Karen Loftus
Sports Anchor | Reporter | Host
About me:
Sports have always been at the forefront of my life-- playing everything from volleyball to basketball to tennis to golf and waterskiing. I went into college on a pre-med/ biology track at the University of Richmond, as science was one of my favorite subjects and I wasn't sure of my career direction at that point. Sophomore year I decided to make a huge pivot from science to journalism and communication studies to ultimately pursue a career in sports broadcasting. It was the best decision I could have made because I truly feel like I've found my calling, being able to cover sports and tell people's stories for a living.
I began my career near home in Maryland at a station in Hagerstown, where I worked my way up to become their first ever female Sports Director. From there, I was hired as the Weekend Sports Anchor in Roanoke, Virginia (DMA 71), then went-on to New Orleans, Louisiana (DMA 50) and on to Tampa, Florida (DMA 13).
I feel blessed beyond measure that this career has given me an opportunity to have a front row seat to sports history-- the biggest games, best athletes and all the incredible stories along the way. My top three sports moments I've had the privilege of covering are LSU football's historic 2019 season-- undefeated National Champions, winning it all in New Orleans in Joe Burrow's Heisman Trophy year, the Bucs' incredible 2020 season-- Tom Brady beginning a new chapter and leading a star-studded team to a Super Bowl title in their home stadium, and the Lightning's unforgettable back-to-back Stanley Cup Championship seasons in 2020 and 2021.
Reporting and Studio Montage
Sportscasts/ highlights
Podcasts and Radio
When I'm not on TV, I love going on sports talk radio and podcasts. I think it helps show my versatility and true knowledge of the teams I cover in a more candid, unscripted platform-- with of course more time to discuss various topics in-depth.
Here are a few links to some of those segments:
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ESPN Radio Richmond, "The Sports Huddle" show
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Hard in the Paint Podcast
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ESPN Radio Baton Rouge, "After Further Review" show
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New Orleans Saints Black and Gold Podcast