Erin Andrews was the face of FOX Sports for over ten years. Andrews, who anchored sideline coverage through several Super Bowls and developed relationships with some of the league’s most well-known analysts, was a defining presence on the NFL’s biggest broadcasts. Most recently, she joined Tom Brady and Kevin Burkhardt on the network’s top broadcast team. Andrews has flourished in live, high-pressure settings, from reporting through monsoon-like playoff games to competing on Dancing with the Stars. Through broadcast shakeups, booth rotations, and media rights disputes, her reporting helped create FOX’s football identity, and her interviews frequently set the tone for post-game narratives.

For the time being, the longtime NFL sideline reporter is bringing her skills to morning television. This isn’t just a career shift—it’s a pivot in the era of how and where sports stories are told. With Blake Shelton’s ‘Texas’ playing in the background, Erin Andrews’ Instagram caption was ablaze with enthusiasm, heart emojis, and a Texas twang. She wrote, “I love it here.” Andrews and co-host Jenna Bush Hager were seen grinning broadly in a whirlwind of images shared from Day 2 on the Jenna & Friends set at Rockefeller Centre. Andrews looked like a movie star in her new setting, with her hair done, cosmetics perfect, and spirits high.

Andrews had been promoting the opportunity online before her first live broadcast. Playfully responding to the news of Jenna & Friends’ new co-host, Andrews exclaimed, “Guuuuuuuuys!!!! It’s gonna be a time!!!!!” She gave her followers a sneak peek at how thrilled she was to shake up her usual football routine. Although FOX fans are accustomed to seeing her dressed up on windswept sidelines in December. But this week she has shared polished behind-the-scenes photos from Rockefeller Center, with makeup artist Kayleen McAdams and hair stylist Kylee Heath.

Andrews joins a rotating roster of well-known co-hosts on the TODAY show’s feel-good hour. It has previously featured Dwyane Wade, Olivia Munn, Andy Cohen, and Keke Palmer. On daytime TV, enjoying the warmth of audience engagement and humorous storytelling, she posted earlier, “Best first day! Can’t wait to be on all week.” Erin Andrews isn’t merely filling the role, she is ready to dominate the daytime spotlight with the same command she brought to NFL sidelines every Sunday. It’s safe to assume that she’s falling for this new phase. But while she is learning to enjoy the pleasures of weekday mornings, Erin’s long-time employer is getting ready for prime time disruption.

As Erin Andrews steps out, FOX doubles down: New streaming power move shakes up NFL media game

The same week that Andrews spoke on TODAY, FOX Corp. made a bold announcement. Fox One, its own direct-to-consumer streaming service, will launch before the upcoming NFL season. Fox One will finally bring FOX’s entire sports content collection into the streaming era. It is going up against ESPN+, Max Sports, and Disney’s soon-to-be flagship ESPN app. CEO Lachlan Murdoch made the announcement during a quarterly earnings call.

Access will be free for cable subscribers, but standalone prices will reflect “wholesale pricing,” according to Murdoch. FOX wants to build brand loyalty and retention, not score cheap bargains. Why is this important? Because Erin Andrews built FOX’s NFL brand over a ten-year period. Her interviews, appearance, and voice all contributed to anchoring the most important games in America. And her absence was noticed from the promo reel as FOX gets ready for its largest media expansion to date.

The switch to streaming is a huge step that covers the gap left by Disney and Warner Bros. FOX has stepped off the sidelines. It is taking advantage of the momentum as revenue is up 27% and Super Bowl advertisements are bringing in $8 million each. And, Fox One is betting on a future in which the internet era and the broadcast booth coexist. Erin Andrews, on the other hand, is placing a bet on herself.