The Rise of David Jacoby
David Jacoby is multitalented in the world of sports.
He is a host, reporter, producer, and commentator for ESPN. Whom, alongside Jalen Rose, was able to master the world of modern entertainment by making the news feel more entertaining to viewers. This lead Jacoby from a business degree to a writer, producer, then podcast host, and now to an ESPN host in just seven years.
Young Jacoby grew up in Amherst Massachusetts, he recalls being surrounded by colleges and the spirited environment of college sports.
He played basketball, football, baseball, lacrosse and soccer throughout his childhood.
“I caught mono as a sophomore in high school, then the weather got nice and my priorities changed,” said Jacoby.
He had no desire to play college sports, even though sports were one of his passions.
Jacoby’s rise to fame in the Sports world was unprecedent as he graduated with honors with degrees in management and marketing from the Stern School of Business at New York University in 2000.
“I wanted to be a restaurant manager because I just wanted to socialize,” he said.
After a few interviews, he landed in the sports world. He first joined ESPN: the magazine in 1999, when he was only 21 years old.
He went on to develop, pilot, and produce his first TV show entitled It’s the Shoes which was a lifestyle show that focused on sneakers. He went on to develop, pilot, cast, and produce the hit ESPN studio show, Sports Nation as well.
Jacoby developed several shows that are ESPN hits to date.
Jacoby made his way to becoming an executive producer at ESPN’s Grantland where he created and produced all of Grantland’s content in his area of expertise, audio and video, one of his major successes while at Grantland was producing the primetime television show, Grantland Basketball Hour and executive produced Grantland’s Emmy-nominated film unit, Grantland Features.
Jacoby has earned three Emmy nominations through his work at Grantland as well as a National Magazine Award nomination, Webby nominations, and even two EPPY Award victories. He also produced the feature-length documentary Son of the Congo.
The Jalen & Jacoby podcast began as a passion project for the two hosts and became a hit in the Summer of 2011.
The podcast became a YouTube show, which became an ESPN National radio show, then moved to ESPN as a late-night television show. The show then grew to an afternoon timeslot on ESPN2, and now Jacoby hosts J&J at 2 p.m. ET on ESPN.
How did Jacoby go from business student, to producer, to reporting sports news on afternoon TV for ESPN? On a phone call with his now co-host, Jalen Rose.
“I was under the impression that I would be producing this project for Jalen,” says Jacoby.
“Jalen called me one day to talk about the podcast, and I asked him who he wanted to do the show with, and without even taking a pause he goes, ‘You don’t want to do it?’” Jacoby recalls.
While Rose was filming ESPN’s Get Up! In New York Jacoby was firm in a pact he made to himself.
“I never wanted to move to New York or Bristol and uproot my family, I never even wanted to be in front of the camera,” he jokes.
Jacoby shares three young children with his wife, Joie Jacoby, whom he shares a close bond with.
Jalen Rose says the pair made “necessary adjustments” to be able to do the show, even while across the nation from one another.
“That’s just the world of sports,” says Rose. He knew Jacoby was a special reporter and host, and had faith in Jacoby’s abilities, even when others were skeptical.
Jacoby has built up a fanbase of his own with a 117k Twitter following that looks to him for his takes and updates.
“The funniest thing about the whole thing is everyone thinks his first name is Jacoby, but we just know David,” says his wife Joie.
Jacoby’s humorous delivery of the latest in the sports world coupled with his passion for social justice issues has made him an excellent host and reporter in today’s world.