Kathy Berman, Chris Berman’s Wife: 5 Fast Facts You Need To Know

Berman with Kathy and their two children. (Getty)

Chris Berman is one of ESPN’s most recognizable faces, and it’s one we’ll be seeing less in the future. Berman’s role is reducing at ESPN, and he’ll no longer be hosting the Home Run Derby and NFL Draft. Berman will still appear on Monday Night Countdown, and he will appear in “public-facing roles” on behalf of the company.

There were rumors earlier in the year that Berman would not be returning to ESPN after his contract, and that he would retire. His agent put that rumor to bed, but there’s no denying he’s been at this a long time.

For almost the entirety of his career, Berman’s wife Kathy has been by his side. Here’s what you need to know about Berman’s better half:

1. A Young Chris Berman Faked Trouble With His Car to Talk to Kathy

Berman had a rather unusual way of introducing himself to Kathy. (Getty)

In the early 90s, multiple publications, including the Los Angeles Times and People, wrote features about Berman that included the story of how he and his wife met, as they seemed to find it amusing. The Times described him as a “big galoot” who “faked car trouble” so that he could talk to Kathy Alexinski, then asking her out.

The People story went into even more specifics on the tale. According to People, Kathy was actually driving in front of Berman when he noticed her. According to them, he “followed her and feigned car trouble. When Alexinski asked him what was wrong, Berman asked her to have breakfast with him the next morning.” Your mileage may vary on that trick, but Alexinski agreed to a date, saying “He was tall, dark and handsome and looked harmless enough.” Over 30 years later, they’re still together, eating breakfast.

2. The Couple Was Married in 1983

Berman and his wife were wed 33 years ago. (Getty)

Four years after that fateful car maneuver by Berman, he and Kathy were wed. The New York Times profiled the wedding, which took place in July of 1983. They were married at the Inn on Lake Waramaug in New Preston, Connecticut. Both Chris and Kathy used their siblings in the wedding – her sister was her maid of honor, while his brother was the best man. At the time, Berman was already one of the main anchors for SportsCenter, as ESPN was rising in popularity.

3. Kathy Was a 4th Grade Teacher

Together, Chris and Kathy have two children. (Getty)

All things considered, there’s little information on Kathy Berman online. However, both the aforementioned New York Times and People articles mentioned her being a fourth-grade teacher at the time of both meeting Berman and the wedding. The NYT profile also mentioned her schooling, saying at the time she was preparing to receive her education master’s degree from Fairfield University.

4. She and Berman Have Two Children

Berman at the Pro Football Hall of Fame. (Getty)

A few years after their wedding, in Cheshire, Connecticut, Chris and Kathy had two children, Meredith and Douglas. According to a Telegram article, both Meredith and Doug attended Brown University, the alma mater of their father. Doug currently works in marketing for a company called Drizly.

5. Berman Was Involved in a Sexual Harassment Lawsuit Against ESPN That Was Settled in 2015

Berman was involved in a legal scandal with ESPN. (Getty)

Berman was embroiled in a scandal last year. Sue Baumann, a former makeup artist with ESPN, alleged that Berman had made inappropriate comments and sent inappropriate messages to her. The allegations came after Baumann was, according to the New York Post, “fired by the company that contracted to work for ESPN.”

This claim was soon settled by ESPN, who after the settlement defended Berman’s integrity regarding the allegations, according to The Big Lead. An ESPN spokesman made a statement saying, “Our thorough investigation revealed the harassment claims had no merit. We settled it solely to save a considerable amount of time and litigation costs.” Neither Berman nor his wife commented on the case.