Why Rebecca Lowe could leave NBC Sports, per report

NBC Sports lead presenter Rebecca Lowe could be enticed by an opportunity to leave the US broadcaster after a new opportunity has opened up. That’s according to a report by The Sun tabloid newspaper in the United Kingdom. 

The pending departure of host Gary Lineker from BBC’s Match of the Day has caused a domino effect. In his replacement, it’s widely reported that Sky Sports lead presenter Kelly Cates, daughter of Liverpool legend Kenny Dalglish, will replace Lineker on the UK’s flagship soccer show.  

With Cates set to leave Sky Sports, the pay-TV broadcaster wants to fill her shoes with a star. Not surprisingly, The Sun reports that Lowe is being considered for the role. 

World Soccer Talk reached out to NBC Sports for a statement, but the spokesperson declined to comment.

Rebecca Lowe leaving NBC? It could happen

It’s worth noting that the same company, Comcast, owns both NBC Sports and Sky Sports. So if Lowe did leave NBC for Sky, it would at least be a move within the same media giant.

Could Lowe be enticed with a return back to the United Kingdom? Indeed, she has become a household name in the United States thanks to her stellar work for NBC Sports across the Premier League, Olympic Games, and the Kentucky Derby. So, after recently signing a new contract with NBC until 2028, what else is left for her in the United States that she hasn’t already achieved?

In a recent interview with The Athletic, Lowe mentioned, “I joined [in 2013] thinking I’ll be here [at NBC Sports] for a few years and go back to England. That would just be a great experience. [NBC’s Premier League coverage] has turned into a bit of a juggernaut, which I’m incredibly proud of.”

After launching the Premier League coverage in 2013, those “few years” with NBC Sports have turned into 11 so far.

United Kingdom offers Lowe a new opportunity

Before Lowe joined NBC Sports in 2013, her work for Setanta Sports and ESPN UK, as well as a sideline reporter for the BBC, was well-known by hardcore English soccer enthusiasts, but she was a relative unknown in most U.S. sports circles.

After conquering the United States, Lowe now has a golden opportunity to enter the lion’s den of Premier League football in England, her own country. It’d be a brand-new challenge for her to perform at the highest level on Sky Sports. Plus, it would allow her to be near her parents (including her father, retired BBC presenter Chris Lowe). Certainly, Rebecca’s young son would enjoy spending more time with his grandparents, too.

If Lowe wants a new career challenge, Sky Sports would be it. She would need to work diligently on becoming a household name in her own country and judging by her career at NBC Sports, that would be attainable.

After all, she has accomplished everything in the United States and has enjoyed living here. So, if she is driven by new career challenges, Sky Sports would provide it. Of course, we would hate to see her leave NBC Sports, but we would understand the decision.

For Rebecca Lowe, the world is her oyster.

If there is a change at NBC Sports, it won’t happen until after the end of the season. Cates is expected to start her role at the beginning of the next Premier League season, sharing Match of the Day hosting responsibilities with Mark Chapman and Gabby Logan.

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