Game On: FanSided Expands Unified Storytelling Coverage for Super Bowl Week and Big Game with Hire of Two Special Olympics Athletes

Special Olympics Florida athlete and Sportscaster Malcom Harris-Gowdie Returns to the Row for the Third Time and Joins Special Olympics Nebraska athlete Wyatt Spalding on Reporting Team

NEW ORLEANS, Jan. 29, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- For the past 12 years, Special Olympics has built its unified presence on Super Bowl Media Row, inviting Special Olympics athletes and international celebrity supporters and partners to help change perceptions of what a more inclusive world can, and should be. These athletes and supporters descend on Super Bowl Media Row to share their personal stories and advocate for more inclusion in the community -- on the playing field, in the classroom and even in the doctor's office. They have changed the way the world views ability and acceptance. It is at Media Row that these athletes and supporters have an opportunity to speak with global media outlets and change stereotypes about people with intellectual disabilities and demonstrate how sports is the greatest equalizer for us all.

For the third consecutive year, Special Olympics has partnered with sports and entertainment network FanSided to host a unified reporting team at Super Bowl's Media Row. Veteran Unified Reporter and Special Olympics Florida athlete and Sportscaster Malcom Harris-Gowdie returns to Media Row as part of FanSided's reporting team for all pre-Game news including the Big Game. This year, Special Olympics Nebraska athlete Wyatt Spalding also joins the reporting team line-up alongside FanSided hosts Patrick Allen and Sterling Holmes. FanSided surprised both Malcom and Wyatt in a video call earlier this month sharing the news that they were heading to New Orleans!

"I can't believe I'm going to be covering the Game inside the stadium! When I was little, I would watch every football game with the television on mute and do my own play-by-play," said Malcom Harris-Gowdie, a multi-sport athlete and sportscaster from Special Olympics Florida. "I just want to have a voice and share my experience. I want people to know anything is possible if you set your mind to it."

Harris-Gowdie served on the first-ever Special Olympics Unified reporting team alongside FanSided during Super Bowl LVII. On the ground, Harris-Gowdie has conducted over 70 media interviews, and this year, will be the first Special Olympics athlete to ever attend the Big Game as a reporter, covering the Game as a member of the credentialed media inside the stadium. He has worked for his local Port St. Lucie, Florida CBS news station as a special correspondent, served as a guest announcer for the St. Lucie Mets minor league affiliate and was a guest at the 2015 ESPYs.

Special Olympics Nebraska athlete Wyatt Spalding shared his excitement at being hired as a reporter saying, "This opportunity to be a sports reporter for FanSided is truly a dream come true for me!" He added, "One of my favorite memories of the NFL is watching Super Bowl XLII when the New York Giants beat the undefeated New England Patriots 17 to 14. That was one of the first games I ever watched where I realized no matter what odds are against you, as long as you have the opportunity to be on the field, anything can happen."

Football has always been part of Wyatt's life. Growing up, he played quarterback on Special Olympics flag football teams, teaching him how to be a leader in sports. A multi-sport athlete, he plays basketball, flag football, softball and tennis and is an employee of Special Olympics Nebraska, where he hosts a podcast "Brave in the Attempt". He also co-hosts the "Spalding Brothers Show" with his twin brother and will be heading to Turin, Italy from March 8-15 for the Special Olympics World Winter Games in his role as a Sargent Shriver Global Messenger.

FanSided and parent company, Minute Media, are official global partners of Special Olympics, working with the organization's programs, athletes, staff, and volunteers around the world to help end discrimination against people with intellectual disabilities and further inclusivity in sports through authentic storytelling shared across their vast digital and social footprint. As one of the fastest growing sports and culture content platforms with more than 300 destinations focused on specific fandoms including professional sports, college sports, lifestyle and entertainment trends, and more, FanSided seeks to tell stories that have a positive impact on fan communities. This mission is highlighted throughout their "Why We Play" editorial series, which features Special Olympics and demonstrates the powerful impact and awareness of inclusive storytelling.

"We are deeply honored to continue our partnership with Special Olympics at Super Bowl Media Row. A few years ago, we set out to bring inclusion to the world's largest sporting event through a Unified Reporting initiative," said Zach Best, Co-Founder & General Manager, FanSided. "Following two highly successful years of inclusive reporting, we are proud to expand this opportunity by welcoming an additional Special Olympics athlete as a paid correspondent. This marks an exciting step forward in our commitment to inclusion, and we look forward to growing this initiative for years to come."

"For the last three years, I've seen first-hand FanSided's commitment to leading inclusion in sports reporting and storytelling. They are writing their own rules and dedicating continued investment in a model that simply works," said Christy Weir, Vice President of International Media Relations and Communications, Special Olympics. "Zach and his team see ability and the talent that our athletes embody; they do not see disability or difference. Giving Malcom and now Wyatt, the opportunity to interview players, coaches and celebrities in an environment that historically was not very inclusive, is how we unify all and shatter stereotypes. Game on!"

About Special Olympics:
Founded in 1968, Special Olympics is a global movement to end discrimination against people with intellectual disabilities. We foster acceptance of all people through the power of sport and programming in education, health, and leadership. With nearly four million athletes and Unified Sports® partners and one million coaches and volunteers in more than 170 countries, Special Olympics delivers more than 30 Olympic-type sports and nearly 50,000 games and competitions every year. Engage with us on: X, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, and LinkedIn. Learn more at SpecialOlympics.org.

About FanSided:
FanSided, the ultimate home of fans, is a network of 300+ localized sites custom-tailored to serve countless sports and entertainment fandoms. Our sites and our writers are the most knowledgeable and dedicated voices of the fandoms to which they belong, allowing us to transform their passions into meaningful content. FanSided is owned and operated by Minute Media, whose other sports and culture content platforms include The Players' Tribune, 90min and Mental Floss. For more information, visit FanSided.com

About Minute Media
Minute Media is a global technology and content company specializing in sports and culture. Minute Media's proprietary tech platform enables the creation, distribution and monetization of digital content experiences. They own and operate leading sports content brands, including The Players' Tribune, FanSided, and 90min, and serve as the publisher of Sports Illustrated and Sports Illustrated Swimsuit across digital and print platforms. Minute Media also provides sports highlight rights through their recent technology acquisition of STN Video. The company reaches 200M monthly users, powering 1,500+ content creators and 400+ distribution partners across 14 global markets in 10 languages. They also reach a robust print subscriber base through the publication of Sports Illustrated, Sports Illustrated Swim and Sports Illustrated Kids magazines. Minute Media has offices in New York, London, Tel-Aviv, São Paulo and Tokyo. For more information, visit www.MinuteMedia.com. 

SOURCE Special Olympics International