As the sports media world changes daily, the innovative Ball State Sports Link is giving students a tremendous opportunity to get ahead of the curve in the evolving sports broadcast industy.
The program is under the direction of Chris Taylor, former director of athletic communications/marketing at BSU.It is a model program designed to produce sports-related content for Ball State's multi-platforms (internet, TV, radio). Students create and produce features and re-package them for the web and for local TV stations and hometown outlets. In addition, the students worked closely with ESPNU on airing Ball State football's season opener vs. North Texas (Sept. 3).
Students produced a BSU "Top 10" list for the national broadcast, select students assisted with the live production, and the ESPNU game producer visited with the class.
Below, see the list of special sports figures scheduled to visit with the Sports Link students.
Sports Link was developed as a pilot program in 2008, broadcasting 11 live sports events for television using the university's live truck, producing eight television shows and 73 feature packages on Ball State student-athletes.
To read the full story below online, please visit
www.bsusportslink.com/news.cfm .
MUNCIE, Ind. - Emerging media technologies have radically changed sports broadcasting and Chris Taylor wants to make Ball State Sports Link the premier destination for college students aspiring to work in the rapidly evolving sports broadcast industry.
The former director of athletic communications and marketing for Ball State has taken over the program designed to produce sports-related content for the university's multiple platforms such as radio, television, and the Internet as well as a variety of mobile communications formats. The school’s transition to digital athletics media guides and the related-video content is also included.
"
There are universities broadcasting student-produced television news programs, but there aren't many that have developed sports media initiatives that focus on preparing students in an immersive learning atmosphere how to develop content for emerging media technologies," Taylor says. "We all know ESPN's Sports Center, but there are many other ways to provide information to fans, such as the podcast, vodcasts, interactive Web sites as well as cell phones and other hand-held devices."To maintain a focus on cross-platform promotion, students repackage the feature stories they create for local use at Ball State and send them to local news stations and outlets in the hometown of the featured player—on any platform the station may require. In addition to announcing, reporting, producing and learning how to use various cameras, students also are immersed in live game broadcasts by operating the university's production truck.
Sports Link was developed as a pilot program in 2008, broadcasting 11 live sports events for television using the university's live truck, producing eight television shows and 73 feature packages on Ball State student-athletes.
In addition to the live events and student-athlete packages, Ball State Sports Link is also is producing a first-of-its kind sportscast directly to the university’s official athletics web site, www.ballstatesports.com. Ball State Sports “Link-ed In” airs Tuesdays and Thursdays online and features complete game highlights, interviews and features on every team.
The Ball State Sports Link Audio Report is also produced weekly by students and provided to radio stations, including WMDH 102.5 FM as part of “The Morning Brew”. WMDH allows the student’s work to air on a 50,000-watt signal reaching 18 counties.
Special guests to the class assisting students in the Fall semester 2009 include:Brenda Frese (Maryland Women’s Basketball Coach)
Billy Taylor (Ball State Men’s Basketball Coach)
Andy Katz (ESPN)
Jason Whitlock (Kansas City Star, FOX Sports)
Chris Denari (Indiana Pacers, Indiana Fever)
Vince Welch (ESPN, ABC)
Jay Walker (ESPN, BET, NFL Network)
Major Howe (ESPN Producer)
Jeremiah Johnson (FOX 59 Indianapolis),
Anthony Calhoun (WISH TV Indianapolis)
Paul Jones (FOX 17 Nashville)
Tim Frank (NBA Vice President of Basketball Communications)
Nate Flannery (Web Stream Productions)
Bill Bryant (Ball State Sports Network)
What They Are Saying:"The main thing I like about it is that it’s a real experience because we find the stories and create shows from scratch. Sports Link also teaches us versatility. In today's media, news outlets want to do more with less, which means as an on-air talent I need to be able to shoot video, edit, and produce. Sports Link gives me an opportunity to do all of those things."
-- Brandon Clemens, BSU Student, Sports Link 2008"Ball State Sports Link is becoming one of the premier programs in the nation. We see interns and new hires in the business all the time, and none are as prepared as those from Ball State. The sports media world is changing daily and Sports Link is giving students a tremendous opportunity and advantage."
– Jeremiah Johnson, FOX 59
Learn More Online:Learn more about Sports Link through this
YouTube video Go to the organization's
web site