Sports broadcaster Elle Duncan sought more than what ESPN could provide her.
At the “Tuned In” summit held by Front Office Sports in New York on Tuesday, Duncan, who previously co-hosted “SportsCenter” at 6 p.m. alongside Kevin Negandhi and led coverage for women’s basketball at ESPN, shared her experience of turning down a four- to five-year contract offer from ESPN in December. Instead, she decided to join Netflix as their main host for sports and live events.
“When you think about the next five years of your life, which is kind of what I was doing — ESPN was offering me a four- or five-year deal. I asked myself, ‘If I’m doing the exact same thing right now, five years down the line, would I be content?’ I ultimately came to the conclusion that no, I wouldn’t be,” Duncan explained.
“I wanted to explore new opportunities and challenge myself, and I’ve been fortunate enough to do that.”
Duncan hosted her first event for Netflix, “Skyscraper Live,” on January 23, 2026, featuring free-solo climber Alex Honnold as he scaled Taipei 101 without any safety equipment.
She described the preparation for the broadcast, including a contingency plan in case Honnold fell. “For me, it was about the challenge of engaging in these unique projects that I wouldn’t have had the chance to do before. I definitely did not expect to be watching a man climb a building live without ropes. It was all about the untapped potential,” she said.
“When I joined Netflix, we had six events lined up, and while I knew they were expanding, it was the uncertainty that was intimidating yet thrilling.”
Duncan noted that she simply outgrew her former role at ESPN, emphasizing her departure was a choice rather than being forced. “Sometimes in life, change is thrust upon us, but my decision to transition to Netflix was self-initiated, which can be even more daunting. To choose a potential growth opportunity without knowing what to expect… well, it’s challenging,” she mentioned.
“But I also believe that if you never leave your comfort zone, you might never realize what you’re capable of. I can tell you that on the other side of this, it can be very rewarding. You just might not know what you need until you explore,” she added.
Reflecting on her nearly year-long experience at Netflix, Duncan said things are “going really well,” despite encountering some “challenges and wrinkles” as Netflix works to establish itself in live events. “It’s been almost a year, and Netflix was upfront about the hurdles we’d face, with the acknowledgment that we were building the plane while flying it,” she remarked. “There are challenges, but what’s really impressive is the pride I feel for my team.”
“Netflix faces the same standards as long-established media companies that have been around for decades. But they’re navigating this with far less experience and a small, dedicated team. Every time we get something on air, I’ve witnessed how hard everyone has worked, and I’m truly proud of us.”
