May 28, 2013

Note: Northern Illinois Media Relations Graduate Assistant Michael Benson recently took part in the finals of ESPN UNITE's The Schwab. As a reward for qualifying for the finals, he and two other finalists (Michael Smith of Utah and Taylor Smyth of Maryland) were given an all-expenses-paid trip to Bristol, Conn., to tour ESPN's headquarters, meet with the show's hosts and, of course, tape the finale. This is a first-hand account of that day and what things are like inside ESPN's doors.

Going in to this trip, I had no idea what to expect. From the pictures that I saw of ESPN's campus online, I figured it would be a couple buildings and a few satellites - something like a typical TV station. Needless to say, I was completely taken off-guard when I pulled up on ESPN Drive.

For starters, ESPN's headquarters do not allow for tours to the general public. In fact, tours are only given to sponsors (such as Samsung) or notable sports dignitaries (Nerlens Noel, the likely top pick in June's NBA Draft, was there that morning of our tour). To keep the campus secure, ESPN has their own security unit that rivals a police department of any large city and gates that require visitors to check in well in advance via someone who works with the network. Once inside the complex, employees must swipe their credential card to get into any area. However, very few employees have access to all areas of the campus, as their security card only grants them access to the areas in which they work. In short, ESPN is a lot like Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory - many people revere what the company does, but few have seen what happens inside.

After checking in through security, we were taken to building four to begin our tour. From there, the tour weaved through many departments within ESPN's 13 buildings (that number will go up to 14 next year with the completion of the new 10,000 square foot SportsCenter studio). One of our first stops was the newsroom, a sprawling space with dozens of cubicles. In our few minutes there, we crossed paths with notables like Cris Carter, Damien Woody and John Anderson who had either completed their taping or were preparing for a taping later that afternoon.

In the center of the newsroom is one of many studios on ESPN's campus. And, like many of the others we would see later on, the studio actually housed sets for two different shows - NASCAR on ESPN and NFL32. In fact, only one studio - the SportsCenter set - on the entire campus is not used for multiple shows. On the other side of the newsroom is the Bottom Line office, where both the domestic and international Bottom Line teams keep the famous scroll on the bottom of the screen updated with up-to-the-second scores or breaking news. Once breaking news is provided to the Bottom Line crew, it is also passed along to any TV or radio shows that are airing at that time.

We were also taken through ESPN's newly-completed ESPNW wing, which pays tribute to women's athletics and the growth that the female fan base has experienced in the last 15-20 years. Along with walls filled with infographics about female involvement in sports, there is a foosball table modeled after the 2012 Summer Olympics women's soccer gold medal match between the US and Japan.

We were sent back downstairs to the waiting area for a short five minute break, during which time we ran into Baseball Hall of Famer Barry Larkin and ESPNEWS anchor Cole Wright. While conversing with Wright, a Chicago native, he noticed my NIU polo and talked about his experiences playing at Ralph McKinzie Field with Division III Briar Cliff College in Sioux City, Iowa. For him, his lasting memory of "The Ralph" was how difficult it was to track fly balls in the outfield due to the presence of the Stevenson dorm towers.

Through the rest of the tour, we were taken through some of ESPN's more notable studios and buildings. Among those areas include the Baseball Tonight studio, a massive room that houses one of ESPN's biggest sets and can still host College Football Live on the other side of the room. By comparison, Outside The Lines' studio is more like a storage closet despite looking so large on TV. We were also taken through the ESPN Radio area, where we got to see the broadcast area and the control rooms that make it all go smoothly.

After taking part in our promo taping (more on that later), the tour continued through the larger and more well-known areas of the campus. This included the largest studios on campus that house SportsCenter, Mike & Mike in the Morning, First Take and Sunday NFL Countdown. We were unable to get access into these rooms since taping was underway at that time. Sitting outside of those studios, though, is the prop closet - a chain-link fence storage area where dozens of jerseys, helmets and balls are kept and organized for use on sets. Among the hundred or so football helmets were three very familiar ones to Huskie fans.

Beyond that, we were taken through the SportsCenter control rooms (yes, there are multiple) and got to view ESPN's myriad of satellites. Of the satellites was one large arc that, as we were told, handles 39 different signals at once. This unique satellite is one of only five in North America and about 10 in the entire world.

As I mentioned previously, the three finalists were part of a promo taping that would go up on YouTube (which you can find here). I was given the role of having carrots and hummus crammed into my mouth by the show's co-host Marianela Pereyra, since the best way to prepare for finals is to have a well-balanced meal per the script. Of course, I had never had true hummus before, which made me wonder why I took this role in the first place. Following one trial run and three full takes, the promo was finally done and I had my fill of hummus for the near future.

During the promo taping, we were able to meet with the show's namesake, Howie Schwab, and would spend more time with him throughout the day. Schwab is a very kind, down-to-Earth and likable person who enjoys his job and working in the sports industry. After getting to know him, I find it hard for anybody not be able to like this guy. He was courteous to us the whole day and even paid for our dinner in the "world famous" ESPN Café.

To describe the Café, it is a lot like your typical college dining hall, but with better food, prices and environment. Most of the food is cooked to order right in front of you and the options are plentiful for any given day. I'm not going to say it is the world's greatest food, but it is definitely not a bad option if you have to work late.

During dinner, we were able to spend a good two hours asking Howie about his experiences with his previous show - "Stump the Schwab" - and this current incarnation, along with his time working with Dick Vitale and other big names at ESPN. One thing that stuck with me was all the analysts that came through the cafeteria that evening, many of whom we were able to meet. Tommy Smyth, Robert Flores, Tim Legler, Barry Melrose, Curt Schilling. All guys that millions of people see on TV any given day just strolling through the cafeteria, then dashing back to the studios to handle in-game baseball updates or tape a SportsCenter clip.

Following dinner, we headed to the main SportsCenter control room to see a live taping of the show. It may look very easy on TV, but the show is a major production behind the scenes. Directors, producers and all sorts of crew members are trying to sync up video, audio, in-person interviews and the all-important teleprompter to make the production as smooth as possible. The control room itself had about a dozen people performing different tasks, including one who handled the live phone interview with Cleveland Indians outfielder Michael Bourn.

Our taping, though, was fast approaching, so we were sent down to the green room to prepare to go on set. Unfortunately, we accidentally stole Curt Schilling's seat on the couch and forced he and Karl Ravech to find some other place to relax between Baseball Tonight updates (despite several apologies and offers to move). The UNITE set was actually housed in one of the oldest studios on campus and was the site of the first SportsCenter, along with hosting SportsNation before it moved to the Los Angeles studios.

Taping was a fun, yet nerve-racking, experience. Along with several lights from the ceiling shining down, there are several cameras that are focused on you at any one point, including the on-set camera that roamed in front of our faces for most of the show. For those of you who watched the finals on ESPNU, it appears as though the camera is a good 10 feet away from us. Not so, though. Instead, it was probably about two to three feet away from your face, which only made the process even more intimidating.

Nerves aside, the whole experience was a good one. Though I may not have come out on top, I feel that I did the best that I could despite not having many questions that catered to my strengths (i.e. football). I cannot complain about the prize package either. A Samsung WB150F camera, UNITE gear, a tour of the ESPN campus, the opportunity to cross paths with several ESPN celebrities and free airfare, hotel and car rental is not a bad deal.

Before I wrap this up, I would like to give a few shout-outs. First, to the two fellow finalists - Utah's Michael Smith and Maryland's Taylor Smyth - I would like to say that you both were both great competitors and friends. I wish you all the best in your future academic endeavors. Second, a big thanks goes out to Jerry Vaillancourt, Paul Miller and all the folks behind the scenes who helped make the travel reservations and the entire production work. Third, I would like to thank Howie, Reese Waters, Marianela and everybody working with UNITE for giving me this unique opportunity.

Go Huskies!