In the midst of the rampant sexism that still exists in sports journalism, people like Laura Rutledge are more determined to continue to make us proud of their skills. For nearly a decade, this American journalist has left no stone unturned in her quest to provide fans with the latest information about their favorite sports and players. From chasing down embittered coaches for current injury reports to big stories and several underground operations to find out everything about her favorite athletes, Laura has not ceased to demonstrate her versatility in matters affecting her profession.
Laura currently works as a sports news reporter for CNN International, ESPN, and the SEC channels, covering sports such as baseball, basketball, softball, and football. Her contributions to the media industry have earned her a great reputation among her colleagues. Let’s take a look at her successful career and how much she has made of it so far.
Laura Rutledge’s Fact Sheet
How Laura Rutledge Became A Sports Reporter – Her Journey So Far
Laura comes from St. Petersburg, Florida, where she received her formal education. She first attended Celebration High School and then moved to the University of Florida to earn her Bachelor’s degree in broadcast journalism.
Laura, of English-Scottish descent, is a woman who never really saw herself as a journalist. As a child, she loved everything girlish, especially make-up and stylish clothes. She also loved dancing and therefore attended ballet classes. During her primary school years, she also loved fishing, and this passion awakened in her the desire to become a marine biologist in the future. When she got much older, she fantasized about becoming a TV star, and to fulfill her dreams, she started preparing for beauty contests.
Meanwhile, Laura’s soccer-loving parents and brothers at college helped spark her interest in sports, and although she didn’t play any particular sport, she enjoyed watching them. During her time in high school, she became more and more convinced that she wanted to study journalism. During her college years, she joined the school’s radio station “WRUF” to earn more income and gain the necessary experience for her future career.
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Laura got her first internship at Fox Sports Florida after several attempts at radio stations, including ESPN and Fox Sports, failed. At the Florida-based sports broadcaster, she was assigned the task of copying DVDs of sports programs.
She finally appeared on screen for the first time when she was asked to replace a presenter who had left because of a last-minute conflict with the broadcast unit. Her appearance opened the way for further opportunities in the industry. Her next on-air job was a part-time reporter covering the Tampa Bay Rays games. She then covered other sports-related programs, including the San Diego Padres games. Laura also covered for Fox College Sports, reporting on the 2012 NCPA National Paintball Championship in Lakeland, Florida.
Laura’s Big Break In the Broadcast Media Industry
2012 marked a major turning point for the young reporter when she took part in the Miss Florida Pageant and was declared the winner on July 7. Although she was unable to advance any further to the national level, her participation in the contest further raised her profile. She reported on the National Paintball Championship organized by the National Collegiate Paintball Association.
Laura left Fox Sports in 2014 for ESPN’s SEC Network and worked as a leading sports reporter covering baseball, football, basketball, softball, and more. She chose the SEC because she wanted to cover various sports categories and also report on college sports. Given that the SEC network has different sports categories, she could not refuse the offer. While working as a reporter she also worked as The Paul Finebaum Show of the network.
Laura Rutledge’s Career Achievements, Salary, and Net Worth
Sports journalism is one of the best-paid professions in the world, and for professionals like Laura Rutledge, who have been working in the field for almost a decade, salaries are likely to be enormous. Laura’s annual salary is estimated at $400,000, and it is estimated that she has saved up to six figures as net worth. Further details of how she spends her money and how she invests have not yet been released.
Laura has not yet received a significant award for her work in broadcast journalism, but she is not doing badly. Sam Haskell, the CEO and executive chairman of the Miss America organization, once congratulated her on her professional achievements to date. Sam, who claimed to have known Laura since she entered the Miss America contest in 2013, described her as one who has integrity, class, and a better knowledge of the SEC sport than anyone he knows.
Who is Laura Rutledge Married to?
Laura is married to former professional baseball infielder Joshua Alan Rutledge. Their marriage began on December 7, 2013, after about two years of dating. Apparently, the two first met at a baseball tailgate in Alabama in 2011, when Laura and her producer stopped by in the Colorado Rockies and Josh had just been drafted by the baseball team, by the way.
Although their relationship did not start right away, they seemed destined for each other. After their first meeting, the two met in Zoe’s Kitchen in Birmingham, and this time they had a good talk and then started dating.
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Joshua Alan Rutledge was born on April 21, 1989, one year younger than his wife. He grew up in Birmingham, Alabama. He attended Cullman High School where he played baseball and was a beginner for 4 years. In 2007 Josh led his team to the state championship.
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After high school, he attended the University of Alabama and played for the Alabama Crimson Tide baseball team. As a freshman, Josh wrote amazing statistics and became the second freshman to lead the team in batting. In the third round of the 2010 MLB Draft, Josh was selected by the Rockies and switched to the Boston Red Sox in 2015.
Laura and her husband welcomed their first daughter, Reese Katherine Rutledge on October 2, 2019. The sports news reporter currently lives with her family in Birmingham, Alabama.
Meet Laura’s Other Family Members
Apart from her husband Joshua Alan and daughter Reese, Laura is also close to her other family members, including her father Robert McKeeman and mother/adventure partner Deborah. There are no details of her siblings, but we do know of her close relationship with her husband’s family, including his parents Tony and Cheryl Rutledge, and his older brother Michael.