{"id":2431,"date":"2026-03-25T19:16:44","date_gmt":"2026-03-25T19:16:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/media\/?p=2431"},"modified":"2026-03-25T19:16:44","modified_gmt":"2026-03-25T19:16:44","slug":"chris-fowler-to-call-a-new-sport-for-espn","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/media\/sports-media\/chris-fowler-to-call-a-new-sport-for-espn\/","title":{"rendered":"Chris Fowler To Call A New Sport for ESPN"},"content":{"rendered":"
Legendary ESPN voice Chris Fowler, long synonymous with college football Saturdays and Grand Slam tennis courts, is expanding his portfolio in 2026 by taking on one of the world\u2019s most elite and visually spectacular sports: polo.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n

Fowler to call Polo on ESPN<\/h2>\n
For the first time, Fowler will call play-by-play for the USPA Gold Cup Final on March 29, and he returns for a second straight year to host the U.S. Open Polo Championship Final on April 26 at the USPA National Polo Center in Palm Beach County, Florida. <\/span><\/span><\/span>Paired with veteran broadcaster Kenny Rice and Polo Hall-of-Famer Adam Snow, Fowler\u2019s presence behind the microphone signals ESPN\u2019s deepening commitment to growing polo\u2019s global audience.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n
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The move adds yet another high-profile sport to a resume that already reads like a sports broadcasting hall-of-fame checklist. Since 2014, Fowler has served as the lead play-by-play announcer for ESPN<\/a>\u2019s college football coverage, including the College Football Playoff National Championship. Prior to that, he spent a quarter-century (1990-2014) as the lead host of the network\u2019s iconic <\/span>College GameDay<\/span><\/span><\/em>, the Emmy-winning pregame show that became a Saturday-morning ritual for millions of fans. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n
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Since 2023, he has been ESPN\u2019s No. 2 NFL play-by-play voice, even calling the Super Bowl for ESPN Australia. In 2024, he took on a groundbreaking role as the lead play-by-play announcer for EA Sports\u2019 <\/span>College Football<\/span><\/span> video game. And since 2003, he has been the network\u2019s signature tennis voice, guiding viewers through Wimbledon, the Australian Open and the U.S. Open.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n
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Now polo joins the list\u2014a sport defined by blistering speed, precise horsemanship and the rare athletic bond between rider and pony. \u201cI\u2019ve had the privilege of covering some of the most iconic events in sports, and what continues to draw me back to the sport of polo is the unique partnership between the polo player and polo pony, as well as the speed and intensity of competition at the highest level,\u201d Fowler said. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n
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\u201cHosting both the USPA Gold Cup and the U.S. Open Polo Championship allows me to share the energy and uniqueness of this beautiful sport with a broader ESPN audience. <\/span><\/span><\/span>There\u2019s nothing quite like seeing these world-class athletes and their equine partners compete in such a fast-paced, strategic game,\u201d he added.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n

About USA Polo<\/h3>\n
The USPA Gold Cup, first contested in 1974, ranks as American polo\u2019s second-most prestigious tournament behind only the U.S. Open Polo Championship, which dates to 1904. This season\u2019s Gold Cup features 10 elite teams battling from March 4-29. The U.S. Open, running April 1-26, draws the planet\u2019s top players and horses to the U.S. Polo Assn. Stadium Field One in Wellington. Both events have called Palm Beach County home since 2004, and ESPN\u2019s coverage\u2014airing on multiple platforms including ESPN2\u2014will bring the action to households worldwide. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n
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The expanded role builds on ESPN\u2019s long-standing partnership with Global Polo, the entertainment arm of USPA Global. \u201cOur long-term relationship with ESPN continues to elevate the sport of polo, the U.S. Polo Assn. brand, and the global momentum behind it,\u201d said J. Michael Prince, President and CEO of USPA Global. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n
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\u201cChris Fowler\u2019s return and expanded presence hosting both the USPA Gold Cup and the U.S. Open Polo Championship further strengthens the momentum and visibility of these world-class tournaments to a global audience.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n
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Stewart Armstrong, Chairman of the United States Polo Association, echoed that sentiment: \u201cThe United States Polo Association is delighted to see the continued growth of the sport through our relationship with ESPN. The USPA Gold Cup and the U.S. Open Polo Championship represent the highest level of competition at the USPA National Polo Center for the American season, and the increased visibility provided by ESPN underscores the athleticism, dedication, and tradition that define our sport.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n
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Beyond the live finals, ESPN platforms will feature new episodes of the award-winning <\/span>Breakaway<\/span><\/span><\/em>, along with behind-the-scenes content, player features and highlights on Global Polo\u2019s YouTube channel. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n
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At a time when sports media is increasingly fragmented, Fowler\u2019s ability to move seamlessly from college football tailgates to Centre Court at Wimbledon\u2014and now to the thunder of polo ponies charging down the field\u2014underscores his versatility and enduring appeal. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n
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For a sport once considered niche in the United States, Fowler\u2019s polished, authoritative voice could be the catalyst that introduces polo to a whole new generation of fans. As the mallets swing and the crowds roar at the National Polo Center this spring, one thing is certain: Chris Fowler<\/a>\u2019s broadcasting resume just got a whole lot more dynamic.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Legendary ESPN voice Chris Fowler, long synonymous with college football Saturdays and Grand Slam tennis courts, is expanding his portfolio in 2026 by taking on one of the world\u2019s most elite and visually spectacular sports: polo. Fowler to call Polo on ESPN For the first time, Fowler will call play-by-play for the USPA Gold Cup […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5665,"featured_media":2434,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[396,267,264,238],"tags":[480,75],"class_list":["post-2431","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-disney","category-espn","category-news","category-sports-media","tag-chris-fowler","tag-featured"],"modified_by":"Steve Carney","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/media\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2431","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/media\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/media\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/media\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5665"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/media\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2431"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/media\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2431\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2433,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/media\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2431\/revisions\/2433"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/media\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2434"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/media\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2431"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/media\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2431"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/media\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2431"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}