Fox Sports 1 reporter Colleen Dominguez has filed a lawsuit against the network claiming age discrimination.
The filing at the District Court for the Central District of California against FS1 Los Angeles claims that the network hired Dominguez, 54, on March 1, 2014, describing her as a “key personality” in the agreement and expecting her to play a major role in its coverage, according to the lawsuit obtained by TheWrap.
The on-air talent, who previously worked for NBC and ESPN, covered the 2014 NBA playoffs for the network but was soon pushed aside in favor of younger female reporters or older male ones, claims the suit.
“Dominguez learned from other employees that management was concerned with how she ‘looked’ on camera,” the documents state. “One longtime Fox producer sent Dominguez a text message stating ‘you haven’t done anything wrong at all. Just because 5 men at a company want to be gratified by 24 year old women doesn’t make you bad at your job.’ Dominguez was also told by a supervisor that “we [Fox] don’t handle veteran female reporters very well.’”
Following the 2014 NBA playoffs, Dominguez was not provided any more assignments so secured interviews on her own with sports stars such as Floyd Mayweather, Dez Bryant, Russell Wilson and Tiger Woods, the latter of which in November 2014 was her last assignment of the year. According to the suit, she continued to secure further interviews, such with golfer Rory McIlroy, but was told that they would “muddy the waters” for other Fox reporters.
She was not assigned to cover the 2014 NHL playoffs (for the first time in 10 years of her career) or the 2015 Super Bowl, states the suit.
Dominguez also claims that she emailed Fox Sports president Eric Shanks in January 2015 and asked for more assignments. Shanks said he would look into it the issue, but she never heard back.
“Fox employs younger female reporters who are less experienced than Dominguez and who are given assignments instead of Dominguez,” states the lawsuit, which specifically mentions Holly Sonders, who is “substantially younger,” than yet “Fox assigned Sonders to cover the 2015 NFL season.”
Fox Sports declined TheWrap’s request for comment.
Dominguez is suing the network for an unspecified amount for damages.
Pamela Chelin contributed to this report.