OutKick host Charly Arnolt ditched ESPN last month for the opportunity to speak her mind without the fear of backlash or repercussions that came with her role at the Disney-owned network.
"OutKick was an intriguing place for me to land after being at ESPN for almost five years now because it just offers something that traditional sports networks don't, and that is the freedom of speech," Arnolt told Fox News Digital.
Arnolt believes issues that blur the lines of sports and the real world are plentiful, and many topics that don’t have anything to do with sports on the surface end up being reflected by athletes.
"They're issues that need to be addressed, and they need to be addressed fairly and be addressed from both sides, and so often you see them only addressed from one angle," Arnolt said.
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"I feel like that's why OutKick is so outstanding, because they do look at issues from alternative angles that you're not going to see anywhere else," she continued. "Cancel culture does not exist here."
Arnolt was convinced to join OutKick after meeting with Clay Travis, the outspoken founder of the rapidly growing media operation that blends culture, sports, gambling and politics.
"He very explicitly said, ‘If you have something that you want to say, as long as you have the facts to back it up and you feel strongly about it, I will never fault you for that, and you have no fear of any type of backlash or repercussions for saying what you feel is the truth,’" Arnolt recalled.
One of the issues that Arnolt is passionate about is the debate over transgender athletes competing against biological women. Arnolt’s views differs from the liberal ideology frequently pushed by ESPN and other mainstream media juggernauts. She is sure ESPN sides with the left "because of Disney being the parent company," but some of her former colleagues envy her newfound freedom.
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"There's a lot of people who also feel strongly that I've even heard from since joining OutKick who said, ‘Thank you so much for speaking on behalf of all the women who can't,’" she said.
One ESPN personality who has ventured outside the echo chamber is the network’s biggest star, Stephen A. Smith, who recently invited Travis onto his podcast. While many ESPN personalities wouldn’t dare discuss polarizing issues with Travis in a public forum, much less debate them, Smith has emerged as an exception to the rule.
Arnolt, who regularly worked with Smith on "First Take," doesn’t think many others could step outside the Disney bubble even if they desired.
"He is indispensable," Arnolt said.
"He really is untouchable. He's so talented that if you were to let him go, the network in many ways would crumble," she continued. "He holds a lot of power from that. But I also think that Stephen A. understands the need for a bigger discussion surrounding so many of these larger issues."
Arnolt’s upcoming OutKick show, which is expected to launch over the summer, is still being developed and she’s looking forward to the creative process that comes with being the face of a new program.
"More than likely, it's going to take place in the morning. So, it's going to be something that you wake up to," Arnolt said. "We are going to bring you all of the latest and greatest in the worlds of sports, politics, news, culture and whatever else we think is necessary for you to be properly informed. So, it's going to be a little bit of everything."
She might even get into UFC, where she still works during major events, and WWE, where she broke into the industry as a backstage interviewer.
"I had no idea my career would land me here," she said. "I have always been one to dance to the beat of my own drum… It just makes sense that I would be in this position now and I'm so excited for it."
Fox News and OutKick share common ownership.
