Alumni Spotlight: Jessica Charman, Clayton State Hall of Fame Athlete, Discusses Her Journey from The Bent Tree to Professional Broadcasting
(May 26, 2026) - Jessica Charman graduated summa cum laude and with honors in May 2018 with a bachelor’s degree in communications and media studies and a minor in English. She was recently honored by Clayton State Athletics with induction into its Hall of Fame. Currently, she is thriving as a professional broadcaster for MLS Season Pass on Apple TV, where she is a play-by-play soccer commentator, and she also hosts SiriusXM FC's women’s soccer show, PLAYED IN.
Charman got her start in journalism as a student at Clayton State University. One of her professors encouraged her to join The Bent Tree newspaper, and she eventually became the Editor-In-Chief. It was at that time that the publication switched its focus from print to an online publication. In that role, she appointed and led student journalists, designated coverage topics, wrote and covered important student events, and published weekly articles. Charman also managed the publication's social media pages.
During her tenure leading The Bent Tree, Charman sought to grow awareness of Clayton State sports. She said, “When I was playing, at least, the athletics department kind of went under the radar. So, one of my main goals was to boost the understanding that we have an athletics department, that we have student athletes, and to try to get people to come out to the matches.”
In addition to sports, Charman also covered serious news stories at The Bent Tree that impacted the campus community. She added, “It pushed me outside my comfort zone because one minute we were covering hard- hitting news, and the next minute it was trying to boost social media. So, I really enjoyed my time there.”
Charman also combined her passion for reporting and sports at Clayton State, when she served as Student SID for the Athletics Department. In that role, she assisted the Sports Information Director with publications for Clayton State University’s Athletics Department website and researched upcoming events and game schedules to produce articles. Charman also interviewed student-athletes and coaches to develop press releases.
During her time working for the Athletics Department, she had the opportunity to appear on camera to call sporting events and provide commentary. She said, “I got good at a lot of different parts of my job and gained experience that helped me develop a lot of different skill sets within that communications realm.”
Another fun memory she shared was participating in Clayton State's fundraising campaigns. At the time, she was a student when the campus produced a live-stream telethon to raise funds, and Charman would participate in interviews with students, faculty, and staff. She fondly remembers that experience and recalls that her parents were able to watch her live interviews over YouTube from their home in England.
With all she learned at Clayton State, she looked for jobs that would leverage her communications skills and passion for sports. “My first job after graduation was for a nonprofit in Atlanta called Soccer in the Streets. I was a fundraising manager, and my job was to go out to communities and speak to people about the initiatives of Soccer in the Street.”
Her job supported kids from underprivileged areas and provided them with access to team sports opportunities. “I believe that soccer is such a mobility tool, and it's not just about sports. Not everyone is going to be a professional soccer player, but it's about the life skills that kids learn through sports. So, my job involved going out to grassroots level fundraising.”
Charman explained how she transitioned to a career in broadcasting. “And then eventually I created a really good connection with a man called Jason Longshore, who's the radio voice of Atlanta United. And he started mentoring me, which, having a great mentor, is, you know, a game-changer in any profession, but particularly in this profession, where a lot of your opportunities come from who you know. He was able to get me on an Atlanta United second team game, and then people started to notice me. Got my big breakthrough in January 2021 when Charlotte FC needed a radio commentator. I took that job, still living in Atlanta, and for three years, every weekend I drove to Charlotte to broadcast a game.”
With three years of professional broadcasting experience under her belt, another, bigger opportunity came her way. Charman said, “It would have been two years ago; I got the nod from Apple. They said, " Hey, we're really looking for a broadcaster. We'd like a female broadcaster because we think representation is very important. We want to give you a try. And then it went really well, and now I'm doing at least 30 games a year for Apple. So, it's been a meteoric rise.”
Charman talked about her role at Apple TV. “I have one specific broadcast partner that I'm partnered up with for most of the season. He's a former professional footballer. Having a specific partner is very beneficial because we can build on air chemistry. It's a very intimate relationship. You're on air for 2 1/2 hours with one person. You have to be having a conversation.” She added, “I've been in his shoes, I know the game, I've played at a high level. I can help him shine by highlighting his expertise. And then my goal is to set him up for success.”
In addition to doing what she loves, Charman really appreciates the opportunity to travel and see so many different cities across North America. “It's incredible because I'm getting to explore not just the US, but Canada as well. I was in Toronto on Friday. There are 34 MLS teams spread all across the US. And that game goes out on Apple TV internationally. So, my family can watch my broadcasts from England.”
Putting it all in perspective, Charman shared that most sports broadcasters don’t look like her. “At times, it's kind of crazy because I'm 31 years old. I graduated in 2018. And I love that I'm maybe changing the way that people perceive broadcasters, and I'm showing young people, young girls, and even young boys that this job is for anybody who works hard enough. Knowing that I get a lot of messages from mums and dads that say, " My daughter was listening to you broadcasting the game.” That means a lot to me.”