Elle Duncan leaves ESPN for Netflix, will host sports and cultural live events

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Elle Duncan has signed a multi-year deal with Netflix to host its sports and other cultural live events.

The streamer made the announcement on Thursday.

Duncan had been with ESPN since 2016, where she hosted the 6 p.m. edition of “SportsCenter” along with the women’s NCAA Tournament and WNBA.

Her final “SportsCenter” appearance was on Tuesday.

“Elle Duncan’s proven ability to seamlessly move between hard-hitting sports analysis and warm, personality-driven cultural hosting makes her a perfect fit at Netflix. She immediately adds credibility and familiar star power to our global programming slate," said Gabe Spitzer, Netflix's vice president of sports.

Netflix has rapidly expanded its sports portfolio the past two years. It will have a Christmas Day doubleheader for the second straight year. It will begin doing Major League Baseball games next season that include an opening night matchup and the Home Run Derby.

Duncan's first on-air hosting duties with Netflix will be early next year with Skyscraper Live. The event will feature free solo climber Alex Honnold's attempt to scale Taipei 101, the tallest building in Taiwan.

“Joining Netflix feels like being invited to an already legendary party and somehow getting handed the aux cord! For a lifelong utility player, a multisport assignment is a full-circle moment," Duncan said in a statement.

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