by Travis Normand

When I heard that Erin Andrews had left ESPN for Fox I was perplexed as to why she would do something so harmful to her career.  It didn’t seem like a good move to me, but then again, what the heck do I know.  Maybe she wanted to cover the World Series, or some other event that Fox owns the broadcasting rights too (like NASCAR). 

Either way, she made her name in college football on ESPN, and I think leaving will harm her long-term career.  Most of the college football fans I know will continue to watch ESPN and its programming (i.e. Gameday, College Football Live, etc.) regardless of where E.A. works.  Having her on ESPN was one more reason to like ESPN, but now that she is gone, her absence is not enough to make me change the channel.

So why do I bring this up?  Isn’t all of this old news?  Yes, it is.  However, I found this today (see below) and wanted to share it.  In the course of doing so, I went ahead and posted my own comments. 

Erin Andrews No Longer “It Girl” by Chris Mahr at LostLettermen.com

The highest-profile college football game she can be a part of at her new job? Most likely the Big Ten Championship Game. Yes, she will be doing work for FOX on NFL and MLB broadcasts, but MLB ratings stink and Andrews won’t be the No. 1 sideline reporter for the NFL – Pam Oliver will be.

And when someone is out of sight, they’re out of mind.

Don’t believe me?

ESPN has had no shortage of pretty faces during its history in addition to Andrews. Melissa Stark. Jill Arrington. Alex Flanagan. Sam Ryan.

All four have had fruitful careers in sports media following their tenures in Bristol. But the star power (or potential for it) that they once had is gone.

Stark was the most notable, as the “It Girl” at ESPN who flew up the ranks at ESPN to become the sideline reporter for “Monday Night Football” after just four years at the Worldwide Leader. She left to join the “Today Show” and “MSNBC Live” in 2003 and promptly disappeared from the public eye.

She’s currently doing work for the NFL Network.

Read more at http://www.lostlettermen.com/erin-andrews-no-longer-it-girl