Beyond the screen

While creating memories with her Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority sisters, Alexis McCombs (’95) was also busy perfecting her craft. She leveraged a degree in Marketing to kickstart her career as an award-winning producer and TV personality operating at the intersection of entertainment and sports.

McCombs has produced for MTV, BET and TLC. She’s also worked on several shows, including Cake Boss, Here Comes Honey Boo Boo and Rugrats. Independently, she created and hosted Instant She-Play, a talk show featuring athlete interviews on hot topics, which was picked up by HuffPost. She also worked on the short film Morning Breath which won a Sundance Film Festival award in 2002.

McCombs said JMU taught her resilience at an early age. “I was devastated after losing an SGA election my freshman year, but I didn’t let it define me,” she said. Later, she was voted junior class president and named to the Miss Madison Court. “It showed me how setbacks can fuel your greatest wins.”

In McCombs’ senior year, she interned with BET. “It ended up being love at first sight, almost like a really good relationship. I enjoyed it so much that it never felt like work. It wasn’t easy, but I wanted to keep going. So, when they offered me a full-time job after graduation, I happily accepted, even at a $25K starting salary.” McCombs knew her sacrifice would be worth it for her future success in the industry.

As sports and entertainment have become more intertwined, McCombs notes that one of the biggest challenges is being noticed in an oversaturated field. “With so many shows competing for attention and distributors becoming more risk-averse, it’s especially hard to sell meaningful, authentic stories that are considered nontraditional or out-of-the-box.”

“What I love most is storytelling — whether through the lens, writing or speaking on-air. It’s creatively fulfilling,” she said. “Since we spend so much time working, I’m grateful to really enjoy what I do.”

Partnering with the United Nations Refugee Agency, McCombs created Gridiron Girls 4 Africa, which used football to raise awareness about the Somalian drought crisis during 2015-16. Females often face disproportionate risks during humanitarian crises.

McCombs strives to uplift her platform for a broader global impact but is also dedicated to breaking down social barriers. She strives for inclusivity and addresses a common gap in fan engagement.

McCombs said a lot of women were telling her how much they love the NFL but felt awkward talking to men about it, and they didn’t want to seem less intelligent. She acknowledged that it can be intimidating or awkward to ask questions around men, so she wrote a book about it. The e-book Girl’s Guide to Go: Football 101 and The Big Bowl Game helps women feel confident talking about football. She also recently launched @SidelineSocietyXO on Instagram, “a sports-entertainment brand offering more Football 101, sports travel tips and content for female sports enthusiasts.” 

“There will be obstacles, closed doors and people who don’t believe in you,” McCombs said. “If you stay committed, continue to grow and surround yourself with healthy people, you can break glass ceilings — even in male-dominated spaces.”