Menu
Game Changers

Game Changers: Jennifer Love

Photo: SAL COCCO / NFLN PRODUCTION MANAGER
Love, responsible for the creative look and feel of NFL
Network sets, joins “GameDay Morning” at the Super Bowl
in Indianapolis.
Jennifer Love
NFL Network
VP, Coordinating Director

Jennifer Love was one of the first half-dozen people hired to launch NFL Network in the summer of 2003, working as a coordinating director. Today, she oversees set design, works with the graphics department, and handles almost anything that touches the creative look and feel of the network’s shows.

Sports TV production and directing can be a man’s world, but Love doesn’t see it that way. “The majority of people are men, and I can be in a meeting with 20 men and I am the only woman,” Love said, “but I don’t think about it.

“The people I know don’t temper their language,” she added, laughing.
Before the NFL, Love worked at Fox Sports on football, hockey and baseball, working with industry titans David Hill and Ed Goren. But it took the jump to the NFL to get her career fully launched. “I’ve never looked back,” she said of her time at the league’s network.

— Dan Kaplan
  • Crowning professional achievement: Being a key participant in the launching of two sports networks: Fox Sports and NFL Network.
  • What is the best advice you’ve ever received?: “Don’t make career decisions based on the paycheck.” Bob Levy (of Fox Sports), May 2003.
  • What advice would you give to yourself 10 years ago?: Never lose sight of being a role model to the young women with whom I work — and always wear sunscreen.
  • How would you describe effective business leadership?: Taking ownership of the success or failure of a project, but also understanding that the ultimate success is a result of teamwork.
  • Person who had the biggest influence on your career in sports: Two people. First, David Hill in 1994, because he took a chance in hiring a young woman with a background in entertainment to help launch Fox Sports. And second, Steve Bornstein in 2003, because he took a chance hiring a former associate director to help launch NFL Network as their first and only director.
  • Woman in sports business you’d most like to meet: Pat Summitt. Although she had an amazing and successful career coaching women’s college basketball, it’s her current battle with Alzheimer’s that will define her legacy and touches me in a very personal way.

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING

“Jen was one of our earliest and best hires. … She has had a profound effect on the look, feel, and ultimately the growth and success of the NFL Network. Jen is a worthy role model for all women and men looking to make an impact in the sports media world."

  • Steve Bornstein, NFL Network president and CEO

ADDITIONAL SECTIONS
PODCASTS

SBJ Morning Buzzcast: April 25, 2024

Motor City's big weekend; Kevin Warren's big bet; Bill Belichick's big makeover and the WNBA's big week continues

TNT’s Stan Van Gundy, ESPN’s Tim Reed, NBA Playoffs and NFL Draft

On this week’s pod, SBJ’s Austin Karp has two Big Get interviews. The first is with TNT’s Stan Van Gundy as he breaks down the NBA Playoffs from the booth. Later in the show, we hear from ESPN’s VP of Programming and Acquisitions Tim Reed as the NFL Draft gets set to kick off on Thursday night in Motown. SBJ’s Tom Friend also joins the show to share his insights into NBA viewership trends.

SBJ I Factor: Molly Mazzolini

SBJ I Factor features an interview with Molly Mazzolini. Elevate's Senior Operating Advisor – Design + Strategic Alliances chats with SBJ’s Ross Nethery about the power of taking chances. Mazzolini is a member of the SBJ Game Changers Class of 2016. She shares stories of her career including co-founding sports design consultancy Infinite Scale career journey and how a chance encounter while working at a stationery store launched her career in the sports industry. SBJ I Factor is a monthly podcast offering interviews with sports executives who have been recipients of one of the magazine’s awards.
SBJ TV

Sports Media Podcast April 24 Whos Up Whos Down

4 mins

Sports Media Podcast April 17 2024 The Big Get Molly Solomon

5 mins

Sports Media Podcast March 27 2024

29 mins

Shareable URL copied to clipboard!

https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Journal/Issues/2012/10/08/Game-Changers/Jennifer-Love.aspx

Sorry, something went wrong with the copy but here is the link for you.

https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Journal/Issues/2012/10/08/Game-Changers/Jennifer-Love.aspx

CLOSE
You have 0 articles remaining this month.

Register for a free SBJ account to unlock one extra article per month.

© 2024 Leaders Group. All rights reserved. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Leaders Group.