CHICAGO – Since joining ESPN 30 years ago, Holly Rowe has been at the forefront in women’s sports. In addition to her duties on college football sidelines, she also works women’s basketball, volleyball and softball games for the network.
Over the last few years, women’s sports have seen a spike in popularity – fueled by women’s basketball. Volleyball and softball are also on the rise. For Rowe, it’s the culmination of something she saw when she was first starting out.
“It’s been incredible,” Rowe said to On3 this week on behalf of Allstate. “I’ve been working in women’s sports now for 30 years, and I kept telling everybody how good the product is. … I just love it because we’ve known it was good for so long. I’ve been, like, pushing this boulder up a mountain for my whole career [saying], ‘Trust me, it’s great.’
“I think now that the world is getting to see it – the ticket sales, they just set a new record for attendance for WNBA and the season’s still got two weeks left to go. Ratings are up, everything’s up. I’m just really proud because people now get to see, the whole world gets to see what we’ve known all along.”
Second-year players such as Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese are helping lead the charge in the WNBA, but other big names are also rising to the occasion. They’ve also been dealing with injuries. Reese missed an extended time this year with an issue and Clark hasn’t played since before the All-Star Break. Other stars such as Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier have also missed time.
Nonetheless, the WNBA is still looking at an attendance record with time left in the season. TV ratings remain strong ahead of the playoffs, as well. That, Rowe said, shows the league is in a strong place.
“That tells me the product is healthy because even though some of the biggest starts have been out … it’s still packed,” Rowe said. “I went to a game at the Valkyries last week, 18,000 people and they had five kids out injured. It just tells me that there’s depth in quality and performance. The interest is still there. It’s experienced.”
Why Allstate Good Works Team work is ‘special’ to Holly Rowe
Holly Rowe spoke with On3 after surprising Loyola Chicago men’s soccer goalkeeper Aidan Crawford with the news he became Allstate’s first-ever fall captain of the NACDA Good Works Team. Crawford founded Special Olympics Loyola University Chicago and has partnered with Misericorda, a home for adults with physical and intellectual disabilities in Loyola’s neighborhood.
Crawford follows a line of names such as Tim Tebow and Kirk Cousins to be captains of the AFCA Good Works Team. For Rowe, it’s a special opportunity to present such honors.
Before our match last weekend, ESPN’s Holly Rowe surprised Aidan Crawford with the news: he’s the captain of the inaugural Fall Allstate @NACDA Good Works Team
https://t.co/kgjIZaqO2Dpic.twitter.com/PGd9jSrd5t
— Loyola Men’s Soccer (@RamblersMSOC) August 26, 2025
“These young people are doing such great work in the community, and it’s an example to me that I’ve got to do better and do more,” Rowe said. “I just want that all of us get to shine a light on all the work these young people are doing. So, I get emotional. I turn and look at Aidan and he’s got tears in his eyes, and I start crying because this is something that means a lot to him and his family and his sister.
“He has made a huge impact on this community and this campus. Just to be here and honor young people who are changing the world, it means something to me.”
For Crawford, he had trouble finding words to describe what it means to sit alongside Tebow, Cousins and the list of football stars who captained the Good Works Team. He’s part of the inaugural NACDA Good Works Team, which recognizes athletes seven sports.
“It’s incredible,” Crawford said. “I’ve heard heard about the Allstate Good Works Team, and I’m so happy that they’re recognizing other sports now because I think there’s so many cool people in NCAA [athletics]. Just to be recognized alongside some of these people is just such an honor.”