Sports Booth

Join Matt McConnell as he answers popular questions submitted by listeners to the Sports Booth mailbox. If you have any questions regarding sports play-by-play or the podcast, email them to PXPQuestions@gmail.com.

(Music by Kevin McLeod)

From your first day in college to graduation, this episode of Sports Booth lays out a game plan on how to become as employable as possible. Learn why a solid academic foundation is critical to your success, why winning over employers is more than just play-by-play, how job descriptions can provide a road map for success. We also discuss internships, building relationships with influencers, learning to develop rapport with people of influence and task management. Whether you're just starting your college career or you're a junior or senior (or even a young broadcaster just out of college) , this episode is loaded with advice and information that's sure to help you along your journey.

(Music by Kevin MacLeod)

Now's your chance to learn from the biggest names in sports television production history. Shannon is the former Executive Producer of Hockey Night in Canada. Not only has John worked for the CBC, he's also worked at Rogers Sportsnet, produced PGA golf and soccer and been part of the senior broadcasting management group at the National Hockey League. He's been an Olympic sports producer and has worked with some of the biggest play-by-play names in the business. He's even worked on the talent side of the business. 

Learn what he likes to hear from play-by-play broadcasters when he's watching games. Get his thoughts on the attributes that make for a successful sports broadcaster. Learn his four key words to success, and why being able to evolve in the business is critical to your success.

(Music by Kevin MacLeod)

Never heard of a "Me" file? This episode explains the importance of keeping track of all of your achievements, whether they are broadcast related or not. Learn why having a "Me" file is critical in maintaining an accurate account of your accomplishments, awards and recognitions by peers and superiors, and how they all play a role during the job interviewing process. Learn how work experiences that are not related to play-by-play can ultimately help land you a play-by-play gig. Setting up and maintaining a "Me" file is a CRITICAL step in the job application process.

(Music by Kevin MacLeod)

Now's your chance to hear from one of the most experienced general managers in minor pro baseball. Allen has been managing and hiring candidates for the Salem Red Sox organization for more than 20 years. Included in those hires have been Chicago White Sox TV Play-By-Play Broadcaster Jason Benetti and Baltimore Orioles voice Melanie Newman (featured in Episode #22).  

Learn what skills and attributes are important to an organization and the skills they identify as "must haves" during the application process, the importance of following up, the "it" factor, the importance of being effective in a team environment, and what you should be doing right now to better your odds for landing the gig. Lawrence lays it all out for you. Now's your chance to take advantage. 

(Music by Kevin MacLeod)

There's a good chance your first job as a sports broadcaster out of college will be working for a minor pro sports team. Now's your chance to hear  Shawn Murnin's story and how he's established his career as a professional baseball broadcaster. Learn about the importance of having experience away from the broadcast booth, including public relations, social media and sales, and why networking is critical. Get valuable insight into Shawn's daily responsibilities with the team when he's not sitting in the booth calling doubles and home runs, and learn what you can do in college RIGHT NOW to make yourself more marketable to teams and organizations upon graduation. 

(Music by Kevin McLeod)

Now's your chance to hear and get advice from one of the best sports play-by-play broadcasters in the business. Learn how a college math major became one of the most well-known voices in Major League Baseball. Find out what Dan believes are the keys to having success in the business. Get his thoughts on preparation, what broadcasters can do for themselves after every PXP gig that will make them better, and why it's critical to have a good work ethic.

Dan remains ESPN's #1 voice of college basketball and a voice of the Toronto Blue Jays. In 2011, he was named Broadcaster of the Year by the National Sports Media Association. In 2020, he received the Jack Graney Award from the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame for his work in baseball. In 2021, he was a finalist for the Ford Frick Award, presented annually to a baseball broadcaster for major contributions to the game. He is also the former long time voice of ESPN's Sunday Night Baseball. 

(Music by Kevin McLeod)

Jody has been a sports broadcasting fixture in Arizona for more than 20 years, working as a pre-game and post-game host and reporter for the NHL's Arizona Coyotes and MLB's Arizona Diamondbacks. She also hosts the Arizona Cardinals post-game show for FOX Sports Arizona.

The Florida native began her career as an undergraduate student at the University of Miami in Coral Gables, then worked at WQAM Radio in South Florida before moving onto television assignments in Buffalo and later in Phoenix.

Hear her great advice for women looking to break into the business and for everyone looking to get better. Learn why hard work and trust in yourself are critical to your success and why understanding your value within an organization is important as well. 

(Music by Kevin McLeod)

Rejection is never easy, yet it's part of life when chasing down sports broadcasting gigs. But it's how you handle rejection that can set you up for success when pursuing other opportunities. Find out how to bounce back from rejection and get employers to say "yes" instead of "no" in this fast paced episode.

Get advice, tips and information from a leader in the sports play-by-play placement industry. Hear Jon's words of advice for success and what he feels are important and critical steps to manage along the way. Over the years, STAA has successfully placed more than 1,100 sports broadcasters with teams, networks and organizations across the country. Their website offers guidance for broadcasters of all levels of experience, including entry level, on topics such as building a resume and demo. The site features headlines from around the industry, a blog and other resources, including a robust listing of available jobs. Visit the website at www.staatalent.com. You can also reach out to Jon himself at jon@staatalent.com. 

(Music by Kevin MacLeod)

Introducing Sports Booth Web! Built on the popular Sports Booth podcast, Sports Booth Web takes knowledge and resources to a whole new level. Not only are you able to access the podcast straight from the website, you also have additional resources available to you to help in your development. Sports Booth Web includes Booth Blog, short and concise entries about sports play-by-play broadcasting and other topics of importance. There's Story Time, and fun and unique part of the website highlighting stories from the past whether game related or away from the booth. The Gigs section is a clearing house of information designed to give broadcasters leads on play-by-play jobs and opportunities in sports, while the College Programs page provides information on sports broadcasting curriculums at universities across the country. To access Sports Booth Web, go to www.sportsboothweb.com. 

(Music by Kevin MacLeod)

Get the inside scoop on what team's look for when hiring their play-by-play person from long-time Fort Wayne Tin Caps President Mike Nutter. What other duties are required of the position besides calling games? Learn why having experience in other critical areas could put your resume and demo near the top of the pack. It's some of the most powerful advice we've had on the podcast to date.

(Music by Kevin MacLeod)

Melanie's story is inspiring! She's one of very few female sports play-by-play broadcasters in the business. From her humble beginnings as an undergraduate student calling games as a student at Troy University to her current position as a broadcaster with MLB's Baltimore Orioles, she's successfully navigated her journey through the minor leagues with stops in places like Mobile, Alabama, Frisco, Texas and Salem, Massachusetts. Get her advice when it comes to working within sports organizations and why it's important to view organizations from the inside out while working hard and remaining humble. Learn why "being the rookie" isn't a bad thing and why bringing value to the team is critical to your success as a play-by-play broadcaster.

(Music by Kevin MacLeod)

When applying for a job, there's a fine line between being persistent and being a pain in the %#S@S#S%S!!!!!!  Episode 21 walks you through the process, giving you guidance and tips on remaining persistent and in control of your application without going over the line. Learn how to properly follow up with teams, beneficial organization strategies, trial closing hiring managers and being ready to impress during the formal interviewing process. 

(Music by Kevin MacLeod)

In the business world, networking with business executives is one of the most important components to landing a job. and the sports broadcasting world is no different. On this important episode, get great advice from Dave Goren, Executive Director of the NSMA. Hear success stories and Dave's advice when it comes to reaching out to key decision makers while building your network. Additional information on the NSMA can be found on their website at www.nationalsportsmedia.org. 

(Music by Kevin MacLeod)

The Corona Virus had played a major role in the reduction or elimination of sports schedules in our country. Especially hard hit are college athletics, with major conferences canceling their college football seasons and Fall sports schedules being eliminated as well. As a result, there are fewer play-by-play opportunities, if any, for college students. Chances are, you've been effected in your ability to get reps and call games.

So what do you do? How can you continue to gain experience and get yourself ready for the job market down the road when there aren't any games to call? In other words, what's your Covid plan?

On this edition of Sports Booth, we examine your options and lay out a strategy to keep you on pace during the pandemic. Even though you might not be calling games, there are many other projects you can take on to continue your development.

(Music by Kevin MacLeod)

For 18 seasons in the National Hockey League, Ray Ferraro scored goals, accumulated points and had countless encounters with media and broadcasters. Get his thoughts and insights on what it was like to deal with the media as a player, compared to today where he interacts with athletes as part of the media. Hear what he has to say about fairness and respect being part of the process, what he sees as the difference between today's athletes and those from his era relating to the media, and how he handled a situation with a writer when he was playing in Atlanta. Plus offers up great advice to students pursuing a career in sports broadcasting. And as an added bonus, stick around for a classic Thrashers story he shares.

(Music by Kevan MacLeod)

Learn the keys to landing your first PXP gig out of college from recent Bowling Green University graduate Garett Mansfield. Get Garett's tips and advice on how to map out your opportunities for experience in college, learn how he afforded himself critical reps in baseball play-by-play while he was still in college, and how his path in the minors took a turn for the better, even if it forced him to put broadcasting on the back burner for a bit.

(Music by Kevan MacLeod)

Viewpoints is your chance to hear straight from team owners, general managers and key personnel. What are they looking for when hiring broadcasters? What are the expectations? What's a typical day like inside a sports organization?

You'll also hear from sports broadcasters that have already been hired. How did they land the gig? How important is experience away from the broadcast booth? What did they do during their college years to get them ready for job opportunities?

(Music by Kevin MacDonald)

Robertson's experience as a public relations sports executive spans more than 30 years, having broken into the professional ranks with the NBA's Minnesota Timberwolves. From there, he became Vice-President of Public Relations for the NHL's Mighty Ducks of Anaheim and MLB's Anaheim Angels. More recently, he was Vice President of Public Relations and Broadcasting for the Minnesota Wild before being named commissioner of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association. Robertson is a multiple winner of the Dick Dillman award, given to the NHL's best PR department as voted on by the media. In this episode, he explains the role between PR and a team's broadcasters and the importance of both entities being fully integrated within the organization . Hear Robertson's advice to all young sports broadcasters and why having PR experience is vital to one's ability in getting hired for play-by-play jobs.  

(Music by Kevan MacLeod)

Learn how one of the best in basketball broadcasting prepares for games, whether it's an assignment for the NBA on ABC or an ESPN college basketball matchup. Learn how he manages his schedule, how he compiles his broadcaster's board, how he successfully transitions from one analyst to another, how he got his start in the business and his advice to young sports broadcasters. Dave is a Syracuse graduate and a member of the school's WAER Radio Hall of Fame. 

John is currently a play-by-play broadcaster for the NHL on NBC and the voice of the Carolina Hurricanes. Hear how John climbed his way up through hockey's broadcasting ranks after starting his pro career in the American Hockey League. Learn why versatility is an attribute most employers are looking for during the hiring process, and how you can make it work to your advantage throughout your career. Plus, hear his words of advice through experience, including a story from when he was faced with making a strategic career decision.

(Music by Kevin MacLeod)

Could sales experience hold the key to getting entry level play-by-play jobs? In this episode, we look at the hiring process through the eyes of the employer and what applicants can do to enhance their chances for success. If you want a greater chance to succeed against the competition, this episode is a must for you.  CRITICALLY IMPORTANT EPISODE.

(Music by Kevin MacLeod)

This episode explores the process of landing the job, which actually begins early in the college process. Topics include the importance of broad experiences as a college student, non-PXP responsibilities of working for a team, the importance of sales experience and how it can give you an edge against the competition (shhhh!), skills needed beyond play-by-play and fitting in to a team culture. 

(Music by Kevin MacLeod)

A career in sports broadcasting can be one of the most rewarding professions out there. But along the way, there can be roadblocks and pitfalls in your quest to become the next Al Michaels. That's were a college degree comes into play. It can act as a safety net when times get tough, or when you need to change course to pay the bills. Sports Booth host Matt McConnell knows this lesson all too well. Come along and hear his wisdom as he discusses the value of a college education in the world of sports broadcasting. Remember to email the show at pxpquestions@gmail.com.

(Music by Kevin Macleod)

Veteran NHL Play-By-Play Broadcaster Matt McConnell shares his vision for the podcast intended to guide and encourage young sports broadcasters reach their potential through advice based on experience. Come along for the tips, tricks, industry guests and stories that that will both entertain and guide you in a career in sports broadcasting. Email the show at pxpquestions@gmail.com.

(Music provided by Kevin MacLeod)