Born and raised in Manhattan Beach, California, Alex Curry has been surrounded by the world of sports for as long as she can remember. For Alex, there was something about sports that sparked a unique interest within her to pursue a career in the industry. From production to event coverage to content creation, she was determined early on to immerse herself, study, and learn about every aspect within the space. This was just the beginning. Throughout her time in college—at San Diego State University—, Alex began working behind the scenes for the Joe Lewis Production Company and Fuel TV. Upon graduation, she continued to embrace and maximize opportunities to assist in show productions, hosting gigs, sideline reporting, and broadcasting assignments. She was on a mission. In 2012, Alex joined FOX Sports West as the host of "Angels Weekly" and "Kings Weekly" before expanding her role and becoming the sideline reporter for both telecasts. Through it all, growth remained at the forefront of her mind. How could she improve? What were some experiences that would propel her to the next level? These were questions that Alex asked herself every single day the more she dove into hosting and reporting. It was only up from there. From hosting FOX Bet Live on FS1 to co-hosting studio shows such as "The Herd" and "Undisputed" to co-hosting the "Flippin' Bats" podcast alongside Ben Verlander, Alex has continued to reach new heights since and establish her legacy as a reporter, host, and storyteller. As she looks to the near future, Alex is not only looking forward to participating in more shows; but she is also eager to give back to the next generation through speaking engagements, events, and mentorship programs.
Throughout your time in college, at San Diego State, you tapped into an array of opportunities that gave you insight into the world of journalism, hosting, and reporting. How was that transition then from college into the world of sports journalism and sports media like for you?
I kind of just had the attitude to say ‘YES’ to everything and figure it out as you go. I literally said yes to every single opportunity—even if I had no idea what I was doing. In my mind I was like, “You never know who you're going to meet. You never know what experience you're going to get; and it's going to not only build your character, but build your understanding and your appreciation for every step of the job of a show.” I have been on every single level, on every single show starting from the ground up—five years behind the scenes to then being on camera. So I think it actually taught me a lot: to be grateful, to be respectful of every single person that's working on a job or on your production, and (that) every single job matters just as much if you want a great product at the end of the day.
How do you think those experiences early on across these different spaces—both in front of the camera and behind the scenes—helped you as you began your professional career in the space?
I think you really gain an appreciation for what it takes to put a final product together—every step of the way. From the PAs helping out to get everything ready so when you show up it's ready to go to the talent managers knowing when you need to be there and how you should present yourself or what to be prepared for, I just loved every step of it. I was never like, “Oh man, I don't like this. I can't wait until I get there.” No, I was like: “This is so fun. I love just being involved. I love the production. I love sports. I love working with people.” So it was just a really big appreciation and gratitude for every step of the way. When I finally was able to be a host, I was like: “What?! You're gonna pay me for this? I don't have to do it for free anymore?” (*laughs*). It was a lot of hustle because while I was doing all that I was still bartending at night, going on auditions during the day, doing the behind the scenes job—taking the here and there on-camera gigs when I could. I remember my first E! News Now gig…I got the morning shift from 4:00 AM to 3:00 PM, then I got home and had like 30 minutes to change, and then I had to go do my bartending shift from like 6:00 PM to 3:00 AM. So I was up for almost 24 hours, but it was like: “This is the coolest thing ever.” I was just so happy and grateful to be taking that next step in my career.
What were some challenges that you faced early on as you tapped into the world of reporting and hosting? How did you work to overcome them?