Weeks after reports indicated that Allie LaForce was leaving CBS, the highly regarded sideline reporter has inked a deal with Turner Sports, the network announced Thursday.
LaForce will serve as a reporter for TNT’s regular-season and postseason NBA coverage while continuing in her sideline role on Turner and CBS’ joint March Madness coverage. In addition, she will host programs and specials on Turner networks including CNN and NBA TV, Turner announced. LaForce had appeared periodically on TNT’s NBA coverage since 2015 as part of a sideline rotation.
“I’m so excited for the opportunity to fulfill my lifelong passion and dream of covering basketball for a living,” LaForce said in a release. “It’s been a privilege over the last few years to get a glimpse of the quality of the people and production at Turner and to now be considered part of this family full-time is really exciting. I greatly look forward to my future here.”
LaForce joins Turner from CBS, where she had worked since 2012, becoming the network’s lead college football reporter in 2014. CBS has already announced that Jamie Erdahl will fill LaForce’s former role.
LaForce’s jump to Turner was first reported by the Fake Rudy Martzke Twitter account earlier this month.
Turner has seemingly been trying to fill its NBA on TNT sideline role ever since the late Craig Sager first got sick in 2014. In recent seasons, sideline responsibilities have rotated between LaForce, David Aldridge, Lewis Johnson, Kristen Ledlow and Rosalyn Gold-Onwude, whom Turner hired full-time last fall. It’s possible that LaForce’s hire will bring a little more stability to the role, though the network has not announced its precise plans.
“Allie has quickly established herself as one of the best reporters in our industry,” Turner Sports chief content officer Craig Barry said in a release. “We’re thrilled to welcome her to the Turner family and believe this multi-faceted role will showcase her many talents.”
About Alex Putterman
Alex is a writer and editor for The Comeback and Awful Announcing. He has written for The Atlantic, VICE Sports, MLB.com, SI.com and more. He is a proud alum of Northwestern University and The Daily Northwestern. You can find him on Twitter @AlexPutterman.