Sports Journalist Christine Brennan to Speak at UA

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — National sports columnist Christine Brennan will soon visit The University of Alabama to talk about sports and diversity.

Brennan’s lecture, “Sports in the 21^st Century: Diversity at the Starting Line,” is a “Through the Doors” event. The lecture begins at 1:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 25 in the Ferguson Center Theater.

Brennan, best known as a sports columnist for USA Today but also a contributor to ESPN, ABC, NPR and Fox Sports Radio, will discuss the changing face of sports journalism.

“Christine Brennan is an example of how a sports journalist can speak to the role sports play in society and how they shape our attitudes about social issues,” said Dr. Andrew Billings, director of the The University of Alabama Program in Sports Communication, which is co-sponsoring the event. “I think she sees sports as a context for discussing broader things, even things that impact a non-sports fan.”

In addition to Brennan’s reporting work, she has been a strong advocate for greater diversity in sports journalism, from gender to race to sexual orientation to disability.

“The department of journalism is pleased to co-sponsor this event and bring someone with Christine’s talent and expertise to talk to our students, especially those majoring in sports news and information,” said Dr. Jennifer Greer, UA journalism department chair and interim dean of the College of Communication and Information Sciences. “She’s been a groundbreaking force for female sports journalists and is widely respected for her work in Olympic coverage and other areas. I know she’ll be an inspiration to all aspiring sports journalists and to students in general.”

“Through the Doors” is a year-long series of activities and events commemorating the 50th anniversary of the desegregation of The University of Alabama and honoring the courage and dedication of the two African-American students who enrolled in the University on June 11, 1963, as well as the University’s ongoing commitment to progress.

The event is free to the public and is co-sponsored by UA’s Program in Sports Communication, its journalism department, the Women’s Resource Center and the UA chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists.