Super Lessons from the Big Game
According to Neilen, the Super Bowl matchup between the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs was watched by over 113 million people. That’s 14 million people more than the 2023 edition and over 20 million more than the 2021 contest. The big game was super but for Fox it wasn’t the biggest or last event of their extremely busy winter. Fox also produced the 2022 FIFA Men’s World Cup which featured over 60 matches and none bigger than the final which set a World Cup record with 16.7 million viewers. The sports branch of the media company also presented the 2023 Daytona 500 one week after the Super Bowl.
While I was reading a Super Bowl recap on SportsVideo.org, I realized that there are a lot of lessons to be taken from the preparation and presentation of the Super Bowl that can be used in the classroom. The Sports Video Group’s Ken Kerschbaumer talked with Fox Sports’ Brad Zager about the preparation for the Super Bowl.
The first and honestly biggest point that I took from the conversation was Zager detailing that prep for the Super Bowl broadcast started before the season to help the show’s producer Richie Zyontz and Director, Rich Russo, not go from “0 to 100 because it’s a Super Bowl.” This hit me because I talked with a teacher a couple of weeks ago and they mentioned that they spend all summer working on their curriculum and they struggle to get it right. I asked “why not work on your curriculum while you teach it?” What I meant was that I always had a content planner for the next school year open and active. I would realize things that would work and link those things to the content planner for the next year. That way I wasn’t looking for it and I wasn’t trying to remember it. I was always fresh on what I was trying to make happen. This is essentially what Fox Sports did in that they were adjusting and adapting throughout the season and they prepared for the big game.
You can also do this for your class - especially if you have a year long course. For example, if you plan a “Super Bowl” on an assignment - a huge show, big production, or something that’s not easily done in a day or a week - then all semester/year, you can roll out new things to get to the point you want to be for the big event. (and make it a big event!!)
The next thing that stuck with me about the interview with Zager was the adherence to the Fox Sports standards and basic core values. They started with those elements. I equate this to the little things that your program does that are basic takeaways for your students. For me, those things were the ability to communicate clearly, the process of hitting a deadline, and finally taking pride in yourself and your work. When I started with those things, the content was almost always the best a student could do. That’s all you can ask for.
The team at Fox Sports also used their experiences to build and adapt a plan. Zager stated that the team “talked not just about where the cameras are in the stadium but about learning from each playoff game as the stakes get higher. What happened in the game? If it happened in the Super Bowl, how would we have covered it, and are we ready for it? It’s more than just starting from scratch on the Super Bowl.” Can you say that about your lessons? Have you reflected on the lesson and the pit falls? Have you adjusted accordingly?
Another parallel I drew from the conversation was the efficient use of people and their time. The location of the game allowed for Fox Sports to have their studio set closer to the stadium than the last time Fox Sports produced the game (2020). Previously, the studio set was on South Beach in Miami and would take the talent over an hour to get from the studio set to the stadium. In 2023, the studio set was at the stadium and allowed for a better use of their talent’s time. Think about that for your class and its workflow. Are you using the student time efficiently? Are you using YOUR time efficiently? (HINT: If you are spending all summer working on your curriculum, the answer is no.) Find ways to streamline your processes in order to better achieve your goals and maximize your time. One way that I have done that in the past is to take 10 minutes to set up the gear for student shoots. That 10 minutes would save me 15 to 20 minutes during class because I wasn’t answering questions from the students on where the gear is, how to format a card, or which tripod to take. It changed my feel for the class immediately because I wasn’t getting the onslaught of questions to start the class.
Finally, despite having 94 cameras to choose from including 32 high-frame rate HDR and a dozen that were 4k resolution or higher, Zager still had dreams for 2025 when Fox Sports has the game again… and it’s not what you think. In a situation where he could literally wish/ask for anything, Zager’s focus lies in better utilizing tools he already has. Instead of new AI or other tools, Zager wants to focus on using the 4k and 8k cameras he already has at this disposal. That’s something that I admit that I fall into is the “if I had” trap. Utilizing what you have to its maximum is far more important that getting new gear with new maximums.
While I don’t think Zager was talking about teachers, I do feel like he knows you…”We have the most amazing, talented group of dedicated people that have spent often long periods of times away from their families. Their dedication and what they have devoted is something I am inspired by.”I believe that you as an educator are a very special person and that as a video production educator, you are the most elite of the elite and that I am glad to serve with you day in and day out. I appreciate you.
Meet the Author, TOm White
Tom White is the Broadcast Engineer at Grady College of Journalism and Communication at the University of Georgia. Prior to that role, Tom taught at Morgan County High School and Rockdale Career Academy where he and his student produced thousands of live streams for sports, news, and community events. Tom’s program at the Rockdale Career Academy received the NFHS Network Program Of The Year in 2016 and his program at Morgan County High School received the New Program of the Year title in 2018. Tom has been a long time contributor to many publications and is the host of Teaching to The Test Pattern Podcast.
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