Sarah Hodges, widely known in the broadcast world as Sara Hodges, has spent years reporting from the sidelines and behind the sports anchor desk in California. As a familiar face on local television, she has built a loyal following covering everything from high school championships to major professional franchises. Recently, her name went viral across the NBA landscape following a candid hot mic moment during the Sacramento Kings’ media day. Here is everything you need to know about the Northern California reporter, her private family life, her net worth, and her career.

Who Is Sarah Hodges and What to Know About the Sacramento Kings Reporter

Sara Hodges is an American sports anchor, reporter, and multimedia journalist who covers local and professional athletics in Northern California. She is best known for her long-standing work with KOVR-TV CBS 13 News in Sacramento, where she has served as a full-time sports anchor and reporter since February 2018.

In addition to her role at CBS 13, Hodges works as a freelance sports broadcaster for KGO-TV in the San Francisco Bay Area. Over the years, she has covered a wide variety of high-profile teams, including the Sacramento Kings, San Francisco 49ers, and San Francisco Giants. Outside of television news, she is known as the host of the UnderDOGS podcast, a show dedicated to sharing inspiring stories of second chances, personal adversity, and animal rescue.

While Northern California sports fans have watched Hodges on local broadcasts for years, she gained national attention from the wider NBA community in late September 2026. The sudden spotlight came as the result of a viral hot mic recording during the Sacramento Kings’ official media day.

During a live feed broadcast by local outlet KCRA 3, Hodges was caught on an open microphone chatting informally with fellow journalists between player interviews. In the leaked clip, she shared unfiltered personal thoughts about Kings players Ben Simmons and Zach LaVine. The recording quickly made its way onto social media platforms like X, sparking discussions among basketball enthusiasts and drawing public commentary from former NBA players such as Royce White.

Sara Hodges was born and raised in Orange County, California. She grew up in a supportive household alongside her younger brother, developing a deep love for competitive sports at an early age. Living in Southern California, she spent her youth cheering for basketball and became a dedicated Los Angeles Lakers fan.

Hodges began her path into broadcasting by attending Los Angeles City College, where she earned an associate degree between 2005 and 2008. She then transferred to California State University, Fullerton, where she graduated in 2011 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication and Broadcast Journalism. Before landing her long-term position in Sacramento, Hodges honed her on-air craft working as a sports reporter and anchor for WAAY-TV in Huntsville, Alabama.

Who Is Sarah Hodges’ Husband, and What Does He Do for a Living?

Sara Hodges is married to her longtime partner, Chris. While Hodges spends her professional life speaking to thousands of viewers on camera, her husband prefers a quiet lifestyle completely removed from the media spotlight.

The couple has chosen to keep the specific story of how they first met out of public records, but they connected through mutual circles in California over a shared appreciation for family, travel, and the outdoors. Professionally, Chris works in the private corporate sector and does not pursue a career in television or entertainment. His grounded professional life provides a peaceful balance to Hodges’ fast-paced schedule in live sports news.

Sara and Chris have shared a relationship for more than a decade. Hodges first introduced Chris to her social media audience back in November 2016, when she posted a touching birthday message celebrating his special day.

Through years of career relocations, long studio hours, and weekend game assignments, Chris has remained her steadiest source of encouragement. The couple eventually married in an intimate ceremony attended by their close relatives and longtime friends. Today, they make their home in the Sacramento area, enjoying a stable and private family routine away from the sports arena.

Chris does not work for CBS, KGO-TV, or any other media organization. Unlike many media couples who work side by side in television newsrooms, Chris has never pursued a career in sports broadcasting, camera production, or journalism. This clear boundary between work and home has helped the couple maintain privacy throughout Hodges’ television career.

What Is Known About Sarah Hodges’ Husband and His Professional Background?

Because Chris values his privacy, very few details regarding his early childhood, parents, or educational history are publicly documented. He grew up in California and completed his education before establishing himself in business. His parents and extended family maintain private lives, and Hodges respects their boundaries by rarely sharing identifying family details on public channels.

Although Chris is not a sports broadcaster or professional athlete, he is an enthusiastic sports follower. Living in a home where sports news is on television daily, he enjoys watching basketball and baseball games alongside his wife. When Hodges is not on the road covering teams, the two spend their downtime traveling, visiting favorite destinations like Spain, and caring for their two rescue dogs, a Pitbull named Zeus and a Husky named Prince.

What Is Sarah Hodges’ Net Worth and Career Earnings?

Sara Hodges has built an estimated net worth between $1 million and $2 million over her broadcast career. Her primary income stream comes from her salary as a full-time sports anchor and reporter for KOVR-TV CBS 13 News in Sacramento.

She supplements her core television income through freelance assignments with KGO-TV in San Francisco, event hosting, and independent media production through her UnderDOGS podcast. Her decades-long discipline and steady employment in mid-to-large television markets have allowed her to build comfortable financial stability.

Sara Hodges does not have an officially published salary figure, as local television affiliates keep individual talent contracts private. However, sports anchors and reporters working in mid-sized media markets like Sacramento typically earn base salaries between $60,000 and $100,000 annually. Given her eight-plus years of continuous tenure at CBS 13 and her additional freelance responsibilities, Hodges earns on the experienced end of that regional market range.

What Is Sarah Hodges’ Instagram Profile and Which Social Media Accounts Does She Use?

Sara Hodges uses the handle @saratalkssports on Instagram. Her public profile has more than 13,000 followers and serves as her primary personal social media channel. On her profile biography, she introduces herself as a news personality, sports anchor and reporter, and the host of the UnderDOGS podcast.

In addition to Instagram, Hodges maintains an official Facebook page under her professional name, where she posts game recaps, human-interest sports features, and behind-the-scenes broadcast clips. She also maintains an active LinkedIn profile highlighting her broadcast credentials and education. Hodges does not run a public TikTok channel and maintains a very small, quiet presence on X, preferring Instagram and television broadcasts to interact with sports fans.

Hodges uses her social media platforms to showcase a blend of sports journalism, personal adventures, and community causes. Fans can regularly view clips of her reporting from the CBS 13 newsroom, pre-game interviews from Golden 1 Center, and features on inspiring local athletes.

She is also deeply passionate about animal welfare. Hodges frequently uses her online reach to highlight shelter dogs in need of adoption, promote animal rescue initiatives, and share updates on her own pets. Her feed reflects a balanced life centered on sports storytelling, family pets, and community giving.

Sara Hodges has carved out a respected career in Northern California sports journalism through years of consistent storytelling and anchor desk reporting. Supported by her husband Chris and guided by a passion for athletics and animal rescue, she remains an active voice covering the Sacramento sports scene.