ESPN’s Holly Rowe to be Speaker at 2024 Independence Bowl Kickoff Dinner

Baton Rouge, LA – January 25, 2024 – Pete Maravich Assembly Center: Holly Rowe and Mascot Mike the Tiger on the set of College GameDay Covered by State Farm. (Photo by Rebecca Warren / ESPN Images)

SHREVEPORT, La. (June 10, 2024) – The annual Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl Kickoff Dinner returns on Monday, July 15 at the Shreveport Convention Center, and one of ESPN’s most recognizable commentators, Holly Rowe, will be the night’s featured speaker. 

Rowe is one of ESPN’s most versatile and highest-profile commentators. She has been featured regularly on high-profile events and programming for ESPN and ABC, including Saturday Night Football and the College Football Playoff, Big Monday men’s college basketball, NCAA Women’s Final Four, NCAA Women’s College World Series, the WNBA and more. 

“I am thrilled to come to Shreveport and share some of my favorite football stories from 30 years on the sidelines,” said Rowe. “Football is one of my great passions in life, and I love speaking being with those who share that same feeling! See you soon.”

The annual Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl Kickoff Dinner featuring Holly Rowe is set for Monday, July 15 at the Shreveport Convention Center. Doors will open at 6 p.m. for a cocktail hour and dinner buffets will open at 6:15 p.m. The program will begin at 7 p.m. with a Q&A to conclude.

Individual tickets to the event are on sale for $50 apiece, and a table of eight is $400. Tickets can be purchased at RadianceTechnologiesIndependenceBowl.com/shop or by calling the Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl office at 318.221.0712 or toll-free at 888.414.BOWL.

“Holly Rowe has been such a prominent figure across various sports, and she embodies everything good about sports,” said Independence Bowl Foundation Chair Claire Rebouche. “She has had a front-row seat for some of the most exciting sports moments, has an incredible personal story of her cancer diagnosis and treatment, and always asks the kind of questions that we as viewers want to hear the athletes and coaches answer. I’m sure everyone will leave the Kickoff Dinner wishing they could hear even more from her.”

A graduate of the University of Utah with a broadcast journalism degree, Rowe began appearing on ABC Sports in 1995 and ESPN in 1997. Before that, she was a sports reporter and anchor for multiple outlets in Salt Lake City, including KSL Radio, Fox 13 TV, KBYU TV, BYU Sports Network and KFNZ. 

Since debuting on ABC and ESPN, she has covered various sports and events in many roles – including play-by-play commentary for women’s college basketball, softball, volleyball and gymnastics. She also served as one of the play-by-play announcers for ESPN’s coverage of the 1998 Women’s World Cup and has hosted ESPN’s coverage of the Running of the Bulls. Rowe has also covered the Little League World Series, soccer, swimming, track & field and softball for ESPN.

Rowe has broken many barriers in the broadcasting world, including becoming the first female color commentator in Utah Jazz history during their game against the Sacramento Kings in October 2021. 

She has had a tremendously decorated broadcasting career, winning the 2022 Sports Emmy for Outstanding Personality/Reporter and the 2022 Mel Greenberg Media Award from the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association. Rowe was also named the 2023 Curt Gowdy Electronic Media Award Winner for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

Diagnosed with Stage IV Metastatic Melanoma in 2016, Rowe has become a dedicated advocate for cancer research and prevention.

Rowe joins the prestigious list of Kickoff Dinner speakers, which includes Terry Bradshaw, Bobby Bowden, Lou Holtz, Jason Witten, Emmitt Smith, Archie Manning, Herschel Walker, Steve Spurrier, Drew Brees, Devin White, Marcus Spears, Kim Mulkey and Paul Skenes. 

The Kickoff Dinner featuring Holly Rowe is made possible by the loyal co-presenting sponsors of the event – Morehead Pools, Willis Knighton Health, Shreveport Rubber & Gasket and Wieland.

The 48th Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl is set for Saturday, December 28 at 8:15 p.m. CT on ESPN. The ticket renewal process is underway, and fans have until July 31 to secure the seats they have purchased in the past. Game tickets will go on sale to the public in August. 

For more information on the 2024 Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl or the Kickoff Dinner featuring Holly Rowe, fans can call the office or email [email protected].

ABOUT THE RADIANCE TECHNOLOGIES INDEPENDENCE BOWL™

Established in 1976, the Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl™ is college football’s 11th most historic bowl game, and the 48th edition of the game is set for Saturday, December 28 at 8:15 p.m. CT on ESPN. Huntsville, Ala.-based Radiance Technologies is the bowl’s title sponsor through the 2025 Bowl Season. The bowl’s conference, team, and television agreements also run through the 2025 season. 

The Independence Bowl Foundation is prevalent in the Shreveport-Bossier City area throughout the year, hosting events to help enhance the economic impact and growth of our community. The Mission of the Independence Bowl is to attract and provide quality, nationally recognized football competition oriented to the Ark-La-Tex region. For more information, visit RadianceTechnologiesIndependenceBowl.com or follow the bowl on Facebook, X and Instagram at @IndyBowl.