This issue looks at athletes who move into television jobs and the career paths they have taken to get there. (Future issues of Sports News will look at other paths to sports journalism jobs.)
1. Some athletes have little or no media training, but are
given an opportunity by producers looking for knowledgeable people
to put on camera. The ones who make the transition successfully
usually cite hard work and a willingness to learn as the reasons
they survive the cut. Examples:
"I was the only knucklehead still around and I was lively, opinionated and cracking wise." (2)
A television producer saw the broadcast and "called after I quit playing and hired me for the USA Network. It was piecemeal work at first because there just wasn't much women's tennis on television. About three years into it, I was given some men's tennis to do, too, and I guess it went all right. It must have; I'm still around." (3)
She points to thorough preparation as one key to her success in the field. "I'll put in 12 hours of work for a two-hour show." (4)
He began calling the Pacers' games on radio, then landed a job broadcasting games for Cleveland State. Then ESPN hired him in 1990. "In the beginning, I really sought out criticism from people that I respected. It was hard, because a lot of people didn't want to tell you the truth for fear of hurting your feelings. But after a while, I started pulling things out of them. The best thing that I learned was having a schtick and an act was all right, but what lasts is being yourself and having the ability to break a game down for the viewers." (6)
He became a studio analyst for ESPN in 1993. At that time he was also working for CBS during the NCAA Men's Basketball Championships, first as a game analyst (1993-94) and then as a co-host of first and second round studio coverage (1994-97). In 1997 CBS hired him full-time.
Then he added hosting the "Foodland High School Sports Show" to his list of responsibilities. His next break came when all the regular sportscasters were on vacation and he was the only one available to do the sports news.
A network producer had a chance to see Malone's work during an interview and encouraged him to send out resumes. That resulted in an audition with ESPN, which hired him in 1993. His first jobs were reporting for "SportsCenter'' and ''GameDay.''
He also covered the X Games and became a sideline reporter for the Sunday night NFL games and studio host for the ''Match-Up'' show. In the fall of 1997 Malone took over as studio host of ''Prime Monday.''
Said Bob Rauscher, ESPN's vice president in charge of studio shows, ''He's become very valuable. The thing about Mark is, he took this seriously. He didn't go the route many former athletes go: the analyst route. He took the other route, working as a reporter and an anchor locally, then building upon that here.'' (8)
2. Some athletes start picking up media experience while
still competing. Examples:
During those years James was getting an education in media relations because he was the one reporters came to for quotes.
Injury ended his football career in 1988 at age 27. He moved back to Texas, tried a career in real estate, then in 1989 began working as the football color analyst for SMU's game broadcasts on radio. To perfect his skills, he would practice by writing two-minute sports updates and commentaries, reading them into a tape recorder, and taping them with a VCR.
After four months of this, he submitted a tape to a local television station. He was hired as an SMU play-by-play announcer. In addition, the NFL Dallas Cowboys hired him to work on pre-season football games and for their in-house television shows.
His work was seen by ESPN and he was hired to cover six games. By 1993, he was working for ESPN exclusively, serving as a college football studio analyst. Then, in 1996, he was hired by CBS for $500,000 a year to co-host its college football studio show. "The fact is I have an ability to communicate. I share my enthusiasm with viewers, and they buy it. I enjoy sports and, for whatever reason, I have the ability to make athletes I deal with comfortable." (9)
Plus he still practices his on-camera skills. "I sit there and watch TV. I do the play-by-play out loud. I know it would look awkward and goofy to someone looking in the window, but it's worked before." (10)
Mayne worked at the station as a production assistant while intending to play in the Canadian Football League or the United States Football League. After two years he gave up on his football plans and focused on his television career. By 1986 he was serving as a weekday news reporter and a weekend sports anchor.
In 1989 he sent audition tapes to ESPN and was flown to the company's headquarters in Connecticut for an interview. "I didn't win the job, but they told me, 'We like what you're doing, stay with it, and we'll stay in touch.' So instead I went back (to Seattle), and I quit my job, which I know made no sense, but I did it." (11)
He worked odd jobs for a year. In 1990 ESPN called for another interview. Mayne didn't get that job either, but he was given freelance work. He covered various events including the Goodwill Games. During that time he also worked as a telemarketer for a phone company.
In 1994, Mayne was hired full-time to be an anchor on a sports update show on ESPN2. "I stalked ESPN for four years and they finally relented." (12) By 1995 he was a fill-in anchor for ESPN's "SportsCenter" and the host of two motorsports shows on ESPN2.
Munoz spent the last six years of his pro career doing Friday night radio broadcasts of Ohio and Kentucky high school games. "I knew what I wanted to try and I knew to get good, to learn how to communicate easily, I had to actually do it. Then I could see where I was and improve through experience. I know I'm not at that level yet, but I'm striving." (14)
When Reaugh wasn't on the ice, he was sitting in the press box pretending to be on the air, practicing to be a play-by-play announcer.
When injuries forced him to retire in 1993, Reaugh attended the Northeast Broadcasting School in Boston. His first job was in Dayton, Ohio, where he was the radio color analyst for the Dayton Bombers of the East Coast Hockey League. While there he also coached the team's goaltenders.
The following year he broadcast games for the Detroit Vipers of the International Hockey League. A year later (the 1995-96 season) he was back in Hartford to call the Whalers games. That year he also had the opportunity to cover the playoff games for ESPN. The next year (the 1996-97 season) he was hired to be the color analyst for the Dallas Stars.
In addition to his work for the Stars (his contract was recently extended), Reaugh also does afternoon NHL coverage for Fox. He got that job by calling the network and letting them know he was available. He sent in his audition tape and was hired.
3. Some athletes begin media training while still in school.
Examples:
''I knew exactly what they wanted, and I didn't have any problem giving it to them. They wanted the inside stuff, and I gave them as close to the inside stuff as I could.'' (15)
Upon graduation in 1993, he decided he wanted to do a radio talk show rather than try out for the NFL. "I found my niche talking about something I've followed all my life. I'm a college football junkie.'' (16)
He sent some tapes to ABC and ESPN. ESPN hired him to do some college football sideline work and then assigned him to cover 14 Arena Football games.
In 1995 when Herbstreit was 26, ESPN selected him to be a part of its three-man team for "College GameDay." Said Mo Davenport, ESPN's producer for college football, "I look for a guy with a good voice, who is articulate and has a good on-camera presence, a good television personality. And a guy who can defend his views." (17)
She played basketball for San Diego State University and studied communications. "I was the designated interviewee (for the basketball team). Whenever a television or radio crew wanted some comments after the game, the coach would send me out there because I was articulate and she didn't have to worry about me overstepping myself." (18)
Upon graduation in 1994 she enrolled in the school's graduate broadcasting program and provided color commentary for SDSU's women's basketball radio broadcasts. She also volunteered for whatever television work she could find. She sent a demo tape and resume to the San Diego-area Fox, ESPN, and network affiliates. It took seven months before Fox called back inviting her to be a color commentator for them.
"My mom saw an advertisement for the program in one of the newspapers. I auditioned for a spot on the show and was lucky enough to make it.
"I was very nervous doing the show. I have never been that nervous even before a big cross country meet or track meet." (19)
"After I tried out for it, I watched the show a couple of times and thought, 'Hey, looks pretty easy.' It's a 2-minute feature but it takes hours of stuff. There is like 30 minutes of tape for a 2-minute feature. That's amazing. Now I notice a lot. When I watch stuff on TV, I'll notice the filming as well." (20)
According to "SchoolYard Jam" producer/director Jim Corno Jr., "She's been fabulous. She was a very lucky find for me. I was looking through some (application) papers and saw her name with an asterisk by her name. I called her up and she went to work. She's really been great. Every month she's so much better.
- "If it's something she wants to do, she's obviously got a leg up on everybody. She's been great. This business is 99 percent who you know, and she's in." (21)