Kenny Mayne Biography

Fast Facts

• Won the Old Hilltop Award from the Maryland Horse Breeders Association for his coverage of thoroughbred racing in 2006
• Graduated from the University of Nevada at Las Vegas with a degree in Broadcasting in 1982
• Spent several years with KSTW-TV in Tacoma/Seattle in the 1980s as a production assistant, sports anchor, and news reporter
• Began his broadcasting career as a reporter with KLVX-TV in Las Vegas in 1982
• Quote: "(On getting hired at ESPN): "I had the ESPN 800-number and called all the time with story ideas․ I guess they finally decided it was less expensive to hire me than to keep paying for my phone calls․""
• Best known as a sports commentator and comedian who hosts "Kenny Mayne's Wider World of Sports" and "Mayne Street․"
• Joined ESPN in 1995 as an anchor for the ESPN2 show "SportSmash" after working as a freelance reporter and producer for the network from 1990 to 1994
• Competed on the reality TV show "Dancing with the Stars" in 2006
• Hosted ESPN's coverage of horse racing for several years until 2011
• Would occasionally serve as an anchor for "SportsCenter" prior getting the full-time anchor position in August 1997