Rebecca Lowe: The English expat tackling critical issues in sports whilst educating Americans
The face and voice to whom Americans turn to better understand the beautiful game is one of Britain’s great exports, Rebecca Lowe. A native of Ealing, Lowe has been the host of NBC Sport’s weekly Premier League coverage for more than a decade.
Becoming a television sports pundit was a stroke of luck. “I applied for a BBC Talent Search for a football reporter, and I won a contract on Football Focus and Match of the Day,” she said. “You don’t turn something like that down. I had no sports broadcasting experience, so I very much had to learn on the job – it was sink or swim!”
The job comes with more than its fair share of pressure. On a day-to-day basis, Lowe is expected to handle weighty matters – everything from sexism to racism, to the dark side of fandom and professional rivalries, all while maintaining a rigorous objectivity.
Initially, she was concerned that her love of Crystal Palace might be an obstacle to viewer acceptance. However, that was quickly replaced with a more serious issue. “Being a woman has made it harder, of that there is no doubt. Twenty years ago, just getting a job on TV was hard,” she said of the gender issue.
“Then there were the relentless sexist chants and abuse, both online and in the stadium. It was part of the world back then. I genuinely never thought about reporting it. But that was before the Me-Too movement,” Lowe added. “Now, I wouldn’t stand for it. Back then, however, I was too scared to make a complaint – I was afraid I’d lose my job.”
She was close to throwing in the towel when NBC came calling. Lucky for them she accepted the role and Lowe has flourished ever since. But sexism isn’t the only issue that Lowe is confronted with on a weekly basis.
Racism sadly remains a sinister part of both the game and the surrounding culture of club supporters. This is an issue that cannot be ignored by the governing bodies, teams or those covering the matches.
“Unfortunately, it’s still present in the English game, and elsewhere,” said Lowe. “We are regularly having discussions about it and attempting to educate people into understanding how to be anti-racist.” She noted that NBC Sports has not avoided sensitive topics. “We have led the way at NBC with these conversations, especially during the George Floyd protests. We’ve also dealt with the pandemic, concussion protocols or lack of them for a long time, as well as players and their personal troubles.”
The presenter is keenly aware of the serious responsibility broadcast journalists bear when it comes to issues of this nature: “We continually assess whether something just needs reporting or whether it also needs discussing.”
Being mindful not to use the position to publicise her personal opinions is another verbal tightrope to navigate when the on-air light is on. “It’s not my job and it’s not how I see the role of anchor. I am there to get the opinions out of the experts. No one cares what I think,” she said. “I find anchors who express opinions, especially in news, a real turn-off.”
The issue of foreign investors and owners is always a flashpoint for English fans, especially at the top end of the Premiere League. Being a U.K. native and now the face of the Premier League for American viewers, what is her view on the influx of American owners coming across the pond and buying clubs?
“We’ve seen successful American owners and not so successful American owners and it’s not about them being American, it’s about them as businessmen and women,” she said. “But, from the perspective of building the game in the UK, I am happy there are so many US owners because with their links to other sports I can’t see how it can harm the growth.” Lowe continued. “The perfect example is the Boston Red Sox and Liverpool, owned by Fenway Sports Group, and there is plenty of cross promoting which can really help both.”
There is always the scourge of online hate that emerges in chat rooms and on social media. Does it ever make her question her career decisions? “I rarely deal with online hate. Occasionally on Instagram, a fan will say I’m biased but I find it amusing- everyone thinks I hate their club if I so much as utter a negative stat about them.” Steering clear of Twitter means she avoids the abuse that have plagued so many in her role.
On a lighter note, what does she make of the age-old Transatlantic debate? Is it ‘soccer’ or ‘football’? “It’s both! And I’m OK with that,” Lowe said. “The word ‘soccer’ originated in the UK, so we really can’t get mad when people use it in the States. Also, it doesn’t help that Brits look at the NFL and can’t see how that’s called ‘football’ when it’s all about using your arms.”
Does the sports presenter ever see ‘soccer’ overtaking other sports in the US in terms of popularity and participation? “Well, we have already overtaken the NHL [hockey] in viewing figures.” But with that optimism comes a dose of pragmatism as well. “In my lifetime, no soccer will not overtake the NFL, but it could challenge basketball and I feel very confident than in the next 10-20 years it will overtake baseball.” She is quick to qualify why overtaking the American national pastime is a real possibility. “There is little growth left in many of these sports, whereas with soccer it’s only just beginning. Plus, it is the national sport in virtually every other country in the world – they can’t all be wrong!”
And while she may no longer reside on British soil, Lowe takes great pride in the rise of women’s football. “The Women’s Super League has exploded in the last five years, and I am so proud of it! I was reporting on women’s football a lot at the start of my career, and I genuinely never thought I would see the day when the WSL was this big, this popular and this lucrative.” Lowe’s prediction for the future of the women’s game? “It is only going to get bigger, and the England women’s team has helped it hugely by being successful themselves.”
Her focus on delivering a broadcast that provides accurate and insightful commentary in a sport where passions run close to religious fervour remains her priority. However, having recently signed a new contract to remain at NBC, does Lowe have any other career moves in mind? “Who knows?! I am with NBC for the next 5 years and by 2028 the landscape of broadcasting will have changed even more,” added Lowe. “I am loving my job still but one thing I do miss from the early part of my career is interviewing. I love long-form interviews so hopefully I can do more of that one day.” However, she does unequivocally rule out one role – that of a play-by-play announcer. “Call games? Absolutely no way! That is NOT my bag at all. I would be terrible!”
‘Terrible’ maybe an overstatement, but Lowe knows her strengths. And with high-profile assignments on the horizon, including the Kentucky Derby and the upcoming Olympics in Paris, she will continue in her role as one of NBC Sports most trusted presenters. And a trusted voice that Americans turn to – even if the accent is not homegrown.
