THIS is SportsCenter

#SCMediaDay
THIS is SportsCenter
May 22, 2014
ESPN Communications
• 194,000 square feet
• 5 1080p-ready broadcast studios
• 1,100 miles of fiber optic cable
• New home of SportsCenter & NFL
studio shows
DC-2: New Home of SportsCenter
Beginning in June, 2014 ESPN’s flagship
program, SportsCenter, will originate from the
brand new “Digital Center 2” – DC-2 – on the
company’s Bristol, Conn. campus.
***
If SportsCenter were a cable
network. . .
5th
It would be the
most-watched
network among men 18-34.
1. ESPN
2. Cartoon Network (Adult
Swim)
3. Comedy Central
Equipped with the latest technology (and
designed to be adaptable to emerging ones), DC2 is a one-of-a-kind media center.
***
Some quick facts:
• 194,000 Gross Sq. Ft.
• 5 studios offer 25,000 sq. ft. of production
space
• 9,700 combined sq. ft. SportsCenter studios
• 9,000 sq. ft. NFL Studio
4. TBS
5. SportsCenter
• 6 Production Control Rooms
• 4 Audio Control Rooms
Source: Nielsen, 2013
• 16 Edit Suites
May 22, 2014
#SCMediaDay
ESPN Communications
THIS is SportsCenter Day
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Media Packet Index
Page(s)
3
4-5
6
7-10
11
12-14
15-17
18-39
Content
Today’s Itinerary
Official Press Release
SportsCenter Did You Know?
Stats; Time Line; NFL Studio Renderings
Bristol Campus Fact Sheet
Anchors’ and Executives’ Quotes
SC at World Cup; ESPN Images; LEED info
Today’s Speakers’ Bios
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Today’s Itinerary
9:30-10:00 – Registration and Breakfast (SportsCenter Conference Room, DC-2)
10-10:30 – Official welcome by Senior Vice President, Operations Jodi
Markley (Studio Z, DC-2); Live SportsCenter rehearsal observation (Viewed from Studio
XA)
10:30-11:00 – President John Skipper Q&A (Studio Z, DC-2)
11:15-Noon – Get to know top SportsCenter anchors, Steve Levy and Stuart Scott
(Studio Z, DC-2)
12:15-1:30 – BBQ Lunch followed by presentation and Q&A with: Executive Vice
President, ESPN Digital & Print Media John Kosner; Senior Vice President
SportsCenter & News/Information Rob King; Vice President, Director of News Craig
Bengtson; SportsCenter Anchor Kevin Connors (Moderator) (DC-2 Balcony/Studio Z)
1:45-3:45 – Hands-on SportsCenter Experience, led by Senior Vice President Content &
Information Technology Kevin Stolworthy and SportsCenter anchor Jaymee Sire
(Lobby, Studio XA, Control room, media room)
4-5:00 – Follow up discussions, media invited to tour ESPN’s campus (Digital Center 1,
ESPN Audio, Newsroom)
Portions of today’s event will be streamed live on ESPN3: http://es.pn/DC2MediaDay
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New State-of-the-Art Home for SportsCenter
Unparalleled Media Center Comes On Line in June
NFL Programming to Originate from DC-2 Late Summer
May 19, 2014
ESPN's Digital Center-2, a 194,000-sq. foot, five-studio media facility, had its ceremonial opening today on the
network's Bristol, Conn campus. SportsCenter will be the first program to debut from the state-of-the-art DC-2 in
June, followed by NFL programming later this summer.
DC-2’s infrastructure is future proof. The facility is format agnostic, currently planned for 1080p, and can handle all
existing media formats and future industry standards capable of carrying data/signals at various rates, that haven’t
been adopted by the television industry yet. SportsCenter moves into its DC-2 studio from the original Digital
Center’s Studio F, which was designed for three hours of live daily SportsCenter in 2004. The new studio can
accommodate SportsCenter’s expansion to 18 live hours a day.
DC-2’s SportsCenter studio, unlike any television environment in the world, is designed to support 24/7
programming, and allows for distinct differentiation of each show. The unique environment features a video floor,
virtual technology, two touchscreens, a 56 LED multi-dimensional monitor wall and the ability to do live and preproduced segments simultaneously.
“The new SportsCenter set embodies the spirit of innovation and ambition that has always distinguished our signature
news and information brand,” said Rob King, Sr. Vice President SportsCenter & News. “Our new array of sets and
screens provides a powerful showcase for our on-air talent to serve fans with their unique authority and personality.
Dynamic new graphics and animation packages convey information and imagery with unprecedented clarity.”
The new SportsCenter set is divided by an enormous glass wall separating the 6,200-sq. foot Studio X, which will be
home to those programs on ESPN and ESPN2, from the 3,500-sq.-foot Studio XA – The Annex – from where
SportsCenter on ESPNEWS will originate. The center of The Annex will feature a large glass cube/work station,
housing a new “SC Display Unit,” dedicated to overseeing what appears in the set’s 114 video and graphic display
monitors.
The nearly 10,000-sq. foot SportsCenter studio is twice the size of the current studio and contains 100 more monitors
than the original Digital Center studio which debuted in June 2004.
SportsCenter Studio X







South wall -- main desk (Annex Studio in background) flanked by monitors with a 10’x10’ monitor sunken
in the floor
East wall – can be configured into six separate panel monitors, one big monitor, or any combination in
between with a “cat-walk” in front allowing hosts to interact with the content displayed
Northeast corner -- a 16’ x 10’ monitor wall on rails that can be brought to the center floor monitor to
show an L–shaped wall of video
North Wall -- a multidimensional display wall comprised of 56 monitors powered by ESPN-built software.
Northwest corner – a stationary 16’ x 10’ monitor wall
West wall -- similar embedded riser system to the North wall, adding 8 stationary displays and one large
center monitor outfitted as a touchscreen device.
SkyDeck – a wire tension grid system allowing operators to walk among the lights, to adjust, reposition or
repair fixtures – during a live show if needed.
SportsCenter Studio Annex
On the balcony are four Craft Edit Suites for content editing and at the far left of the balcony is the “Social Media
Studio;” this is where analysts and guests will be invited to do live streaming or blogging sessions, before or after
appearing on SC, to help drive fans to linear or digital platforms.
In the center of the Annex studio is a giant glass cube, this is where the “Display Unit Team” will sit. The team
consists of Preditors (Producer/Editors), Motion Graphic Operators, Researchers and Graphic Producers, whose job
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ESPN Communications
is to create content which will appear in more than 100 monitors in both SportsCenter studios. There is set of
workstations for those actively working on the on-air show and a second set for those working pre-production for
the next show up.
Fans Will Notice SportsCenter Enhancements in DC-2
 Animation: A fresh, unique 3D environment supported by an integrated 2D counterpart to create stylized and inviting
environments that feel energetic and embody the spirit of sports and the SportsCenter brand
 Music &Sound Design: Evolves the SportsCenter brand with a modern feel while maintaining the signature
melody. The theme has three distinctive packages: day time, night time and serious news
 Informational Graphics: Updated graphics to show information that is clean, bold and crisp
Sustainability, Energy Efficiency, Water Conservation
DC-2 was submitted to the US Green Building Council for consideration for the “Certified” category of the LEED
New Construction program. The following have been employed to reduce overall energy consumption:
 high efficiency condensing boilers
 CO2 monitoring for demand control ventilation
 high performance lighting (CFL and LED)
 lighting controls: occupancy sensors
 daylight control: electronic dimming
 variable frequency drive (VFD) controls on fan motors and pumps
 High thermal property glazing keeps the building cooler in summer and warmer in winter.
 Water efficient landscape design uses native plants selected on the basis of tolerance to dry conditions. No
irrigation system for the site is needed.
 A groundwater capture system treats groundwater which is used for toilet flushing thereby eliminating the
use of municipal water
 An air handler condensate water capture system treats condensate water which is then used for cooling
tower make-up, reducing the use of municipal water.
SportsCenter App
SportsCenter is the best example of ESPN’s app strategy – personalized, social and a template for cohesiveness across all ESPN apps.
SportsCenter (formerly ScoreCenter) is the most popular sports app ever: 53 million total downloads.
“Our new visual design unites the linear and digital SportsCenter experiences, so whether you're watching the show
on TV or enjoying content on our mobile applications or interacting with our social experiences, you're in a world
that looks and feels like SportsCenter,” King said. “We're bringing fans new ways to enjoy unforgettable storytelling,
compelling interviews, state-of-the-art statistics and engaging, shareable content.”
LAPC
SportsCenter will debut from new studios in the Los Angeles Production Facility in conjunction with the show’s DC-2
launch to ensure a unified look and continuity of the SportsCenter brand.
Two for the Road:
• ESPN Plaza includes 1.2 million square feet in 18 buildings on 123 acres.
• Studio Z, at 2,250 sq. feet, is the smallest DC-2 studio. SportsCenter’s first studio -- Studio B in Building 1,
is 1,600 sq. ft.
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SportsCenter Did You Know?
• The day SportsCenter debuted (9/7/79): Tiger Woods and Peyton Manning were 3 years old.
• The first score reported on SportsCenter was Chris Evert Lloyd defeating Billie Jean King 6-1, 6-0 in the
1979 US Open women’s semifinals.
• There have been over 135 SportsCenter anchors since 1979.
• Among the shows that aired the evening of SportsCenter’s first show were: ABC’s Evening News with Frank
Reynolds; The Dating Game; The Odd Couple; Over Easy with Hugh Downs and The Brady Bunch (the episode
where Carol’s nephew Oliver comes to stay with the Bradys).
• 148 million people tune to SportsCenter each month across the ESPN TV networks.
• Linda Cohn and Rece Davis hosted the first SportsCenter from Digital Center 1 on June 7, 2004 at 11
p.m. ET.
• SportsCenter’s Twitter account (@SportsCenter) has 7.4 million followers, as of May 15, 2014.
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SportsCenter
Original SportsCenter Set, Circa 1979
Timeline
Sept. 7, 1979 — ESPN launches
and the first program aired is the
flagship show, SportsCenter, hosted
by George Grande and Lee
Leonard.
February 6, 1981 — SportsCenter
anchor Rhonda Glenn joins ESPN
and becomes first full-time female
sportscaster for a national TV
network.
SportsCenter Cameras:
DC-2 Cameras:
SportsCenter’s new home includes what is being called a JITA cam – “Jib
in the Air.” Positioned on a first-of-its-kind circular track 20 feet in
diameter, the camera is attached to a nine-foot arm that hangs from the
track.
The camera can swoop as low as five feet from the ground and up to 22
feet in the air, providing a 360° view of the studio.
January, 1982 — SportsCenter
provides on-site reports from the
Super Bowl for the first time.
October, 1987 — Running back
Eric Dickerson announces live on
SportsCenter he’s been traded from
the LA Rams to Indy Colts.
August 9, 1988 — SportsCenter
airs live coverage of press
conferences – in each city announcing Wayne Gretzky’s
trade from Edmonton to Los
Angeles.
July, 1989 — SportsCenter’s 1st
Emmy-winning feature airs (Expos
pitcher Tim Burke’s adoption of a
Guatemalan child is the subject).
October 17, 1989 — Bob Ley
and SportsCenter provide the first
live, national coverage from
earthquake at San Francisco’s
World Series, showcasing the
network’s news and journalistic
pedigree.
March 4, 1990 — SportsCenter airs
exclusive footage of the untimely
death of Loyola Marymount star
Hank Gathers.
October 10, 1995 — This is
SportsCenter,
the
irreverent, 7
behind-the-scenes,
on-air
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NFL Studio Programming in DC-2
SportsCenter
Beginning week 1 of the 2014 National Football League season in
early September, ESPN’s popular NFL shows – including Sunday
NFL Countdown, Monday Night Countdown, NFL Live, NFL
Insiders and NFL PrimeTime – will originate from new studios in
Digital Center 2. The sets will include state-of-the-art monitors,
touch screens and more.
Timeline
In addition, each show will have its own distinct studio space,
ensuring that every NFL show has its own unique look and feel.
Here are artists’ renderings of the 9,000 square foot space:
promotional campaign, begins.
May 17, 1998 — The 20,000th
SportsCenter airs at 11 p.m. ET.
Two days later, the Smithsonian
Institute hosts a panel discussing
the show’s cultural impact.
January, 2000 — The first
international
edition
of
SportsCenter, reaching 2.4 million
homes in Brazil, launches in
Portuguese.
June 7, 2004 — Digital Center 1
airs its first SportsCenter at 11 p.m.
ET.
August 11, 2008 — SportsCenter
debuts live weekday morning
editions.
April 6, 2009 — ESPN’s Los
Angeles Production Center debuts
as the new home of the weekday 1
a.m. ET (10 p.m. PT) SportsCenter.
Sept. 13, 2012 — SportsCenter airs
its 50,000th edition.
June, 2014 — SportsCenter moves
into its new home in Digital
Center 2’s Studios X and XA.
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Opened
Building Size (Sq. Ft.)
Studios (Sq. Ft.)
Tape Machines
SportsCenter Studio (Sq. Ft.)
Broadcast Center (Bldg. 1)
1979
21,115
9,000
600
1,600
Digital Center 1
2004
48,800
17,000
44
5,000
Digital Center 2
2014
194,000
25,000
ZERO
9,700
In 2013, American males spent 2.7 billion
In
2013,
maleswatching
spent 2.7
hours
(162American
billion minutes)
billion hours
(162 billion minutes)
SportsCenter
watching SportsCenter,
more than
Per Nielsen
any other TV program
Per Nielsen, 2013
ESPN Deportes’ version of
SportsCenter won an Emmy
this year
The SportsCenter App has been
downloaded 53 million times
The median age of a SportsCenter
viewer is 35
32% of SportsCenter viewers are
males between 18-34
A category record 49.6 million
unique users accessed ESPN
content on mobile devices in
April, 2014
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ESPN Communications
DC-2 will utilize a “SkyDeck”
wire tension grid system.
The lobby of DC-2 is home to an interactive, tritower, touchscreen display that houses every “This is
SportsCenter” commercial from the nearly 20-year
long campaign.
Over 400 spots are available for viewing. In 2013,
more than 1 million fans cast votes to pick the best
TISC ad of all time. Here are the Top 5:
1. “Handshakes” – Robinson Cano spreading germs
2. “Clayton” – John Clayton in his mom’s basement
3. “Betrayal” – David Ortiz caught wearing a Yankees
hat by Wally the Green Monster
4. “Wet Willy” – Peyton & Eli Manning tour ESPN
5. “The Spy” – Alexander Ovechkin, Russian spy?
Often found in modern
theater installations, the
lighting grid is fixed above
the SkyDeck so that operators
can walk among the lights, to
adjust, reposition or repair
fixtures – during a live show
if needed.
This is a safer and more
efficient way of “changing the
bulbs.”
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ESPN’s Bristol, Connecticut Campus
Acres: 123 (87 in Bristol; 36 in Southington)
Employees: More than 4,000 in Connecticut
Buildings: 18
Satellite Dishes: 26
Edifice
Square Footage
Date Opened
Building 0
10,000
2003
Building 1
68,415
1979 w/20,000 sq. ft. Expanded in ’89, ‘93, ‘96
Building 2
67,950
1981 (expanded in 2006)
Building 3
63,942
1986 (purchased; 3-story bldg built new in ‘96)
Building 4
132,680
2007
Building 5
61,600
1989 (expanded in 1995)
Building 8 (Café)
25,473
1999 (18,500 sq.ft., expanded in 2004, 2008)
Building 9
10,000
2005
Building 10
15,000
2003 (Wellness Center, expanded in 2012)
Building 11
78,000
2001
Building 12
88,500
2004
Building 13
135,000
2010
Digital Center 1
136,000
2004
Child Care Center
48,390
2011
Welcome Center
5,600
2014
Digital Center 2
194,000
2014
Total
1,162,822
Building 8 – to be renamed the Employee Center – is being expanded to 33,863 square feet, to be completed in summer 2015.
Since 2002, ESPN has also leased an increasing amount of space in a nearby location – “North Campus” – now totaling 393,000
square feet.
Included in total square footage are two generator buildings, totaling over 22,000 square feet.
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ANCHORS
What are you most looking forward to about DC-2?
John Buccigross: I can't remember having this much anticipation about anchoring since my very
first Sportscenter on Grammy night 1997 with Stuart Scott. I'm genuinely “Christmas morning”
excited. We are going to be standing more on the new Sportscenter set. As a leggy 6'4" male this is
a great chance to show off my 36-inch inseam more. I win. America wins.
Linda Cohn: Being a SportsCenter anchor for 21 years, I’ve seen plenty of growth and change, all
for the better. This DC-2 studio just could be the biggest leap yet for ESPN and Sportscenter
and I'm ready to jump!
Jay Crawford: I can’t wait to move into our new studio. It’s Next Generation TV. I’m looking
forward to growing into the new space and bringing our faithful viewers the most visually
spectacular set on TV. Oh, I’m also looking forward to that new car smell!
Steve Levy: Over the years SportsCenter has grown with the events we cover and our new studio is
just the latest example of that. This will enhance the enjoyment people get from tuning in. I’m
coming up on 21 years anchoring SportsCenter and have seen a lot of studios but I've never
seen anything like this and I'm sure you'll agree. It’s going to be wild, big and beautiful.
David Lloyd: I can feel the current SportsCenter studio becoming “quaint” before our eyes. Also
“cramped.” On the 1 p.m. ET SportsCenter, we often do roundtable segments, “The Centerpiece,”
where we’ll have five people crowded around a table. It’s a challenge for a director, when a camera
shot of an analyst’s ear isn’t necessarily preferable. DC-2 should fix all that. This will be like
going straight from (Philadelphia’s) Shibe Park to Citizens Bank Park. A visually stunning
place where the bells have whistles.
Jade McCarthy: It's funny - in some ways a new Digital Center will entirely change what we
do and in other ways it won't change it at all. We will still deliver sports fans all the news,
highlights, features and material they want every day. That's the same. But the ‘tools and toys’ we
will have available to do it will be so much greater. Just that ability alone is exciting. I love coming
to work every day - love what I do - and to have more ways to share information with our viewers
on a daily basis - what could be better?
Chris McKendry: I joke that I never thought my career would survive the transition from
standard definition to high definition but it has! Needless to say, making this move to DC-2 is
amazing. ESPN sets the standard and DC-2 shows that it is once again raising the bar. It’s great
to be on a team that operates with such commitment and energy.
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Kevin Negandhi: The new studio will give us a chance to explore as much space as the camera can
possibly hold and the freedom to be more creative with the current technology and at the same
time never lose sight of what the fans have always wanted – sports and entertainment at its best.
The enthusiasm has been building and I can’t wait to show America the new toys in our new home
every weekday morning. Trust me, I plan on pressing every shiny new button I see.
Hannah Storm: The new Digital Center is a great opportunity for forward-thinking content that
enables the viewer to see the day’s SportsCenter highlights and news in new ways that take
full advantage of all of the creative and technological resources available.
Never Obsolete
Bram Weinstein: I'm beyond excited about the debut of DC-2. It's going to change everything we
do so dramatically and the possibilities of how we utilize it are endless. I am honored to be part
of what will be the next generation of SportsCenter. DC-2 has so many features it is going to
take us months if not years to fully utilize its capabilities. There is nothing like it, which is what
makes it so exciting. The way we interact with viewers, the way we showcase content, the way we
present the brand SportsCenter – it's all about to change, and I can't wait to see the results.
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What are you most looking forward to about DC-2?
EXECUTIVES
Steve Anderson, Executive Vice President Content Operations & Creative Services: The launch of
DC-2 and the new SportsCenter studio will be the culmination of an awful lot of people from many different
departments working as a team and collaborating to make this a success, including: Facilities, Technology,
Production, Operations, Creative Services, Studio Directing and the Stats and Information Group. They
have worked together for years planning, designing and building DC-2 as well as creating the SportsCenter
studio, set, graphic and music packages that will allow us to present SportsCenter in a dynamic new
environment utilizing new, cutting edge tools to enhance how we provide sports news and information to
our fans. The SportsCenter set will be the first of many exciting new sets that we will be building in
DC-2 over the next 12 months (see page 8).
Rob King, Senior Vice President SportsCenter & News/Information: The new SportsCenter set
embodies the spirit of innovation and ambition that has always distinguished our signature news and
information brand. Our new array of sets and screens provides a powerful showcase for our on-air
talent to serve fans with their unique authority and personality. Dynamic new graphics and animation
packages convey information and imagery with unprecedented clarity, and our new visual design unites
the linear and digital SportsCenter experiences, so whether you're watching the show on TV or enjoying
content on our mobile applications or interacting with our social experiences, you're in a world that looks
and feels like SportsCenter. In all, we're bringing fans new ways to enjoy unforgettable storytelling,
compelling interviews, state-of-the-art statistics and engaging, shareable content.
Aaron Taylor, Senior Vice President, Marketing: Our promise to fans is to deliver sports with
authority and personality, and the new studio will help us do that better than ever before. Not only will
our authority be further enabled through enhanced technical, graphic and social capabilities to improve
storytelling, but our personality will come through better as you will see our personalities on screen
more. We’re also excited to have a new canvas for the “This is SportsCenter” campaign. In fact, we’ve
already started filming some new spots and are having a lot of fun with the new space.
Craig Bengtson, Vice President, Director of News: I’ve had the pleasure of overseeing SportsCenter for
more than seven years now. And, this new studio, along with the fresh animation, graphics and music
packages, are not only going to change in a positive way for the viewer how we make television, but
how everyone who works on the program does their job.
Michael Shiffman, Senior Coordinating Producer, SportsCenter: I am extremely excited by the
opportunities DC-2 will allow us to tell stories in a state-of-the-art and cutting edge way. There is no
other studio environment like this and, as Bart Scott once said to Sal Paolantonio, ‘Can’t Wait!’”
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SportsCenter at the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil
ESPN will present more than 17 hours of stand-alone, FIFA World Cup editions of SportsCenter beginning
Friday, June 13 through Sunday, July 5, live from Brazil. ESPN’s flagship news and information show will
be based at Rio de Janeiro’s Clube dos Marimbás, a popular members-only sailing club on the southern tip
of Copacabana Beach.
The SportsCenter specials will air entirely from Brazil, marking the first time ESPN will feature stand-alone
editions of the program from a World Cup remote location.
ESPN’s host studio at the 2014 FIFA World Cup was designed to replicate the on-air look of ESPN’s new,
state-of-the-art studio environment at Digital Center 2 in Bristol, Conn. – set to launch in June. During the
group stage, the stand-alone specials on ESPN or ESPN2 will air for 30 minutes. In the elimination
rounds, most editions will be 90 minutes.
ABC network will also broadcast SportsCenter at the FIFA World Cup, a series of 30-minute stand-alone
editions except for a one-hour show on Saturday, July 5. Schedule for the SportsCenter specials:
Dates
Fri, June 13
Sat, June 14
Sun, June 15
Mon, June 16 – Sat, June 21
Sun, June 22
Sat, June 28
Sun, June 29 – Tue, July 1
Fri, July 4
Sat, July 5
Time (ET)
2 - 2:30 p.m.
5 - 5:30 p.m.
2 - 2:30 p.m.
8 - 8:30 p.m.
2 - 2:30 p.m.
2 - 2:30 p.m.
5 - 5:30 p.m.
2 - 2:30 p.m.
2 - 3:30 p.m.
2 - 3:30 p.m.
2 - 3:30 p.m.
2 - 3 p.m.
Network
ESPN2 / WatchESPN
ESPN2 / WatchESPN
ABC / WATCH ABC
ESPN / WatchESPN
ABC / WATCH ABC
ESPN / WatchESPN
ESPN / WatchESPN
ABC / WATCH ABC
ABC / WATCH ABC
ESPN / WatchESPN
ESPN / WatchESPN
ABC / WATCH ABC
Leading into the tournament, the award-winning program will preview each of the eight World Cup
groups daily, beginning Monday, June 2 and continuing through Tuesday, June 10. Throughout the
month-long tournament, all editions of SportsCenter will include reports and segments from the World Cup
in Brazil.
SportsCenter at the 2014 FIFA World Cup hosts, reporters, analysts and production team:
Hosts: Mike Tirico, Bob Ley and Lynsey Hipgrave.
Reporters: Jeremy Schaap, Julie Foudy, Bob Woodruff, John Sutcliffe and Rubens Pozzi.
Analysts: Steve McManaman, Stewart Robson (England); Alexi Lalas, Taylor Twellman, Kasey Keller
(USA); Michael Ballack (Germany); Efan Ekoku (Nigeria); Alejandro Moreno (Venezuela); Gilberto Silva
(Brazil); Santiago Solari (Argentina); Ruud van Nistelrooy (Netherlands); and Roberto Martinez (Spain).
Production team: Jed Drake (senior vice president and executive producer), Amy Rosenfeld (coordinating
producer), Peter McConville (coordinating producer) and Scott Favarola (coordinating director).
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The main lobby of DC-2. The conservation measures employed for the building will reduce greenhouse gas
emissions and other harmful environmental pollutants, which will reduce air pollution and improve air quality.
ESPN’S Digital Center 2 Submitted for LEED Certification
ESPN’s Digital Center 2 was built with sustainability, energy efficiency and water conservation in
mind from the very earliest design stage. This focus resulted in the DC-2 project being submitted by the
design team to the US Green Building Council for consideration in the LEED New Construction program.
“Sustainability is important to ESPN and we wanted to show that even a production facility which by
nature uses a lot of energy could be an example of sustainability for others to follow,” said John Cistulli,
ESPN senior director, global construction and facilities engineering. “Through collaboration and
creativity, we succeeded.”
Energy
The following building systems and components
have been employed to reduce overall energy
consumption:
 high efficiency condensing boilers
 CO2 monitoring for demand control
ventilation
 high performance lighting (CFL and LED)
 lighting controls: occupancy sensors
 daylight control: electronic dimming
 high-efficiency electric water chillers
 variable frequency drive (VFD) controls on
fan motors and pumps
 high reflectivity roof membrane
Water
ESPN’s facilities department also earmarked water
efficiency as a goal when designing DC-2. Some
examples:
• Water efficient landscape design with no irrigation
system needed for the site.
• Waterless urinals reduce dependency on municipal
water system.
• A groundwater capture system treats groundwater
which is used for toilet flushing.
• An air handler condensate water capture system
treats condensate water which is then used for cooling
tower make-up, reducing the use of municipal water.
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Bios
for
Today’s Speakers
All bios are also available at: http://espnmediazone.com/us/
All photos are available at: http://espnimages.com
Additional ESPN info is available daily at ESPN Front Row:
http://frontrow.espn.go.com
Follow ESPNPR on Twitter: @ESPNPR
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John Skipper
President ESPN, Inc.
Co-Chairman, Disney
Media Networks
Since taking the helm as ESPN President and Co-Chairman, Disney Media Networks on January 1, 2012,
John Skipper has secured ESPN’s leadership position in the crowded sports media landscape into the next
decade with bold moves and a commitment to championship events delivered across every available
platform. Throughout, he has continued to foster what he calls “our best strategic advantage – the people
and culture of ESPN.”
Most noteworthy, Skipper has led ESPN to a series of long-term, multiplatform agreements with major
rightsholders (all through at least 2021) and distributors:
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Major League Baseball, the College Football Playoff, ACC, Big 12, US Open tennis, Rose, Sugar
and Orange Bowls, WNBA, American Athletic Conference, Mountain West Conference
In addition, ESPN and the SEC announced a 20-year agreement to create and operate the ESPN
SEC Network and digital platforms, while extending the existing media rights agreement through
2034.
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Cablevision, Cox Communications, Charter Communications, AT&T U-Verse, National Rural
Telecommunications Cooperative (NTRC)
As President, Skipper has emphasized two ESPN hallmarks – always looking ahead and embracing
technology to serve sports fans. The largest example will debut in May 2014, a 195,000-square-foot
Digital Center 2 at the Connecticut headquarters. The facility, ESPN’s largest building by far, will include
numerous technical firsts and is designed to fulfill the growing commitment to mobile offerings.
With an eye on fulfilling ESPN’s mission to serve sports fans and growing ESPN’s audience at home and
abroad, Skipper has also strongly supported the evolution of the critically acclaimed ESPN Films sports
documentary series; the growth of the company’s multimedia business in Latin America; multiplatform
Spanish-language ESPN Deportes; and espnW, a digital initiative launched in 2010 to better serve female
sports fans.
According to Skipper, to maintain the company’s competitive edge, such growth, change and innovation
are essential. “ESPN is deeply woven into the lives of sports fans, yet we continue to seek new avenues to
inform and entertain,” he says, adding, “We must act like an insurgent, not an incumbent.”
An energetic and insightful collaborator who embraces teamwork and intelligent debate to come to
decisions, Skipper’s business relationships are defined by finding “win-win” solutions in an increasingly
complicated global media landscape. Not surprisingly, he is who ESPN strives to serve – a passionate
sports fan – and he is extremely focused on driving business and creative success, earning him the respect
of colleagues and competitors alike. Indeed, within his first year after ascending to the top spot, he was
named the most influential person in sports by Sports Business Journal.
Skipper, 58, had been ESPN’s executive vice president, Content, since October 2005, responsible for the
creation, programming and production of ESPN content across all media platforms, including television,
radio, Internet, broadband, wireless, print, interactive games and home entertainment. He had been
executive vice president, advertising sales & ESPN Enterprises, since August 2004.
ESPN Career
In his 14 years with the company prior to becoming President, Skipper was a key architect of ESPN’s
explosive growth. He played leadership roles overseeing the company’s television, digital, print and
advertising sales initiatives, as well as ESPN’s focus on brand extensions, bringing the company’s “best
available screen” philosophy to life across more platforms and with more wide-ranging major rights
agreements than at any time since ESPN’s launch in 1979. This strategy – along with an emphasis on live
sports - has strengthened ESPN’s unparalleled relationship with fans while meeting the growing business
needs of ESPN’s distributors and advertisers.
Under his leadership, ESPN consistently set records for television ratings and digital consumption, and
negotiated several wide-ranging, major rights agreements with the NFL, NBA, Major League Baseball, the
BCS, FIFA, the Masters Tournament, the British Open, the USTA, Wimbledon and several college
conferences. Each of those agreements was marked by a significant change that took hold under Skipper –
a wide swath of multimedia rights that went well beyond just television to include all forms of media, and
terms that extended for a much longer period of time, sometimes a decade or more. This change of
approach envisioned an evolving media world driven by the marriage of technology with content, and
established stability for ESPN and all of its business partners for years to come.
Skipper’s ability to meld creative and business success was demonstrated early when he joined ESPN in
June 1997 as senior vice president and general manager of ESPN The Magazine. He oversaw one of the
most successful magazine launches of the 1990s. During its inaugural year, the magazine earned more than20
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20 awards, including "Best New Magazine" honors from both Advertising Age and AdWeek magazines, as
well as a 1999 National Magazine Award for design. In January 2000, he added the same title for
ESPN.com and in January 2003 was promoted to executive vice president.
Skipper’s early vision on how content should be presented on digital platforms continues to pay dividends
today. With ESPN.com in 2000, he began the shift to broadband from dial-up well before broadband was
widely available; launched a pay section, ESPN Insider, with richer content that continues to grow, and
completely revamped the site’s approach to advertising. More recently, he envisioned and launched what is
now ESPN3, a television network delivering 4,000 live events annually on the web and through mobile
devices; helped lead the creation of the Watch ESPN authenticated app which has been downloaded more
than four million times, and led the evolution of ESPN the Magazine’s content to include print and digital
platforms.
Skipper’s tenure overseeing customer marketing and sales was comparatively brief but very impactful – he
worked closely with sales leaders to create a truly integrated, cross platform sales force that continues to
lead the industry today.
Accomplishments, Awards and Accolades
During his years leading Content, the collective audience for ESPN’s domestic television networks rose
31%, and weekly users of all of ESPN’s cross-platform content rose 25% to more than 101 million fans. In
both 2010 and 2011, ESPN’s U.S. networks combined to set records for the most-watched fiscal year in the
company’s history.
ESPN also continued to distinguish itself with dozens of prestigious industry awards, including 36 Sports
Emmy Awards, two Peabody Awards and several GLAAD, NABJ and NAMIC Vision awards. During his
tenure leading the Magazine and ESPN.com, the company has won two General Excellence Awards given
by the American Society of Magazine Editors (2003, 2006) and the ONA Online Journalism Award for
General Excellence in 2003. ESPN.com also won EPpy Awards (given by Editor & Publisher) for best cable
network website and best sports website twice in the past 10 years (2006, 2009).
Skipper has frequently appeared on several media and cable industry “most influential” lists, including
Sports Business Journal, CableFAX Magazine, Business Week and The Sporting News.
Prior to ESPN
Before joining ESPN The Magazine, Skipper served nearly three years as senior vice president of The
Disney Publishing Group where he was in charge of all Disney's magazine, book and licensed publishing
operations in the United States. Since 1990, Skipper was vice president of Disney Magazine publishing,
overseeing Disney Adventures, Discover, FamilyFun and Family PC.
Prior to joining The Disney Publishing Group, Skipper held the title of president and publishing director
at Spin magazine. Earlier he spent 10 years with Straight Arrow Publishing including eight years with
Rolling Stone. At Straight Arrow, he rose to publisher of US magazine.
Biographical Information
Skipper holds bachelor's and master's degrees in English Literature from the University of North Carolina
and Columbia University, respectively. He is married with two sons.
VITAE
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Jan. 1, 2012
Oct. 2005
Aug. 2004
Jan. 2003
Jan. 2000
June 1997
July 1994
Nov. 1990
Jan. 1990
May 1979
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President, ESPN; Co-Chairman, Disney Media Networks
Executive Vice President, Content
Executive Vice President, Advertising Sales & ESPN Enterprises
Executive Vice President, ESPN the Magazine and ESPN.com
SVP and GM, ESPN the Magazine and ESPN.com
SVP and GM, ESPN the Magazine
SVP, The Disney Publishing Group
VP, Disney Magazine Publishing
President & Publishing Director, Spin Magazine
Straight Arrow Publishing
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ESPN Communications
John Kosner
Executive Vice President, ESPN
Digital & Print Media
John Kosner is marking his 10th anniversary as ESPN’s digital leader.
As ESPN’s executive vice president, digital and print media, Kosner heads up development for ESPN.com,
the world’s leading online sports service, ESPN The Magazine, and ESPN’s industry-leading applications
for all screens including WatchESPN and ESPN3, the premier live sports event online service; and
SportsCenter, the world’s most popular sports app. Kosner also oversees “Grantland.com,” the innovative
sports and pop-culture site headed by ESPN’s star sportswriter Bill Simmons and espnW, the network’s
initiative targeted at female sports fans. Additionally, Kosner manages ESPN’s digital content
development in Social Media and its partnerships with Facebook, Twitter and other top third-party
networks. Kosner was promoted to his current title in January 2012, and had overseen all these properties
as senior vice president, digital & print media, since May 2011.
Kosner has overseen ESPN Digital Media since 2003, a period of tremendous growth and industry
recognition for ESPN. Kosner and his team have helped ESPN.com establish a clear leadership position on
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the Internet, in Digital Video and in Mobile:
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Pioneering online video with ESPN Motion, ESPN3 and the WatchESPN app;
Developing ESPN Insider, an industry-leading paid subscription service;
Guiding ESPN to #1 in Fantasy Sports;
Achieving a commanding leadership share in sports mobile web and mobile apps, including the topranked mobile apps in the sports category;
Building a digital audio powerhouse with ESPN Radio, including ESPNRadio.com and PodCenter,
the leading sports podcast destination;
Forging valuable partnerships with Apple, Facebook, Twitter, Xbox, YouTube, Instagram,
Foursquare, eBay and Flipboard.
ESPN Digital Media has also received numerous awards including the Sports Business Journal Awards for
Digital four times in five years (2012, 2011, 2009 and 2008) and the 2011 SBJ Sports Technology Award
for WatchESPN. ESPN.com has also won seven Sports Emmy’s and two Online Journalism Awards,
including the prestigious Award for General Excellence. During Kosner’s term, Richard Lapchick has
heralded ESPN’s commitment to diversity in his annual report cards on diversity hiring in digital and print
sports media.
Sports Business Journal ranked Kosner as the Most Influential in Online Sports in October 2008, one of
several accolades he has received. Kosner also serves as Chairman of the Online Publishers Association and
is a member of the Alumni Council of his alma mater, the Collegiate School in New York City.
Kosner is a 35-year veteran of sports media, starting as an intern at NBC Sports in 1978. He joined ESPN
in 1997 as vice president, programming development. In 1999, he was named vice president, ESPN.com
programming and broadband development. Earlier, Kosner worked in programming at CBS Sports; at the
NBA, where he led the league’s broadcasting operations for seven years; and at Sports Illustrated, where he
developed television and interactive content for Sports Illustrated and SI for Kids magazines.
Kosner was graduated with distinction from Stanford University in 1982 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in
American History. Kosner lives in New York with his wife Diane Burstein, their son Luke and his older
children, Walter and Grace.
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ESPN Communications
Rob King
Senior Vice President,
SportsCenter &
News/Information
In January 2014, Rob King was named Senior Vice President, SportsCenter and News/Information,
transitioning from the digital and print arena to oversee all of SportsCenter and ESPN’s newsgathering
operations, and to lead the future efforts of the company’s biggest sub-brand.
Previously, as Senior Vice President, Content, ESPN Digital & Print Media, King was responsible for all
content and the overall editorial direction of ESPN’s leading portfolio of digital and print sports properties,
including text, audio, video and multimedia content. He also oversaw management of the award-winning
team of more than 200 editors, writers and designers across ESPN.com and its network of related sites,
ESPN The Magazine and espnW. King worked with ESPN’s many news, information and programming
units to develop greater cross-platform integration and development of cross-media franchises.
In June 2007 he served as vice president and Editor-In-Chief of ESPN.com, before adding oversight of
digital video and audio content as well as all editorial content on ESPN’s local sites. In 2004 he was senior
coordinating producer in the studio production unit, responsible for (at various times): ESPN’s award-25
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winning NBA studio programming; the award-winning Outside the Lines; ESPN’s on-location coverage of
major golf events, including the Masters and the U.S. Open; and ESPNEWS, the nation’s only 24-hour
sports news television network.
King began his career in the newspaper business. From 1997-2004, he was at the Philadelphia Inquirer,
serving as graphic artist, deputy sports editor, assistant managing editor and deputy managing
editor. Prior to that, King worked at the Louisville Courier-Journal as a graphic artist, director of
photography and presentation editor. From 1987 through 1992, he worked at the Courier-Post in Cherry
Hill, N.J., a major suburban Philadelphia paper. His first job was with the Commercial-News in Danville, Ill.,
as a general assignment reporter and graphic artist.
King received a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Wesleyan University in 1984. In 1986, King
attended Penn State, studying Journalism as part of the School of Communication’s inaugural graduate
class. He is a proud former member of the Daily Collegian staff.
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ESPN Communications
Jodi Markley
Senior Vice President,
Operations
In August of 2007 Jodi Markley was named senior vice president, operations. Her team includes: remote
operations, production operations, operations development and studio directors. In her role, Markley has
direct oversight of the logistics planning and execution of all productions in the studios and in the field.
Prior to her current role, Markley served as senior vice president, international production, ESPN Classic
and ESPNEWS, for three years. She oversaw the production and operations efforts for ESPN
International's Latin America, Atlantic and Pacific Rim networks, the Spanish-language domestic network
ESPN Deportes, as well as all programming and production for ESPN Classic and ESPNEWS.
Markley joined ESPN full-time in March 1989 in broadcast operations control. She was promoted to
production coordinator, ESPN International, the following year, and was named director in 1995. In 1997,
she was promoted to vice president and assumed responsibility for international operations. In April 2001,
her responsibilities grew to include all commercial operations, remote operations and program integration,
in addition to international production.
Markley played an integral role in the launch of dozens of ESPN International networks, as well as
numerous programming initiatives – including 13 different versions of SportsCenter around the globe.
Markley was also part of the launch of ESPN Deportes in the U.S. Under Markley, ESPN International
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garnered 21 Telly awards, as well as two Broadcast Designer Association World Class Awards. During
her tenure, ESPN Classic was nominated for seven Emmy awards, won an Emmy for SportsCentury, and
won eight Telly Awards. In her current role, Markley’s groups have won eight Emmy Awards for
technical achievement.
Prior to joining ESPN, Markley worked as production manager for film company Motion, Inc., coproducing numerous documentaries. She had also been a freelance producer and associate director for
ESPN, TSN, BSkyB and TESN.
A native of Miami, Markley was graduated from the University of South Florida with a Bachelor of Arts
degree in communications in 1986, and an Executive MBA from Simmons College in 2000. She is a
member of WICT (Women in Cable Television) and AWSM (Association for Women in Sports Media).
Markley also serves on the Advisory Board for SVG (Sports Video Group) and serves on the Board for the
Connecticut and Rhode Island chapters of The American Red Cross. She is an alumnus of the Betsy
Magness Leadership Institute and was selected as one of Broadcast and Cable’s 2011 “Women to Watch.”
Recently, Markley was named to the Multichannel News Class of 2014 “Wonder Women” list and
CableFAX: The Magazine’s “Most Powerful Women in Cable” for 2013.
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Kevin Stolworthy
Senior Vice President,
Content & Information
Technology
Kevin Stolworthy serves as ESPN’s senior vice president, content and information technology. He is
responsible for all content production and corporate information systems, broadcast technical facilities
design and maintenance, enterprise software development and content transmission technology and
operations. These include the departments responsible for broadcast systems engineering, implementation
and support; IT infrastructure; corporate and production networks; production systems design and
implementation; corporate desktop systems; transmission & network traffic; telecommunications; and
business application development.
For his wide-ranging role with ESPN’s industry-leading, cutting-edge technology, he was chosen by
Broadcasting & Cable as a 2012 Technology Leader.
Previously, Stolworthy was senior vice president, operations and creative services, responsible for all
operations departments that produce content for multiple ESPN entities. His team included: remote
operations which oversees hiring freelance crews and mobile units; commercial operations who coordinate
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with ad sales on commercial and billboard execution; creative services that generates animation, graphics
and set design for ESPN shows; and production operations which handle all in-house technical operating
positions and studio directors.
Stolworthy began his career at ESPN in 1991 as a director for SportsCenter. After two years, he was
promoted to coordinating director (1993-1994), senior coordinating director (1994-1999) and then to vice
president, technical operations and creative services (1999-2005).
Prior to joining ESPN, Stolworthy worked as a senior director at WTVJ in Miami. He gained additional
production knowledge during directorial stints at WFSB in Hartford, Conn. (1985-1987), WDAF in
Kansas City, Mo. (1981-1985) and at KLTV in Tyler, Texas (1980-1981).
Stolworthy, a native of Centereach, N.Y., received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Hofstra University in
1980.
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Craig A. Bengtson
Vice President,
Director of News
Craig Bengtson is vice president and director of news at ESPN. Named to that position in January of 2014,
he is responsible for the “Cross Platform Newsgathering Unit,” which includes: the News, Assignment and
Planning Desks; Domestic Bureaus; the Feature and Enterprise Units; along with E:60.
Prior to his current assignment, Bengtson was Vice President of SportsCenter, responsible for the editorial
content and production of ESPN’s flagship news and information program. Bengtson joined ESPN in 2006
as a Senior Coordinating Producer.
Before coming to ESPN, Bengtson was an Executive Producer at ABC News in charge of the “World News
Tonight, Saturday/Sunday;” and a Senior Producer responsible for domestic news coverage on the “World
News Tonight with Peter Jennings.” Bengtson was at ABC from 1997 to 2006. Prior to that, he was a
Producer for the “CBS Evening News with Dan Rather.”
Bengtson began his career as a News Director, Anchor and Reporter for WKXL Radio in Concord, N.H.,
before joining CBS News Radio as a Writer and Producer in 1987.
Bengtson has received multiple Emmy Awards, along with a Peabody Award for his work at ABC News on
the coverage of September 11, 2001, and an Alfred I. DuPont-Columbia University Award for his role as
the Executive Producer in charge of the coverage of the death of Pope John Paul II and the election of Pope31
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Benedict XVI. He also oversaw the news coverage of the death of President Ronald Reagan, the Asia
Tsunami and the capture of Saddam Hussein.
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ESPN Communications
Kevin Connors
SportsCenter Anchor
Kevin Connors joined ESPN in July 2008. Kevin is a full-time SportsCenter anchor, host of
NBA Coast-to-Coast and also handles college basketball play-by-play assignments for the
networks.
Kevin came to ESPN from WCBS-TV in New York, where he served as weekend sports
anchor & WCBS NewsRadio 880 where he handled afternoon drive sports updates.
A five-time New York State Broadcaster’s Association Award winner for Outstanding
Sportscast, Kevin is a native of Rockville Centre, N.Y. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts
degree in television-radio from Ithaca College in 1997 and was a four-year member of the
Ithaca men’s basketball team. Kevin and his wife Emilie reside in Newington, CT.
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Steve Levy
SportsCenter Anchor
Steve Levy has been an anchor on SportsCenter since joining ESPN in August 1993. Along the way, he has
also handled play-by-play on the NHL (1995 – 2005) on ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC Sports, college football
on ESPN2 (1999 – 2002) and the NCAA Division I men’s hockey semifinals and finals – “The Frozen Four”
– in 1998 and ‘99. The versatile Levy has also served as the studio host for ESPN’s NHL telecasts and cohosted The NFL on ESPN Radio — previewing, reviewing and updating National Football League games
all day on Sundays throughout the season.
Levy worked the three longest televised NHL playoff games in history – the five-overtime game between
Pittsburgh and Philadelphia in May 2000 on ESPN, the five-OT thriller between Anaheim and Dallas in
April 2003 on ESPN and the four-overtime contest between Pittsburgh and Washington on ESPN2 in
April 1996.
Prior to joining ESPN, Levy’s television experience included working at WCBS-TV in New York as a
sports anchor/reporter (1992-93) and hosting “Sports Desk” on the Madison Square Garden Network
(1989).
Levy’s radio experience includes serving as a weekend sports reporter and host of The NFL In Action and
various call-in programs at WFAN-AM in New York (1986-93). He also produced and hosted a nationally
syndicated pre-game show on the NHL Radio Network (1988-89), and hosted intermission updates for the
New York Rangers’ and Knicks’ games and filled in as a host for SportsNight at WNBC-AM in New York
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(1987-88). He was also a part-time reporter for various sports events at WABC-AM (1987).
Levy began his television career at WTOP-TV in 1983 while an undergraduate at SUNY at Oswego. He
worked at the station during his four years at Oswego State and was sports director there for two years
(1986-87). Levy also called play-by-play for Oswego State’s hockey team on WOCR-Radio.
In 1997, he received the first-ever “G.O.L.D Award” from Oswego State, which honors an outstanding
graduate of the last decade who has achieved prominence in his career. The school also honored Levy and
expressed thanks for a donation in 2006 when they named the press box in the school’s hockey arena after
him.
Levy has had cameo appearances in six movies, starting in 1999 when he played himself in Mystery, Alaska,
a story about a small town hockey team’s big game against the New York Rangers. He has also appeared in
Fever Pitch, The Ringer, The Game Plan, Tooth Fairy and Parental Guidance. In Spring 2013 he shot scenes
for Grudge Match, featuring Sylvester Stallone and Robert De Niro, and Disney’s Million Dollar Arm, with
Jon Hamm.
Starting in January 2004, for two years he and ESPN NHL commentator Barry Melrose were part-owners
of the Adirondack Frostbite of the United Hockey League.
Born March 12, 1965, Levy is a 1987 graduate of Oswego State with a Bachelor of Science degree in
communications with a concentration in broadcasting.
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ESPN Communications
Stuart Scott
SportsCenter Anchor
Since joining ESPN in 1993 for the launch of ESPN2 as a host of short sports update segments, Stuart
Scott’s role and visibility on studio shows has consistently grown. His primary roles are on SportsCenter –
often anchoring the 11 p.m. ET edition – and on NFL and NBA programming. Beginning April 2009,
Scott added west coast responsibilities to his schedule, hosting a select number of SportsCenter
1 a.m. ET
(10 p.m. ET) editions from the network’s state-of-the-art production facility in Los Angeles.
Since 2008, Scott has been the lead host for NBA on ESPN and ABC, including the NBA Finals on ABC,
anchoring the critically acclaimed pre-game, halftime and post-game programs. He is also studio host for
NBA on ESPN since 2002.
When Monday Night Football moved to ESPN in 2006, Scott added on-site hosting duties to his schedule
during the NFL season, including the 90-minute edition of Monday Night Countdown, aired live from 7-8:30
p.m. and post-game SportsCenter coverage at the site of that night’s game. Scott has previously appeared on
NFL PrimeTime during the 1997 season, Monday Night Countdown from 2002-2005, and Sunday NFL
Countdown during the 1999 to 2001 seasons. Scott has also hosted ESPN’s Dream Job series (2004-05),
Stump the Schwab (2004-06), the New Year’s Eve specials on ESPN in 2005 and the live ABC special of
David Blaine’s “Drowned Alive” stunt in 2006.
His unique style and vocabulary – including “Boo-yah!” and “He must be buttah ‘cause he’s on a roll” – have
made him one of the network’s most popular and recognized anchors. After serving as an original
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SportSmash anchor on ESPN2’s SportsNight, Scott served as host of Edge NFL Matchup, a weekly 30-minute
show which previewed select NFL games; ESPN2’s NBA 2Night, an NBA news and highlight program;
and ESPN2’s SportsNight: College Football Edition.
He has also covered the MLB playoffs and NCAA Final Four in 1995, and the NBA Finals for SportsCenter
since 1997. In the 1997 and 1998 NBA Finals, Scott’s coverage included exclusive, one-on-one interviews
with Michael Jordan. He has also interviewed Tiger Woods, Sammy Sosa, President Clinton and President
Barack Obama during the 2008 presidential campaign. A personal and professional highlight for Scott was
being requested by U.S. soldiers to be part of ESPN’s SportsCenter: Salute the Troops effort in which he and
fellow SportsCenter co-anchors hosted a week of programs originating from Kuwait in September 2004.
Prior to joining ESPN, Scott worked for WESH-TV in Orlando, Fla., as a sports reporter and sports
anchor from 1990 to 1993. While at WESH, he earned first place honors from the Central Florida Press
Club for a feature on rodeo.
Scott also worked as a news reporter at WRAL-TV in Raleigh, N.C. (1988-90), and as a news reporter and
weekend sports anchor at WPDE-TV in Florence, S.C. (1987-88). Scott was graduated from the
University of North Carolina in 1987 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in speech communications and radio,
television and motion pictures. At North Carolina he worked at a student radio station WXYC-FM as a
sports and news reporter and played wide receiver and defensive back for a club football team.
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Jaymee Sire
SportsCenter Anchor
Jaymee Sire is a SportsCenter anchor, who has hosted NFL Live, NFL Insiders and Fantasy Football Now, and
contributed to the network’s Major League Baseball and Little League World Series on-site coverage.
Sire joined ESPN in March of 2013 as a studio news anchor, including hosting Highlight Express on
ESPNEWS.
Prior to joining ESPN, Sire was a sports anchor/reporter at Comcast SportsNet Bay Area in San Francisco
(2008-13) where she was nominated for three regional Emmy’s (winning once). She also produced feature
stories and shows, and contributed to the station’s website through blogs and video, regularly interacting
on social media.
Previously, she held the same positions at KFMB-TV in San Diego (2003-08), where she produced and
wrote daily features, provided live shots and served as fill-in anchor, and at KRTV in Great Falls, Mont.
(2002-03), where she produced, wrote and anchored weekend sportscasts and a weekly Sporting Life
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feature.
Sire received a San Francisco/Northern California Emmy for “All A’s: A’s in Japan” (2009), was awarded a
Pacific Southwest Emmy Award for Best Sports Story (2007), and was recognized with a RTNA Golden
Mike Award (Southern California) for Best Sports Feature Reporting (2004). While at Washington State
University she received the 2002 Judith Waller Award for Outstanding Senior Woman in Broadcasting.
Sire, who graduated from WSU in 2002 with a BA in Communications, is a native of Great Falls, Mont.
She also maintains a fun and informative cooking blog called “e is for eat.”
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