ESPN, Comcast To Host Black History Month Sports Panel

ESPN and Comcast are hosting a Black History Month panel titled Career in Sports at the Detroit School of Arts Wednesday morning.

Moderator James G. Brown Jr., Senior VP, Disney and ESPN Media Networks, will lead panelists in a discussion that addresses careers in sports that span beyond the playing field.

The audience will include more than 800 students from six Detroit-area public schools. In addition to being exposed to the high-profile experts, students will receive a copy of the book Glory Road: My Story of the 1966 NCAA Basketball Championship and How One Team Triumphed Against the Odds, the story of Texas college basketball icon Don Haskins, donated by Hyperion Publishing.

The panel is part of more than 20 Black History Month events Comcast will present in the communities served across Michigan.  “We are proud to be a part of exposing area students to local and national celebrities that provide insight into career opportunities on and off the field,” said Steve Thomas, VP and general manager of Comcast-Detroit.  “The Career in Sports panel underscores our ongoing commitment to the communities where we live and work.”

Members of the panel include: Stuart Scott, SportsCenter anchor; Lomas Brown, former Detroit Lions tackle; Darren Woodson, former Dallas Cowboys safety; Keith Clinkscales, Senior VP and general manager of ESPN Publishing; Nichelle Gainey, SWAC Associate Commissioner; and Rob Parker, sports columnist for the Detroit News and local radio host.

“With such a diverse group, we hope to show young people the wide variety of careers in sports,” said Brown.  “What is important is to stay in school, work hard, get a degree and pursue your dream.”