...with
Chad Andrus.
Anchor, reporter, talk show host, update
guy, correspondent, stringer, panelist, play-by-play voice,
color commentator, sideline reporter, producer, production
assistant, and sidekick. These are all titles or job descriptions
that I have held at some point since my sophomore year
of college in the sports media world.
But over the course of the last year I have been able
to take on a new and exciting challenge that none of those
positions could provide. I’m talking about the dual
role of Director of Broadcasting and Media Relations.
That’s what I do for the Colorado 14ers in the NBA
Development League.
When the plans for a new D-League team
were first unveiled in the Denver/Boulder area I knew
right away that I wanted to be involved as the play-by-play
voice of the team. What I didn’t know was the other
duties I would be signing up for if I wanted that job.
Sure, the play-by-play is the easy part when you’re
a lifetime hoops junkie and have been calling games on
the air, into a mini-disc or tape recorder, from your
seat in the stands, or from the comfort of your living
room while staring at the TV for the better part of the
last twenty years.
No problem, piece of cake.
But for anyone who wants a full-time
job in minor league sports, the economics dictate that
you bring a lot more than the broadcast to the table.
From the radio/TV side of things I had
worked with plenty of media relations/sports information
people over the past 10+ years, so I figured I pretty
much knew the drill with writing
the media guide, game notes, and setting up interviews.
Working in Denver
was also a great advantage having been around some of
the best in the business with Jim Saccamano and Paul Kirk
at the Broncos, Eric Sebastian and Tim Gelt with the Nuggets,
and Dave Plati at the University of Colorado. But I also
knew there would be two big adjustments from the traditional
media world.
1. Time commitment.
You can go ahead and block out your personal life schedule
from the time your training camp begins until the end
of your post-season. You’re busy. Don’t even
think about a long weekend in Vegas, a golf trip, or heading
to the mountains to rip up the fresh powder. It’s
not happening while you’re team is in season. You
are responsible for anything that could be a “story”
on or off the court for every coach and player on your
team, 24-7.
2. Team employee.
Obviously this is something that not everyone is cut out
to do. Talk show hosts and newspaper columnists are not
asked to help create and cultivate a team brand and image.
A media relations director sole purpose is to do just
that. Your “hot sports opinions” don’t
have a place in your game stories, press releases, or
your broadcast. Remember what you write and what you say,
on or off the air, now comes from “the voice of
Team X”. This is why teams now almost exclusively
control the broadcast teams doing their games. It’s
not about being an objective reporter.
That said it’s certainly
not a bad thing to take on the dual role of broadcaster/media
relations director. I’ve gained a great deal of
experience in the business side of a pro sports franchise,
and I have a new understanding and appreciation for what
it takes to run a successful team. And trust me, when
you’re the media relations director, you’re
broadcast prep will never be better!
As you've already read Chad
is the play-by-play and Media RElations Director for the
Colorado 14ers. He's also a regular contributor to DEnver
area Sports Talk Radio and NBA TV. Check out Chad's
resume in the SPJ/BMS Multi-Media Database.
React to this week's commentary in
THE ENDZONE!
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