EJ's Game Plan

Steve also brings thoughtfulness to his broadcasting and to his Game Plan interview. When asked what to avoid on-air, he mentions he never uses war references in reporting (“Throwing a bomb”). He mentions that when covering the Little League World Series he will never name the young athletes that make mistakes. These are small gestures rooted in understanding the impact the media industry has, and they say a lot about the character that Steve Levy is.

SportsCenter’s late-night host brings his characteristic humor and brevity to the Game Plan, but don’t think that means there’s any shortage of advice. SVP echos other guests who stress the importance of writing for broadcasters and working to earn the respect of colleagues. But he does not shy away from championing the untraditional routes — both his own experience “getting terrible grades” and peers such as Big Cat and PFTCommenter who found space in digital media.

Allie LaForce’s sideline expertise is applicable anywhere in sports media — do research outside of what’s obvious, or what you think you might need. Every bit of prepwork you do can lead to a new story idea. Even if you’re  not a reporter, LaForce says robust preparation makes you ready to contribute to a team. 

Emmy award-winning sportscaster James Brown, who you may know as J.B. on NFL Today, has become one of the biggest names covering the NFL. In his session, J.B.’s talks about broadcast fundamentals, preparing for play-by-play, and how to handle teleprompter malfunctions.