Charissa Thompson

Early in her career, Thompson appeared on various college sports shows on Big Ten Network and Fox Sports Net (FSN). Thompson additionally served as a sideline reporter for college football and college basketball games on the two networks. She would continue these roles as she progressed in her sports media and journalism career, as she became a National Football League (NFL) sideline reporter for NFL on Fox.

For Big Ten Network, Thompson appeared on various Big Ten Network shows, such as Big Ten's Best and Friday Night Tailgate.[9][10]

For FSN, she appeared on baseball programs, including The 2007 MLB All-Star Game Red Carpet Parade and The Baseball Report both on Fox Sports Net (FSN).[11] She also appeared on FSN's BCS Breakdown and The BCS Show.[11][12] Thompson co-hosted FSN's The Best Damn Sports Show Period alongside Chris Rose and John Salley until 2009, due to the show's cancellation.[12][13] She also hosted FSN's rodeo show Toughest Cowboy.[14]

In the fall of 2008, Thompson completed her first run as an NFL sideline reporter.[4] During the season, Thompson dyed her hair black to "rid [herself] of the Barbie thing," as she is notably blond.[15] Her change of hair color drew attention from some sports blogs; Deadspin ran an article titled: "Charissa Thompson Continues Down Suicidal Path to Frumpyville".[4][15][16] Thompson shortly switched her hair color back to blond.[15] In 2016, she recalled the event in an interview with HBO.[17] Beyond the scope of this incident, Thompson's sex appeal has been touched upon by various media outlets since.[18][19][20]

Thompson also appeared outside of the Big Ten Network and FSN early in her career. She was on the cover of the April 2009 issue of Access DirecTV (satellite TV provider DirecTV's monthly TV Guide-like magazine) and interviewed Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Cole Hamels for the feature story. Also in 2009, co-hosted Big Saturday Night on Game Show Network (GSN),[21] and appeared on Shaq Vs. as a sideline reporter.[11] In the fall of 2009, she served as a reporter for NHL on Versus.[22]

In 2010, Thompson appeared on the NFL Network's "NFL Now Updates". She covered the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Winter Games, reporting for Yahoo Sports. She was also recently added as a co-host for the Speed Network's "Fast Track To Fame" alongside now retired NASCAR driver-owner turned FOX Sports analyst Michael Waltrip. In June and July 2010, Thompson covered the FIFA World Cup in South Africa for Yahoo! Sports. In January 2011, she covered the BCS National Championship game for Yahoo! Sports. In February 2011, she covered the Super Bowl in Dallas, Texas, for Yahoo! Sports. Also in February, Charissa covered the NBA All-Star Game for Yahoo! Sports. In January 2011, Charissa covered the NHL All-Star Game for Versus. In February 2011, Versus dropped Thompson and Lindsay Soto from their ice-level reporting staff after the NBC-Comcast merger; they were replaced by Pierre McGuire and Brian Engblom, forming the Inside the Glass team.

In June 2011, Thompson joined ESPN. With Michael Smith, she co-hosted the show Numbers Never Lie, which debuted September 12, 2011.[23] Charissa has also filled in as a host on SportsNation and ESPN First Take. In July 2012, she replaced Michelle Beadle as host of SportsNation after Beadle left for NBC. She left ESPN in June 2013 to return to Fox Sports.[2][24]

In 2013, Thompson joined actor Joey Lawrence as a co-host of the ABC's reality TV series Splash, where star contestants dive from Olympic-style platforms and are scored on their performance by Olympic divers, David Boudia and Steve Foley as well as the voting TV audience.[25]

Thompson rejoined Fox Sports in 2013 for the launch of Fox Sports 1 (FS1); she began on FS1 as a host on Fox Sports Live.[13] She also became a presenter for Fox NFL Kickoff.[26] In 2018, she replaced Katie Nolan as the host of NFL Films Presents on FS1.[26]