In a significant career shift, esteemed broadcaster Elle Duncan has departed ESPN after nearly a decade to embark on a new chapter with streaming titan Netflix. Her inaugural project for the platform will see her hosting the high-stakes live event 'Skyscraper Live' this Friday evening.
A New Challenge at Netflix
Duncan, who joined ESPN in 2016 and rose to prominence hosting the 6 p.m. Eastern edition of 'SportsCenter' as well as coverage of the women's NCAA Basketball Tournament and the WNBA, cited a desire for a fresh professional challenge and improved work-life balance as key drivers for her move. She expressed confidence that Netflix provides the ideal environment to achieve both personal and professional growth.
"It was everything I had been asking in the universe to help me be a well-rounded broadcaster and to help me be a well-rounded person. I think I’m going to be able to do both of those things here," Duncan stated before travelling to Taiwan for the broadcast.
Debut with 'Skyscraper Live'
Her Netflix debut is set for Friday night, hosting the two-hour 'Skyscraper Live' event beginning at 8 p.m. Eastern time. The programme will feature renowned free solo climber Alex Honnold attempting to scale Taipei 101, Taiwan's tallest building, without any safety ropes. Duncan acknowledges the profound difference between this and her previous sports anchoring roles.
"Skyscraper is different because it is based around storytelling. It’s based around watching someone do something that seems, let’s be real to the layman, crazy and trying to contextualize why someone would do this," she explained. "So trying to really build that up, the theater, the drama, the entertainment, while also recognizing the tone, I think that’s what’s going to be interesting."
She emphasised the elevated stakes, noting that while injury is always a possibility in sports coverage, this event carries genuine life-or-death consequences, requiring a nuanced approach to hosting.
Familiar Faces and a Versatile Background
The transition is smoothed by the presence of Kate Jackson, Netflix's director of live sports, who previously worked as one of Duncan's producers at ESPN. Duncan believes this existing relationship ensured Netflix understood her unique presenting style from the outset.
"When they came to pitch me, they knew exactly who they were getting, bad dad jokes and all. And that’s exactly who they want me to be at Netflix as well," Duncan remarked. "They want me to bring what they bring, which is the sports, the entertainment and storytelling parts. All of it."
Her extensive and varied broadcast career, which began in 2003 as an entertainment reporter on an Atlanta sports radio station, positions her well for Netflix's diverse content slate. Her path included:
- Hosting an afternoon programme on an Atlanta hip-hop station for seven years.
- Sideline TV work for the Atlanta Hawks, SEC and ACC football.
- Roles as a sports anchor and reporter at Atlanta's NBC affiliate and later at Boston's NESN regional sports network.
Netflix's Expanding Sports Ambitions
Duncan's arrival coincides with Netflix's aggressive expansion into live sports programming. The streamer's growing portfolio now includes:
- The NFL Christmas Day doubleheader.
- Major League Baseball games starting this season, with the first match on March 25 featuring the San Francisco Giants versus the New York Yankees.
- Exclusive rights to the Home Run Derby and the Field of Dreams game.
Duncan is poised to be at the forefront of this strategic push. Furthermore, she maintains her connection to basketball, as USA Network recently announced she will serve as the lead studio host for WNBA coverage.
Prioritising Personal Fulfilment
Beyond professional versatility, Duncan's move was deeply personal. She reflected on reaching a point where she questioned if she was as well-rounded in her personal life as she was in her career.
"I have really worked for 20-plus years to be as versatile as broadcaster as I could be... But I got to this point in my life where I said, ‘I’m a really versatile broadcaster, but am I a really versatile person?’" Duncan shared. "Am I the mom and the wife and the friend that I want to be on top of being a really great broadcaster and I wasn’t feeling like I was a well-rounded person."
She views the Netflix role as a unique opportunity to stay involved in major events while gaining greater autonomy over her schedule, allowing her to be more present for her two young children, 7-year-old Eva and 5-year-old Xander. The 'Skyscraper Live' broadcast will incorporate a built-in, 10-second delay as a standard safety precaution for the unprecedented climb.
