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Bob Ley

Bob Ley

Keynote Speaker: Iconic Host of ESPN’s “Outside the Lines”, The Longest Serving Commentator at ESPN; 11-time Sports Emmy Award Winner, World Cup & Final Four Commentator

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Bob Ley Biography

He also spearheads SportsCenter's aggressive coverage of breaking news stories and issues, and hosts ESPN's monthly and weekly Outside the Lines series, which focus on issues beyond the playing field. He had also served as co-anchor of the 6 p.m. weeknight SportsCenter, the network's sports news program.

With Ley as host, the original monthly Outside the Lines series has captured eight Sports Emmy Awards for Sports Journalism and three CableACE Awards for Sports Information Series. SportsCenter has received six Sports Emmys and two CableACE Awards. Ley has also hosted two ESPN Town Meetings, including Race & Sports: Running in Place?, a live national television discussion on the issue of race in sports by panelists that included President Bill Clinton. Ley's efforts earned him Northeastern's 1995 Excellence in Sports Journalism Award from the University's Center for the Study of Sport in Society, together with the University's School of Journalism.

Additionally, the monthly Outside the Lines won New York Festival Gold (Sports/Recreation) and Silver World Medals (Sports behind Bars) in 2001, and a Gold World Medal (Sports/Recreation) in 2002. In 2000, Outside the Lines received third place recognition in the Social Issues, Documentary and Sports categories at the International Film and Video Festival.

Ley, who handles play-by-play for ABC & ESPN's coverage of World Cup soccer games (including serving as the lead commentator for World Cup '98), received the Honorary All-America Award by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America for his contributions to the sport in January 1999.

Equally at home in the studio and in the field, Ley brings a relaxed, smooth style to his varied assignments. He hosted the 11:30 p.m. SportsCenter (August 1988-March 1992) and the network's NFL Draft coverage (1980-89). He also hosted ESPN's NCAA basketball tournament studio show (1980-89) which perfected the "whip-around" format that helped to raise the tournament to its current status.

Ley has also taken viewers through major events: led ESPN's coverage of Pete Rose's suspension by Bart Giamatti; provided the first national news coverage of the earthquake live from Candlestick Park in San Francisco at the 1989 World Series; put a sports perspective on the impact of the September 11 terrorist attacks as SportsCenter anchor from 6 p.m.-midnight when ESPN returned to the air. He has also covered several NCAA basketball Final Fours, hosted live special events for ESPN, and done play-by-play commentary for college basketball, boxing, soccer and CBA basketball.

A 1976 magna cum laude graduate of Seton Hall University with a bachelor of arts degree in communications, Ley joined Suburban Cablevision (East Orange, N.J.) as Director of Sports/Public Affairs in September 1976,. During his three years there (1976-79), Suburban Cablevision won four local CableACE Awards for both sports and overall programming.

While an undergraduate, Ley was a production manager at WOR-AM in New York (1975-77). He has served as public address announcer for the Cosmos of the North American Soccer League, and as a sportswriter for the Passaic (N.J.) Herald-News.

Ley, born March 16, 1955, was valedictorian at Bloomfield (N.J.) High School, class of 1972, and was inducted into the Bloomfield Athletic Hall of Fame for his contributions to sports journalism in May 1987.

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Bob Ley Videos

OTL's Friday Four toasts to Bob Ley's 6-month sabbatical | Outside ...
Bob Ley remembers first ESPN broadcast of SportsCenter | Outside ...

How do I book Bob Ley to speak at my event?

Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Bob Ley for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Bob Ley, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Bob Ley or any other speaker of your choice.

How much does it cost to book Bob Ley for a speaking engagement?

Speaking fees for Bob Ley, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fee for a live event is $10,000 - $20,000. For the most current speaking fee to hire Bob Ley, click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.

What topics does Bob Ley speak about?

Bob Ley is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as Sports, Sports Journalism & Broadcasting, Sports Writing and Hosts & Emcees.

Where does Bob Ley travel from?

Bob Ley generally travels from Bristol, UK and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances.

Who is the agent for Bob Ley?

AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully secured keynote speakers like Bob Ley for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Bob Ley for your next private or corporate function.

What is a full-service speaker booking agency?

AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host Bob Ley or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us.

Why is AAE Speakers Bureau different from other booking agencies?

If you’re looking for the best speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.


Bob Ley is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics including Sports, Sports Journalism & Broadcasting and Sports Writing. The estimated speaking fee range to book Bob Ley for live events is $10,000 - $20,000. Please contact us for virtual event fees. Bob Ley generally travels from Bristol, UK and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Michael Wilbon, Kenny Mayne and Dan Patrick. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Bob Ley for an upcoming event.

Bob Ley Videos

OTL's Friday Four toasts to Bob Ley's 6-month sabbatical | Outside ...
Bob Ley remembers first ESPN broadcast of SportsCenter | Outside ...
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