ESPN’s Blake Bolden Pioneered Her Way Through the Hockey World – Now She Skates Towards Sports Media
The former Boston College and NWHL star on her ESPN assignments, including tonight rinkside reporting for Nashville at Carolina: "Being a part of this broadcast team, the feeling I get while reporting, is the closest thing that resembles playing."
(Phil Ellsworth/ESPN Images)
Last month in San Jose, Calif., ESPN reporter/analyst Blake Bolden continued to grow her hockey persona as an NHL in-game reporter for the very first time.
Tonight in PNC Arena in Raleigh, N.C., Bolden returns as a reporter as the Nashville Predators visit the Carolina Hurricanes (7:30 ET, ESPN+/Hulu).
Following her first shift in the expanded role, Bolden has continued to hone her craft.
Bolden has spent a lot of her life on and around the ice, from her childhood, collegiate (Boston College), and professional playing days. She is the first-ever Black player selected in the first round of the CWHL and the first-ever to compete in the NWHL. Bolden works with the Los Angeles Kings as a professional scout – only the second woman in that role in the NHL – and as their Growth and Inclusion Specialist.
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Bolden contributes to ESPN’s NHL coverage in myriad ways including a recurring on-ice demo segment “Breaking the Ice with Blake Bolden,” featuring her interviewing and skating with the NHL’s top players for The Point, ESPN’s weekly NHL studio show. Front Row caught up with her:
Having played since childhood, did you ever imagine yourself transitioning to an on-camera personality for ESPN’s NHL coverage?
I imagined it, yes. Did I think it would come true? It’s still a shock to me and I’m very grateful to have this opportunity. My husband would say he always saw this coming, and I’d laugh. To now be a part of this team is amazing.
When did you decide to make the leap and why?
New challenges are always something that interest me. Being a part of this broadcast team, the feeling I get while reporting, is the closest thing that resembles playing. When the light goes off, it’s like a puck drop, and once, I felt that the leap was easy to take.
Who’s been instrumental to your development in this new space?
[National Hockey Writer, NHL Reporter] Emily Kaplan for sure. I remember calling Emily with such nervous excitement, asking her the simplest questions. She answered them all with no judgment, and during my first game reporting, she was texting me the entire time with positive reinforcement and great support. Our producers, Linda Schulz and Bob Feller, spent valuable time answering my questions. At the same time, my announce team, Bucci [play-by-play commentator John Buccigross] and AJ [NHL analyst AJ Mleczko], really helped ease me into this role. I’m also incredibly grateful for my LA Kings family, who’ve been encouraging and supportive.
How has your preparation changed for your in-game reporting role versus how you’ve approached other assignments since joining ESPN?
I’m just trying to figure out what works best for me. As a pro scout, I see the game differently, so I’ll try to incorporate that experience in my reporting. Most importantly, having fun, being prepared and knowing my storylines will allow me to dive into my strengths.
What’s something you want viewers to know about you?
I was just a young kid from Cleveland who stumbled upon the game when I was 6, and I’ve been privileged to represent my country on the national stage, to play professionally in the US, Canada, and other parts of the world. I hope to bring my passion and experience from playing and being a fan of this game.
