Who is Phoebe Schecter, and why is her punditry so damn good?
The best sports pundit here in the UK is a five-foot four-inch British-American covering a game contested by giants.
I’m a big fan of her work, but every NFL fan I speak with about Phoebe Schecter only has good things to say. She’ll be a considerable asset to Sky’s coverage of Sunday’s Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans.
The first thing new viewers are likely to notice about Schecter is her height, but that’s mainly because of the world she excels in – standing next to ex-NFL players before the Sunday night game coverage.
The more you watch, more you listen and the more you discover about Schecter, you realise why she’s operating on a level higher than we’re used to in UK sports punditry. Someone who made history with her coaching role at the Buffalo Bills in the NFL.
So who exactly is Phoebe Schecter, and why is her punditry so damn good?
Most of Schecter’s punditry, including the Super Bowl, is on Sky Sports. I used to work for the news part of the organisation as head of sports coverage, and remain plugged in the industry - I’m told she is a hugely popular figure, partly for the respect and interest she shows in everyone around her. There is a down-to-earth warmth about her that shines through the screen.
A dual citizen, Schecter was born and raised in Connecticut but moved to the UK in her early 20s and worked in an equestrian centre. From there she decided to try out playing for a women’s American football team in Manchester. NFL was clearly her calling and has led to a remarkable path to our screens.
The trial led to Schecter becoming a member of the British women’s tackle football and flag football teams, the latter a non-contact version of the game which will be part of the LA Olympics in 2028.
Her interest in coaching was developing and she took internships at American Universities, before an historic opportunity in 2017 when she was offered an internship by the Buffalo Bills in the NFL.
Nobody, least not her, pretends it isn’t still a male-dominated environment. But that’s the thing about Schecter. How quickly you notice what she’s saying, and how she’s saying it, rather than her physical point of difference in the world of NFL. And she made an impact with her coaching at the franchise.
Schecter started doing some radio work before Sky brought her on board, a shrewd move. It’s one thing recognising here ‘on-screen credit’ is impressive – Buffalo Bills coach - but her TV role has been carefully built-up, and for the past couple of years she has illuminated the coverage. She also writes a column for the BBC and has a social media presence that works well with her on-screen profile.
When UK viewers first switch on Sky’s coverage at 6pm on Sundays (and I should point out here I am not a cheerleader for the organisation, there’s still some room for improvement) - if Phoebe isn’t there it’s a disappointment. Thankfully, the reason is usually that she’s being been deployed on location. And on Sunday I expect she’ll be in New Orleans in SuperBowl LIX.
Kansas City Chiefs v Philadelphia Eagles is not exactly the game most of us wanted (as an Arizona Cardinals fan it’s not as if I was expecting my team there, but a proper underdog or better story would be nice.)
The half-time show (Kendrick Lamar) and the Taylor Swift Chiefs-link will get some of the casual NFL observers involved, but during the evening build-up in the UK as we wait for the game to start and fight off the need to head to bed before a busy Monday, Shecter’s sharp, detailed insights about tactics and strategy will keep us going.
The irony is that the best sports presenter on our screens in the UK is ‘up against’ Phoebe on a Sunday night at 6pm. That would be Scott Hanson, whom I also wish many British anchors would watch and learn from. How to be stats-and-information fuelled without being dull, enthusiastic but sharp, clear and full of gravitas. I find a way to double screen and switch between the two.
The reason I think American sports coverage, and American broadcasters, are generally a level or two above the Brits is not to be contrary or throw shade. It’s a cultural thing that Americans simply do sports well because they do it simply.
The knowledge, tone and rhythm of the coverage still feels like it is better suited to sports-watching than some of the shallow punditry and zoo commentary here. Every fan of American sports here in the UK that I’ve spoken to about this feels the same.
English football punditry is the most prominent, and irritating. Too often lacking in genuine insight we don’t know at home, full of cliches and awkward attempts at banter and featuring the same group of immensely dislikeable on-screen presences across multiple channels.
Names? Let’s start with Keown and Sutton, two unpopular ex-footballers whose modus operandi is to jut their chins out and make emphatic, deliberately controversial statements designed to provoke.
Sutton’s recent flippant comment on ‘plastic pitches’ reminded us of his limitations yet again: “I’ve never seen a good game on one.” He wilfully dismissed the importance of such surfaces to community sport, their effectiveness, and their quality in general. Just for a cheap, lairy shot.
In contrast, college hoops expert Jay Bilas, a former player for Duke and vastly experienced on the mic, is the best sports pundit I’ve ever seen. So clear, informed, and wise, blessed with a smooth, deep voice that he uses to perfection, never shouting or waffling. He’s witty, intelligent and just so watchable. I’m not saying this because he’s a fellow member of what Larry David calls “the bald community”
Like Bilas, Schecter teaches us, and is a teacher we like – it never feels like a lecture.
Whether playing, coaching or with a microphone in her hand, don’t be surprised to see Schecter in a starring role at LA28. And I will be one of the many watching.
We’ll miss her on Sundays until the new NFL season because very week Phoebe Schecter reminds us what punditry should be….and that’s no small feat.
The Sports Specialist is Lee Wellings, a writer, broadcaster and advisor specialising in sports for 35 years. Lee has worked in key roles at the BBC, ITN, Sky and Al Jazeera English. His latest book ‘Football Fables, The First Eleven’ is available to buy here:
FOOTBALL FABLES: The Book
