ESPN Adds Six Veterans from "The Washington Post" to Their Digital Journalism Unit

ESPN has tapped six new journalists from The Washington Post who will be added to the network's Investigative, Enterprise, and Digital Journalism unit.

What's Happening:

• ESPN is significantly strengthening its journalism operation with the hiring of six accomplished reporters from The Washington Post, maintaining the company’s continued investment in original reporting, news gathering, investigations and enterprise storytelling.
• The journalists (collectively) bring more than 100 years of industry experience and recipients of numerous major industry awards, and will join ESPN’s news gathering, investigative and enterprise teams over the coming weeks.
• The journalists joining ESPN’s Investigative, Enterprise and Digital Journalism Unit:
  • Kent Babb – Formerly a sports features and enterprise writer at the Post, Babb will write and report across all sports for ESPN. Babb has earned multiple Associated Press Sports Editors (APSE) awards, been featured in multiple editions of “The Year’s Best Sportswriting” series, is a former reporter for the Kansas City Star and The State (Columbia, S.C.), and the author of two books.
  • Kareem Copeland – Copeland has covered the WNBA, NBA, college basketball, the Washington Commanders, other NFL assignments, additional collegiate sports and the Olympics. Prior to the Post, he reported for the Associated Press. At ESPN, he will be based in the Midwest covering women’s college basketball and the WNBA.
  • Chuck Culpepper – Culpepper has covered college football and basketball, golf and tennis majors, the Olympics, World Cups, Super Bowls and more for multiple outlets. Culpepper’s work has been featured several times in “The Year’s Best Sportswriting” anthology series. A multiple winner of APSE awards and an author, Culpepper’s versatile skill set will be used across all sports and events at ESPN.
  • Robert Klemko – Klemko was part of a Pulitzer Prize‑winning team at the Post in 2024 for a series that covered the rise of the AR‑15 rifle. After covering the NFL for Sports Illustrated and USA Today, he reported on policing, immigration and covered the Russian invasion of Ukraine at the Post. At ESPN, Klemko will focus on sports‑related crime, investigations and major scandals working mostly in the investigative wing of the larger unit.
  • Tom Schad – Schad, most recently the Washington Commanders beat reporter for the Post, will be a general assignment reporter who focuses on enterprise, quick-turn, investigative and data journalism for ESPN. A multiple APSE award-winner, his previous experience includes roles at USA Today, the Memphis Commercial‑Appeal and The Washington Times.
  • Ben Strauss – Strauss, previously the Post’s sports media and sports business reporter, will focus on sports business enterprise and investigative journalism for ESPN. A co‑author of a book about the NCAA, Strauss has earned APSE recognition and previously reported for Politico and The New York Times.
• Their reporting will appear across ESPN’s platforms, including ESPN.com, the ESPN App, SportsCenter, ESPN Audio podcasts, and ESPN programming.

What They're Saying:

• Jimmy Pitaro, ESPN Chairman: “Adding these six outstanding journalists and the reputation of The Washington Post will enhance an ESPN team that is already the best in the business. We are proud to advance our robust commitment to journalism, which is core to our mission of serving sports fans. Today’s news strengthens our position as the place to turn for the latest and most in-depth sports news, reporting and feature stories across every platform.”

A Unit With Reputation:

• ESPN’s Investigative, Enterprise and Digital Journalism Unit is one of the network’s main editorial teams responsible for deep reporting, breaking news, long-form storytelling, and accountability journalism in sports.
• It’s designed to go beyond game coverage and examine the business, politics, crime, health, and cultural issues surrounding sports.
• The cross-platform reporting team sets out to produce high-impact journalism and original reporting across all of ESPN's outlets, including the website, TV shows, podcasts, and original streaming content.
• Typical stories coming from the division feature athlete scandals, league investigations, NCAA violations, athlete profiles, sports narratives that venture behind -the-scenes, and documentary style programming on television and as podcasts.