Olivia Harlan
If you’re not yet familiar with sports reporter Olivia Harlan, pay attention to this primer, as you’re going to be seeing a lot more of her on TV real soon. And once you do, you’ll want to know everything about her.
Harlan, 22, is a Georgia Bulldog by way of Kansas, where she grew up not just watching the Green Bay Packers but scampering around in her grandfather’s luxury skybox during games.
“My grandpa was president and CEO of the Packers for 20 years,” she says of Bob Harlan, the genius who’s credited with moving all home games to Lambeau Field. In addition, her father, Kevin Harlan, is an NFL and NBA commentator, her uncle is a coaches’ agent, and her sister’s getting into sports marketing. Sports is in the Harlan blood, is what we’re saying.
But so is a work ethic so hardcore the blond Bulldog earned her broadcast journalism degree in 3.5 years while pledging a sorority, working for UGA’s athletics website for three years and, in her final semester, traveling for a job with Fox Sports South covering SEC football games.
“College is fun and all, and I packed in a full experience in my 3.5 years, but I was always happiest if I was covering something,” says Harlan, who moved from Athens to Atlanta after graduation. “Also, I don’t sleep much.”
Judging by her recent contracts, she’s not gonna be getting much shut-eye this fall either. Harlan has signed on for a second season of traveling with the Atlanta Hawks NBA team as part of the local TV affiliate’s film crew, as well as a second year of hosting the studio show “ACC All Access” for Fox Sports South. Plus she just landed a deal with ESPN and ESPN2 doing sideline reporting for the upcoming college football season – 15 games plus a bowl game.
“I’m very excited,” she says of her hectic year ahead. “Working for two networks I know has never been done at age 22.”
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