worry about the “egg” avatar comments, as I always say.
Matt: Yeah, and obviously you’ve worked very hard to get where you’re at. Over the past year there has been a significant amount of attention highlighted on domestic violence in sports, and especially the NFL and being a prominent woman reporter, how do you see yourself and other reporters like you when it comes to addressing these topics in sports and in reporting? Do you feel like you have the voice and the responsibility to make your voice heard on issues like that?
Charissa: Absolutely I think that I have the voice and the responsibility whether I was in sports or not. I don’t know if you saw Terry Bradshaw’s heartfelt thing last week on the Sunday show in regards to Hardy, but there’s a responsibility for men and women I mean Russell Wilson has a whole “Pass the Peace” Initiative he does every year to end domestic violence, but as a woman in this sport when the whole Ray Rice thing happened or any of the other athletes that are brought up on charges, alleged or not. I did a roundtable with Pam Oliver and a couple other women last year, sort of throwing out our responsibility as women in the sport, like do we say we can no longer report on Ray Rice because of the accusations? No. I mean there’s a court system in place and the NFL is in place to handle those and make judgements on those punishments. That far exceeds our payroll. But there is a responsibility to bring awareness to it and have a no tolerance policy. Outside of sports this issue is rampant and I’ve had my own experiences in a couple of different things. So yes, there’s a responsibility, but also it’s a touchy subject.
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