Meet Alison Mastrangelo | Weekend Sports Anchor / Reporter at WSB

We had the good fortune of connecting with Alison Mastrangelo and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Alison, what’s the end goal, career-wise?
I feel like my end goal is always evolving and changing. As of today, I’d love to make it to a network and be able to continue to anchor, report, side line and continue to share stories that humanize all of the talented athletes I have a chance to interview and cover.

I’d also never rule out teaching journalism classes at a college or a university. I’ve always enjoyed mentoring future journalists because I’ve had so many great mentors that have helped me throughout my career.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
In my first job out of college, I was a general assignment reporter, but I was always pitching sports stories. About six months in, I was promoted to Sports Director and built the first ever sports department at FOX21 in Colorado Springs. While I was there I was able to cover a Division II College Football National Championship victory, Super Bowl 50 &51.

However, what I am probably most remembered for in Colorado Springs, my Summer Olympic Game Coverage. Since I did not work for an NBC station I could not show video or highlights of the Summer Games. Instead of just showing a score board of the historic Olympic Games in Rio, I used barbies to make realistic highlights of big events. What started as just a one time thing, got so much great feedback that I ended up doing it for the entire Olympics, and was even nominated for an Emmy because of it. It was such a fun creative outlet that was also team bonding because coworkers would help me build the sets like gymnastic equipment, volleyball court, etc.

After a few years in the Springs, I moved up to Denver for two years. While in the Mile High City, I was fortunate to cover playoff baseball, hockey, and do a fun feature with two-time Olympic Gold Medalist Mikaela Shiffrin.

The crazy part about the business is I actually met my current Sports Director at WSB Zach Klein, when I was covering Super Bowl 51. I was just standing in line as a young reporter, and happened to say hello and would run into him throughout the event. I never imagine that just being myself and talking to others would land me a future job some day, but it kind of did.
Fast forward, three years later, my agent sent him my reel, I interviewed, and I am in Atlanta today.

I would not say my journey was easy. I worked very hard to be where I am today, and I’ve learned so much along the way,

I’d say the biggest thing I’ve learned, and something I continue to work on everyday, is just be yourself. In this career or really any job, you might start out idolizing some one and you try to be just be like them, but honestly the best thing you can be is just be yourself, because in the end there is only one you out there. So trust yourself, be kind to yourself, and no one can ever take that away from you.

What I want others to know about me although I absolutely love sports, I also love traveling, hiking and exploring the outdoors. If I am not at work, I am probably either checking out a new restaurant or bar in the ATL or hiking in the North Georgia Mountains.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Planning trips for when my friends visit Atlanta is one of my favorite things to do. My friends and I call it ATLison tours.

The tour would definitely start at Ponce City Market, and the roof top is a MUST visit.
Then we’d walk the Atlanta BeltLine and have drinks at different spots along the way.
From there, Piedmont Park because it’s so beautiful and has the most magnificent city skyline views.
After that we’d head over to Centennial Olympic Park to check out the Georgia Aquarium, the World of Coca-Cola, Martin Luther King Jr. Historical Park, Atlanta Botanical Gardens, High Museum of Art and so many other great museums that are must sees in the city.

For dinner, this list is always changing. There are so many great restaurants in the ATL and so many new ones keep popping up. So I usually just follow a bunch of different instagram accounts in Atlanta and go try the new spots that are opening up. So far I’ve loved all of them, because the food scene is epic in Atlanta.

I know you said favorite spots in the city, but I LOVE hiking. So depending on the skill level of my visitor we’d go check out Sweet Water Creek State Park or some of my favorite water fall hikes in the North Georgia Mountains like Cloudland Canyon State Park or Lula Lake Land Trust. The best compliment I can receive is when people who have lived in Georgia for many years tell me they’ve discovered so many new places to visit because they saw me post about it on my social media feed.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
This is an easy question. My family deserves a lot of credit in my story. They’ve helped me move to three different cities and across the country twice, so that I could continue to climb the ranks and pursue my career as a sports journalist.

My parents and my twin brother are my biggest fans. They always try to watch my shows and stories no matter what time zone I am in. And if they miss it, they will even stay up to watch the rebroadcast of the show just to catch my segment.

My family has been there no matter what, throughout the ups and downs of life. I am so grateful for all of their unwavering love and support.

THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING Mom, Dad, and Barry Jr., I would not be where I am in life and my career without you.

Instagram: Alisonm_tv

Twitter: AlisonWSB

Facebook: Alison Mastrangelo

Other: TikTok: alisonm_tv

Image Credits
Photographer: David Hickox
Paris Mountain Photography