This week, ESPNU rolled into the University of South Carolina and put 15 seniors to work producing a women’s volleyball telecast for the network. The network added an extra camera to the setup and had the students take up nearly every position on the docket, ranging from cable-puller to play-by-play announcer. The experience — which aired live on ESPNU Wednesday night — turned out to be just as rewarding for the ESPNU executives as it was for the students.
“It was incredibly gratifying,” says Chuck Scatterday, coordinating producer for Olympic Sports on ESPNU. “It reminded me of one of the reasons why I like to be in this business. To see their eagerness and willingness to jump in and be part of a professional broadcast, it was just very rewarding professionally.”
Pumped-Up Production
ESPNU viewers were rewarded as well, with a professional broadcast that amplified ESPNU’s normal volleyball coverage. The network added a fifth camera to its normal four-camera shoot, and the added camera was co-run by a student and a professional. A wireless RF reporting system was also added to the broadcast, as the host became a roving reporter for the game. Other than that, ESPNU used its normal complement of audio, video, and graphics equipment, but allowing students to roll back replays on an EVS live on the air was an opportunity even the most experienced broadcasting students don’t get every day.
“They were all familiar with that buzz that is associated with a production, but they have not been around some of the more modern technology that comes down the pike every two to three weeks in this business,” Scatterday explains.
The 15 South Carolina seniors involved in the production filled the rolls of play-by-play announcer, sideline reporter, field announcer (doubling as a host), shadow producer, shadow-camera operator, tape-room assistant, graphics assistant, stage manager, audio assistant, and utility operator.
Working Double-Time
All of the students work on the production of a weekly news show for the university, so they are accustomed to working in a studio on a deadline, but live sports presented some new challenges, and volleyball is a quicker sport than most.
“Volleyball is a faster sport by just the run of the play,” Scatterday explains. “In basketball, there can be a foul, and then there is a stoppage, but volleyball moves very quickly.”
The network did slow things down a bit by reducing the normal commercial obligation, so that, when there was a stoppage, ESPNU stayed with the program rather than going to commercial. That gave the students a chance to shine, as that stoppage time was used to bring the students into the broadcast through live interviews or having them comment or show viewers what they were doing on-air.
Never the Same Production
The Campus Connection program has now made contact with more than 100 schools, but, as Scatterday explains, each broadcast is a unique experience.
“You’re never without the energy of the students,” he adds. “They come ready to work and do anything. For some of them, this is absolutely a tipping point. The other unique challenge is going into the venue, which is different every time. We’ve got one coming up in two weeks at LSU for a soccer event. That’s going to be unique because it’s a big surface, so there will be a lot more area to cover.”
Connecting Beyond the Campus
The Campus Connection does not end, however, once the ESPNU crew leaves campus. Acie Wyatt, the ESPNU producer in charge of the Campus Connection program, continues to grow its network by meeting with professors at schools across the country.
“The professor is the contact, because the kids come and go,” Scatterday explains. “As we say goodbye, we make sure the kids stay in touch via Acie or their professor, because, if we’re coming to town, someone’s going to call us and say, ‘Do you know this person?’ After they’ve worked with us, we can say, ‘Absolutely, they know what they’re doing, and you should give them a chance.’”
Campus Connection next rolls into the University of Kentucky for a women’s volleyball game Oct. 21 before taking to the LSU pitch to produce a soccer game Oct. 25.
Featured Blogs
Upcoming Event
Industry Initiatives
SVG TV
Careers
SVG Mobile
e-Newsletter
Social Web
Report a Safety Issue
Team SVG
Sponsor Microsite Spotlight
Sponsor Microsites
Hall of Fame
SVG Audible
