Longtime ESPN Reporter to Retire After 32 Years

By Brian Jones

A longtime ESPN reporter is calling it a career. The network announced that Mark Schwarz will retire on Monday after 32 years on the job. He began his ESPN career in 1990 and covered nearly everything in the sports world. Recently, Schwarz has been seen on the 6 p.m. ET edition of SportsCenter, reporting on a news topic of the day for the "SC Report." 

"I very much knew when I signed my last deal back in December of 2018 it would be my final deal," Schwarz said in a press release. "And I have thoroughly enjoyed all 32 years that I've had. Using a sports cliche – I've put it all out on the field. I have plenty more to give, and I'm a young guy in good health, but there's a lot more in my life that I'm looking to do right now, and I just want to enjoy the freedom that retirement offers."

Schwarz went on to talk about never shying away from asking tough questions. "One of the things that I think has characterized my run is that I have been a bit of an outlier in terms of my willingness to get the story even if it creates friction with players, organizations, media relations people," he said. "I'm not as worried about their feelings as getting the viewer the actual truth of what's going on."

During his career, Schwarz covered major events, including the Super Bowl, World Series, NBA Finals, Heavyweight Championship fights and the NCAA Basketball Tournament. In 1996, Schwarz won his second National Sports Emmy Award for a feature on boxer Jerry Quarry's losing battle with dementia. His first came in 1994 for an investigative piece about the University of Houston football team. 

"Schwarz brought a sense of storytelling and hard news reporting," Norby Williamson, ESPN Executive Vice President, Event and Studio Production & Executive Editor. said. "He was versatile, and in many ways, set a very high standard for reporters at ESPN." Before joining ESPN, Schwarz worked as a sports anchor or WJXT-TV in Jacksonville, Fla. (1988-90). He was also an anchor/reporter at KOTV-TV in Tulsa. from 1987 to 1988. Schwarz graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology from Cornell University in 1981. 

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