I Went From a Mascot to a Reporter

What was only supposed to be a joke amongst friends turned out to be a catalyst for a career she only dreamed of. 

Rochester New York’s News 10 NBC Sports Reporter, Breland Moore, was only in high school when her field hockey coach requested that she “jumped into” the school’s mascot costume for $20 dollars. 

Her performance that evening sparked the interest of a Red Wing Phillies’ representative who sat in the audience during her performance. 

Moore was later offered a position as that team’s mascot, which she would later use to help launch her sport’s broadcasting career.

Moore always knew that a career in sports was her destiny.  She would spend her childhood shadowing her grandfather at all sporting events.

“My grandfather had no grandsons at the time when I was growing up… he took me to everything in place…all the baseball, all the hockey…so I just kinda grew up loving the games.”

Moore went on to receive a bachelor’s degree in Broadcast and Journalism from Temple University on a mascot-based scholarship.

“I was able to use that to network, and get where I wanted to go.”

As Temple University’s “Hooter”, Moore was able to travel with the sports teams for free, and network with professionals that she may not have had the opportunity to otherwise. 

She remembers specifically being able to “pick the brain” of Stuart Scott to learn the ins and outs of the industry she loves, an experience she attributed to being a mascot.

Today Moore spends majority of her days covering the Buffalo Bills as the only female sports reporter at her network.  Although she often experiences the misogynistic ways of the industry, she does encourage more women to enter the sports broadcasting field.