Since Chris Fowler first joined ESPN as the host and reporter of Scholastic Sports America in 1986, he has become a recognizable figure at almost every major sporting event. He has earned opportunities to broadcast horse racing’s Triple Crown races, college basketball’s Final Four, the X Games and Winter X Games, and Grand Slam tennis matches, just to name a few.
Fowler (play-by-play) has teamed up with Kirk Herbstreit (color commentator) to form the college football booth that broadcasts ABC/ESPN’s “Saturday Night Football” for the past decade but their partnership actually dates back even earlier when the duo started on “College GameDay” in 1996.
While many recognize the face, and more likely the voice, few know about his current net worth.
What Is Chris Fowler’s Net Worth?
ABC/ESPN spends a ballpark of $1.5 billion per year to broadcast college football and tennis, both of which are properties that Fowler stands out as one of the network’s most recognizable voices. How much does he earn as a college football and tennis host and commentator?
Fowler’s net worth is well into eight figures, estimated to be $14 million according to Celebrity Net Worth.
In 2023, Fowler agreed to a multi-year extension to stay at ESPN as their lead play-by-play announcer for college football, which will include the College Football Playoff National Championship game, as well as Grand Slam tennis, which will include finals at the Australian Open, US Open, and Wimbledon.
This deal replaces one worth $30 million over the previous 10 years.
Fowler’s Broadcast Career
Before joining ESPN, Fowler spent nearly two years at KCNC-TV, the NBC affiliate in Denver, as a production assistant, producer/writer, and sports reporter.
Now in his 39th year with ESPN, Fowler has hosted other flagship properties aside from college football and tennis, such as “SportsCenter,” “SportsCentury,” the Heisman Trophy presentation, and the FIFA World Cup.
He is most recognized for his work as one of the nation’s best studio hosts on “College GameDay,” a position he held from 1990 to 2014 before giving way to current host, Rece Davis. The show won the Sports Emmy for Best Weekly Studio Show five times with Fowler as its host. He started as a college football sideline reporter before jumping to the anchor’s desk.
In January 2004, Sporting News magazine named Fowler as well as fellow “College GameDay” personalities Herbstreit and Lee Corso as the “Most Powerful Media Personalities in Sports.”
In 2014, Fowler became the play-by-play voice on ABC/ESPN’s “Saturday Night Football” alongside Herbstreit and sideline reporter, Holly Rowe. He was nominated for a Sports Emmy for his play-by-play commentary in 2024.