ESPN's Holly Rowe, Marc J. Spears receive Curt Gowdy Media Award

SALT LAKE CITY — The recipients of the 2023 Naismith Hall of Fame Curt Gowdy Media Award, Andscape's Marc J. Spears (print) and ESPN's Holly Rowe (electronic), didn't know each other well before sharing the stage at Vivint Arena on Friday afternoon. But through their decades of stellar coverage of the sport of basketball, they've been united in their consistent insistence on shining a light on things outside the spotlight.

For Spears, it has been a push to tell stories from behind the scenes and away from the court, as well as to increase diversity in hiring practices for teams. For Rowe, it was to keep a spotlight on women's sports — even as she was told, at different times, to consider giving them up to focus on higher-profile men's sports instead. And it's led them both to the sport's highest media honor.

«When I got the job at Andscape [in 2016], that was before the social justice movement hit,» Spears said after Friday's ceremony. «It was before there was turmoil at the White House. It was before George Floyd, right? So when we started writing at Andscape, a lot of people kind of scoffed at it like, 'Why is this important?' But I loved it, and I think I've written stories that have helped Black coaches that weren't getting looked at get opportunities and ultimately get jobs. Same with general managers.

»Whether it was coaches, front office people, whether it was women in sports… I felt like I wanted to write something that had an impact beyond that day. There have been many, many people who have said thank you to me, because they felt like I impacted them having an opportunity, and that, to me, makes this worth it. Trying to tell stories that inspire, maybe bring change, bring a spotlight to something people don't