Award-winning broadcaster and College GameDay host Rece Davis has built a career on embracing big moments and new opportunities throughout his three decades at ESPN.
The firsts are fewer and farther between, but Davis celebrates another milestone in his storied career as he is in London to cover Wimbledon, marking his first-ever tennis assignment. ESPN’s presentation of The Championships, Wimbledon begins June 29 and continues through July 12.
While the fortnight at the historic All England Lawn Tennis Club marks a new sport for Davis, versatility has long been a defining aspect of his broadcasting career.
From 1997-99, Davis hosted ESPN2’s weekend RPM 2Night and Sunday morning RPM 2Day programs, covering news and highlights in the world of motorsports. Despite having grown up in Alabama, Davis had virtually no motors experience before taking the wheel of this role.
A few years later, Davis added international soccer to his ever-growing résumé, anchoring ESPN’s studio coverage of the 2006 FIFA World Cup. He would “return to the pitch” again to host UEFA European championship coverage in both 2008 and 2020.
Regardless of the assignment, Davis consistently brings the same high-level of preparation, curiosity and command that have defined his work in college football and basketball for decades.
Perhaps a harbinger of his Wimbledon role, Davis picked up a tennis racquet last August for the first time in 25 years when he traveled to Columbus, Ohio, to interview Ohio State head football coach Ryan Day as part of a multi-part College GameDay series. In the series, Davis profiled five of the nation’s top head coaches.
Much of the Day interview took place at the Ty Tucker Tennis Center on the Buckeyes’ campus, where Day took up tennis during the pandemic as a way to decompress in between meetings.
Beginning Monday, June 29, Davis returns to tennis amidst a very different backdrop: the grass courts of Wimbledon, one of the most iconic venues in sports.
The assignment is another reminder that even after three decades, ESPN is still serving up brand new opportunities for one of its premier hosts.
Reflecting on the opportunity, Davis said: “It’s quite a privilege for me to get a chance to experience Wimbledon for the first time and share it with our fans.”
Learn more about ESPN’s Wimbledon coverage on ESPN Press Room
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