Elle Duncan’s Netflix debut was a success on multiple levels

Elle Duncan had become a staple on the ESPN brand specializing in basketball and women’s sports. In December, Duncan made the difficult decision to walk away from the “Worldwide Leader in Sports”.

According to Yahoo Sports, Duncan carved her lane working for NESN, an Atlanta NBC affiliate before making the jump to ESPN. There she would anchor SportsCenter and contribute to the WNBA and women’s college basketball.

"Leaving when things are good is the hardest part. But growth rarely asks politely. Sometimes it whispers. Sometimes it nudges. And sometimes it tells you—clearly—that it’s time," Duncan wrote on Instagram. And I’m listening. So thank you, ESPN, for the dream, the trust, and the space to become. I hope I served you well. I’ll carry this place with me—always."

As part of her deal with Netflix, Duncan becomes the lead anchor for their platform but also maintains the flexibility to do other work with other networks. Duncan also plans to be studio host for USA Network’s inaugural coverage of the WNBA.

Netflix' Skyscraper Live

On Saturday, Duncan had her Netflix debut. Anchoring the “Skyscraper Live” Netflix event would include several hurdles. Both in the challenges before Alex Honnord, but also in the execution of the broadcast.

Alex Honnold set out to do something that has never been done. A lone human being, scaling an almost 2,000-foot skyscraper unassisted. Honnold attempted to scale Taipei 101 that stands at 508 meters or 1,667 feet, without the benefit of ropes, a net or any other lifesaving precautions.

As for the broadcast, it also presented challenges. Camera people suspended in mid air by cranes and wires to capture the ascent. A massive structure filled with non-broadcast personnel. As well as the subject of the event getting smaller and further away from the broadcast team with every step.

Duncan was joined by climbing experts Emily Harrington and Pete Woods, former NASA engineer Mark Rober and WWE Superstar Seth Rollins. Sanni McCandless Honnold, Alex’s wife was also in attendance and contributed to the broadcast.

The live broadcast was a success

The broadcast was anything but a proverbial walk in the park logistically. Yet, with one minor audio issue and a loss of communication with Honnold for only the last 10% of the climb, the broadcast went off without a hitch.

The broadcast  that included multiple camera angles, personnel spread out from Duncan, Rollins and Harrington at the desk, Rober working the base of the building, and who knows how many others throughout various points of the climb.

Duncan and the Netflix team took a broadcast idea that had an endless list of aspects that could go wrong and delivered a live broadcast event that was smooth top to bottom. The most important factor of all being the physical well being of Honnold himself. One wrong move or slip and tragedy could have been right around the corner.

Whether it was the movements of Honnold up the 1,667 feet of Taipei 101 or the manner in which the broadcast was carried out, Duncan, Netflix and that entire team can sleep well tonight knowing everything in that live broadcast went about as well as humanly possible.

More Alex Honnold news:

• Everything you need to know about Netflix's delayed broadcast
• Alex Honnold hometown and more to know about where climbing legend lives
• Alex Honnold will earn 'an embarrassing amount' for conquering Taipei 101
• How Alex Honnold's Taipei 101 climb compares to El Capitan
• How many people have free soloed El Capitan?