Stars of ESPN and sports have paid tribute to Pam Ward after the legendary broadcaster announced her retirement.
Ward spent nearly three decades with the network, first joining ESPN in 1996 as an anchor on ESPNEWS before covering a host of sports including college basketball, college softball and the WNBA.
Her exit comes around the same time Elle Duncan waved goodbye to ESPN. Duncan is leaving to join Netflix, where she will become the face of the streaming giant’s sports programming.
Ward, meanwhile, made history in 2000 when she became the first woman to call a Division 1 college football game and, on Tuesday, ESPN marked her exit with a compilation of messages from across the world of sports.
Among those to pay tribute to Ward were WNBA legends Tamika Catchings and Rebecca Lobo, Fever coach Stephanie White and her ESPN colleague Holly Rowe.
‘You’re someone I’ve looked up to,’ Rowe said in the video. ‘I’ve always admired your courage on play-by-play for college football… you have been so wonderful for so long and I hope you look at this past career with joy and happiness because you deserve that.’
‘Pioneering’ ESPN broadcaster Pam Ward (R) is retiring after three decades with the network
Ward joined ESPN in 1996 and covered a host of sports including basketball and softball
Ward broke new ground when she was behind the mic for Bowling Green’s clash with Toledo on ESPN2 in November 2000.
A decade later, she was given the Jake Wade Award, which honors someone ‘who has made an outstanding contribution in the media to the field of intercollegiate athletics.’
During her three-decade long career with the network, Ward appeared on a host of ESPN shows including WNBA Shootaround, NFL Tonight, NHL 2Night, NBA Today.
‘I’m going to miss sitting next to you calling WNBA games or college games,’ Lobo said in her video tribute.
‘The first college game I ever did as an analyst, you were my play-by-play. You took very good care of me that 25 years and you’ve taken very good care of me ever since.
‘You’ve been awesome ever since I’ve known you, and I appreciate everything you helped me do throughout my time at ESPN.’