Erin Andrews: Conflict of Interest

Interesting article in the NYTimes last week on ESPN sideline reporter Erin Andrews and whether or not she crossed a journalistic boundary.

Andrews has recently become a spokesperson for Reebok's ZigTech footwear line. At first blush there doesn't seem to be anything wrong with that.

But a bit of uproar was caused when the link between Andrews' endorsement deal with Reebok and her comments during the Rose Bowl game were connected. As a sideline reporter during that game she mentioned that players were "slipping in their new Nike cleats".

As a sideline reporter she's well within her duties to pass along that sort of information but when it comes from the mouth of a Reebok spokesperson the message gets tainted.