Hearst Media Production Group (HMPG) is expanding its educational and informational (E/I) programming slate through a new partnership with the Rose Bowl Institute and Walk Swiftly Productions, launching a weekly unscripted sports series titled “The Champion’s Edge with Bonnie Bernstein.”
The program is scheduled to premiere May 9 and will air weekend mornings on ABC-owned and affiliated stations nationwide as part of the network’s “Weekend Adventure” E/I programming block. Local airtimes will vary by market.
The Champion’s Edge will spotlight women who have translated lessons learned through athletics into professional success across a range of industries. The series is positioned to blend inspirational storytelling with practical guidance, offering viewers insights on sports nutrition, mental preparation and injury prevention.
The show’s guest lineup includes a mix of high-profile media figures, medical professionals and former elite athletes. Among those featured are ABC News Chief Meteorologist Ginger Zee, ESPN broadcaster and Olympic gold medalist Jessica Mendoza and University of North Carolina field hockey coach Erin Matson. Additional participants include neurosurgeon Dr. Theresa Williamson and Olympic sprinter and bobsledder Dr. Seun Adigun.
Bonnie Bernstein, an Emmy Award-winning sports journalist and Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Walk Swiftly Productions, serves as creator, host and executive producer. Bernstein previously spent nearly two decades with ESPN, ABC and CBS Sports, where she covered major professional and collegiate leagues, including the NFL, NBA, MLB and Division I college sports.
In a statement, Bernstein said the series is rooted in research showing a strong correlation between athletic participation and leadership success among women in business and other professional fields.
“Research shows an overwhelming number of women thriving at the highest levels of industry and entrepreneurship played sports. It’s not a coincidence,” Bernstein noted. “The Champion’s Edge is dedicated to telling their stories, and helping raise awareness among athletes, and their parents and coaches, about the lifelong benefits of play.”
HMPG executives framed the program as part of a broader effort to capitalize on the growing visibility and cultural relevance of women’s sports content.
“Women’s sports are reaching unprecedented visibility and influence,” said Bryan Curb, the Executive Vice President and General Manager of Education and Information at HMPG. “This series builds on that momentum and delivers powerful stories that will inspire a new generation of leaders.”
The launch adds to HMPG’s existing portfolio of more than 30 original series distributed across broadcast networks, station groups and streaming platforms. The company maintains a library of 85 series comprising around 6,000 episodes, with content distributed in more than 100 countries.
