From NBC and ESPN to FOX Sports and DAZN, Jamie Horowitz has created sports shows that have made a huge impact on U.S. television. Now the executive vice president of World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), he continues to develop popular shows for nationwide audiences.
During his time at NBC, ESPN, and FOX Sports, Horowitz became the name behind over 14 major sports shows. These shows include the “National Heads-Up Poker Championship,” “World Series of Poker,” “The Today Show,” “NBC Nightly News,” “Access Hollywood,” “Winners Bracket,” “First Take,” “SportsNation,” “Colin’s New Football Show, “Olbermann,” “Numbers Never Lie,” “Skip and Shannon: Undisputed,” “Speak for Yourself,” and “The Herd.”
Since then, he has gone on to develop more high-profile sports shows with DAZN and WWE.
Jamie Horowitz’s Education and Early Career at NBC Sports
Before launching his notable sports media career, Horowitz studied Political Science and Government at Amherst College. At the time, his passion for sports was already clear, and he produced the university sports magazine “SportsAmherst.” He also wrote for “Amherst Student.”
After graduating from university, Horowitz took on his first sports media role as an Olympic researcher for NBC Sports during the 2000 Sydney Summer Games. He also wrote for the NBC Olympic morning show.
From here, he became an associate producer for NBC, producing the “National Heads-Up Poker Championship.” He worked on NBC’s coverage of the Olympics, the National Basketball Association (NBA), and the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR).
Jamie Horowitz’s Career at ESPN
Joining ESPN as a senior producer, Horowitz then worked on a host of shows for the sports channel. During his tenure, ESPN promoted him to the roles of executive producer, coordinating producer, and, finally, vice president of original programming and production.
Over his eight years at ESPN, Horowitz developed shows like:
- “World Series of Poker:” This annual series of poker tournaments takes place every year in Nevada. As the executive producer, Horowitz played an essential role in televising these tournaments.
- “First Take:” Since launching in 2007, this morning debate show has discussed numerous trending sports topics — and been nominated for an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Talk Series. The show changed format under Horowitz’s leadership during its early days, focusing more on debate. This new direction saw a huge increase in viewings, and the show is still going strong today.
- “SportsNation:” Viewers enjoyed this hour-long talk show each weekday between 2009 and 2022. The program attracted the youngest demographic of all ESPN shows with its fan-based content. Horowitz produced this show, which has been nominated for Emmys, with Colin Cowherd and Michelle Beadle.
- “Winners Bracket:” Horowitz was the coordinating producer for this hour-long show. “Winners Bracket” launched in 2010, reviewing each week’s sporting highlights and lowlights. Following the success of SportsNation, the program’s co-host Beadle and NFL analyst Marcellus Wiley hosted the show, which proved popular with viewers.
- “Numbers Never Lie:” After the success of “First Take,” ESPN launched “Numbers Never Lie,” which featured lively debates based on analytics, in 2011. Since dropping this focus on analytics in favor of sports statistics, the show has rebranded as “His and Hers.”
- “Colin’s New Football Show:” This Sunday-morning game show quickly became popular with football fans. Since its launch in 2013, the program has featured football discussions between Cowherd and his special guests.
- “Olbermann:” Starting in 2013, every weekday, Keith Olbermann hosted this popular sports talk show, giving an hour-long commentary and analysis on the latest issues in the sports world.
Horowitz’s work had a huge impact on ESPN, leading to the launch of several popular shows.
Jamie Horowitz’s Career at NBC News
Following his notable career at ESPN, Horowitz joined NBC News as a general manager of the “Today” brand. The producer and executive developed shows like:
- “The Today Show:” Viewers tune into this show every weekday morning to catch the latest news in politics, sports, television, and other industries. As the general manager of this program, Horowitz played a key role in the show’s development and growing popularity.
- “NBC Nightly News:” On weeknights, this news show gives viewers the chance to catch up with the day’s biggest international and domestic news stories. The program also features the “Making a Difference” segment, which shows how U.S. citizens are improving the lives of those around them.
- “Access Hollywood:” Those who love insights into celebrity life enjoy this show, which delivers the latest celebrity news in the entertainment industry. The first episode aired in 1996, and the show is still popular now.
By creating, developing, and contributing to shows like these, Horowitz helped expand NBC’s portfolio of sports shows, attracting new viewers and engaging current ones. Having learned important lessons and developed experience in the sports media industry, Horowitz then accepted a senior role with FOX Sports.
Jamie Horowitz’s Career at FOX Sports
When Jamie Horowitz became the president of FOX Sports’ national networks, he hired notable TV personalities to become the face of new sports shows. These personalities included Skip Bayless, Jason Whitlock, Doug Gottlieb, and Cowherd.
During his tenure with FOX Sports, Horowitz developed:
- “Skip and Shannon: Undisputed:” This debate show rose in popularity quickly after its launch in 2016. During the program, TV personality Bayless makes his case on the latest sports news opposite retired professional footballer Shannon Sharpe.
- “Speak for Yourself:” This sports show spotlights different perspectives and outlooks on the latest sports happenings. Cowherd and Whitlock initially hosted the show and were popular for their outspoken views. Guest athletes and newsmakers also feature on the show, which still runs today, now under the name “Speak.”
- “The Herd:” Another show featuring Cowherd, “The Herd” spotlights Cowherd’s bold narrative on the latest sports news. Athletes, beat writers, analysts, and other guests join him to share their thoughts on breaking sports news. The show is still popular today.
By creating shows like these, Horowitz stepped up FOX Sports’ program of shows for sports fans across the nation.
Jamie Horowitz’s Legacy and Influence
Horowitz’ television legacy has seen him play an integral role in the development of numerous popular sports shows. These shows have been influential in the television industry, and he continues to contribute new programs to the sports media world.