Media Credentials

Previous episodes of "Media Credentials" have covered directing live studio shows (with Eric Rutledge) and producing live events (with Ray Jacobs). Now, a new combination -- directing live events. Peter Esposito started his broadcasting career at a small college in New England, moving to an entry-level position at ESPN, and then joining Golf Channel at the network's inception. Golf has taken "Spo"...

My guest on this episode is a hockey guy, but like most hockey guys I've met in my career, he's also a golf guy. Ray Jacobs is the senior coordinating producer for the National Hockey League's production arm, a staff job he took in 2023 after 20-plus years on the road as a freelance golf producer. We touch on that familiar theme -- freelancing versus staff -- and delve into his experiences at golf...

With over 40 years of experience in the NFL and nearly 30 years with the PGA Tour, Rick Odioso has collected some stories. He's the Media Director for the Valspar Championship, while also freelancing as a statistician for the NFL on FOX, the Tampa Bay Rays, and the Tampa Bay Lightning. As the former PR Director for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Rick managed media relations for luminaries like Doug Wil...

Kristi Hujik is a certified health coach and Senior Producer for PGA Tour Radio on SiriusXM. We shared newsrooms together for over two decades at both ESPN and Golf Channel, a bizarre overlap in our careers that neither one of us can truly explain. Kristi talks about her journey in sports media, starting at a local radio station in Pennsylvania and continuing to Bristol and Orlando. We discuss com...

For many in sports media - particularly those who work behind the scenes - freelancing is a way of life. Staff jobs are often hard to come by, even more so in the post-Covid 'gig economy.' Julie Hoddy forged a long career as a freelancer in sports television before pivoting to a corporate role outside the realm of sports. We talk about her transition from road to office, her fondest memories of gi...

Nathan Strack is the Production Designer for the Pinehurst Resort and Country Club. Pinehurst is one of the most prestigious golf complexes in the United States, home to nine golf courses and the host site of the 2024 US Open. Nathan talks about his experience there, how his golf background meshes with his skills as a graphic designer, and why Pinehurst is the ultimate golf destination.

Dan Pearson is a veteran sports PR executive with experience in college athletics, Arena Football, the XFL, baseball, and more. A longtime Central Florida resident, he continues to work in semi-retirement as a sportswriter for local weeklies. Dan is a storyteller, and offers sound advice for those considering a career in sports media. Great stories here of the raucous days of the Orlando Predators...

Marc Daniels has been the Voice of the UCF Knights for nearly 30 years, and hosts a daily radio show on Orlando's 96.9 The Game. We discuss the explosive news in college football regarding conference realignment, and how sports other than football might be affected. We also delve into UCF's entry into the Big 12 this fall, and the impact it will have for the athletic program.

George Galante joined the Orlando Magic as a PR intern while still in college. Nearly 30 years later, he is still part of the team. As the Senior Director of Communications, he's a managing editor for the team's media guide, a daily contributor to game notes, a coordinator of interviews for players and coaches, and a stat guru who travels with the team. As he puts it, his department is the gatekee...

My guest on this episode is my former Golf Channel colleague Justin Ray, who is now the Head of Content for Twenty First Group, a company that bills itself as a "sports intelligence agency." From their website: "Performance analytics enables us to drive sporting success for athletes, teams, leagues and investors, and enable brands, broadcasters and rightsholders to tell unique stories to their fan...

Eric Rutledge got his start as a TV sports director in college, and eventually made his way to Golf Channel, where he spent nearly 20 years, primarily doing studio work. He explains what a director does, and we go deep into all the different jobs in the control room, and the remote production truck. Eric currently directs live golf for PGA TOUR LIVE, the tour's streaming service, but his day job f...

Mike Bianchi is a sports columnist for the Orlando Sentinel and one of the most influential voices in the Southeast. His 20-plus years with the Sentinel coincides with a lengthy career as a sports radio host in Orlando, and he was also a regular TV talk show panelist with me in the old days of Sun Sports (now Bally Sports Sun). A proud native Floridian, Mike talks about his early writing influence...

Keith Hirshland is an Emmy-winning sports television producer whose path started in Hawaii, passed through Orlando as he helped launch the Golf Channel, and now finds him in the producer's chair for live broadcasts of the upstart LIV Golf League. LIV is backed by the Public Investment Fund, the sovereign wealth fund of Saudi Arabia. On June 6th, 2023, the PGA Tour and the DP World Tour announced t...

Michael J. Whelan is an Emmy-winning former television executive, a veteran of CBS and HBO Sports, who was a driving force in the creation of Golf Channel. He's also living proof that sometimes the story behind the executive bio is complicated. In this episode, you'll hear about his biggest events, including Wimbledon, the Olympics, and the Buster Douglas - Mike Tyson fight in Tokyo in 1990. Mike...

Davey Finch worked as a camera operator for CBS Sports for over 40 years, and he is indisputably one of the best ever at his craft. In 2010, he was inducted into the Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame, the first camera operator to be so honored. His fellow inductees that year included Pat Summerall and John Madden. In this episode, you'll hear about Davey's introduction to TV, his big move to Hollyw...

From humble origins -- a boxing match in Pittsburgh in 1921 -- live sports on the radio has evolved into an everyday part of our lives. In this episode of Media Credentials, I speak with Mike Eaby, the Coordinating Producer at Westwood One Sports, one of the largest sports radio networks in the United States. Mike oversees radio production for the NFL, NCAA basketball, NCAA football, golf, and a w...

CBS has been televising professional golf for nearly 70 years, and in that time, the network has employed exactly three lead golf producers. Sellers Shy is the third. A two-time high school golfer of the year in his native Tennessee, Sellers oversees more than 20 weeks of PGA TOUR coverage in addition to his duties with college football and the NFL. We discuss his path to CBS, his relationship wit...

If you're a media member -- or hope to be -- Tracey Veal is the PGA TOUR's gatekeeper. She approves media credentials for the Tour's biggest events, including the PLAYERS, the Presidents Cup, and the FedEx Cup Playoffs, among others. She also coordinates with local tournament teams to make sure the logistics are squared away before every event, and administers the Tour's media credential website....

On this episode, we meet Lina Bustos Elias, a multitalented producer for Golf Channel and PGA TOUR LIVE. Lina left her native Colombia at the age of 17, moving to the US with a golf scholarship to Georgia State. After a stop at CNN Español, Lina arrived in Orlando at Golf Channel, and has forged a career that combines her love for the game with her willingness to adapt to an evolving industry. You...

On this episode of Media Credentials, my guest is Sam Gardner. Sam is the Senior Director of Marketing and Communications for Florida Citrus Sports , the non-profit that stages the Citrus Bowl, the Cheez-It Bowl, the Camping World Kickoff game, and a plethora of other events in Central Florida. Though football might be the focus, it turns out Sam has no off-season. We talk about the year-round imp...

On this episode of Media Credentials, an interview with Tye Eastham, VP of Broadcasting for the Orlando Magic . We cover his path from Indiana University to the NBA, his longevity with the franchise, and the process of producing live basketball. We also discuss how remote production has changed the industry, and what may come next. Plus, why the Magic are worth the price of NBA League Pass, and th...

A quick preview on the eve of the 2023 Masters. My experience with the tournament, an examination of the 18 LIV players in the field -- including six former champions -- and some history for the contenders. Plus, sleeper picks and a pick to win.

As the title suggests, this is my brief introductory episode, as we set the stage for what comes next on Media Credentials. I give a (very short) summary of my career in sports broadcasting and relentlessly pitch my website. Also, some frequently asked questions: what's Tiger Woods like? What's your favorite PGA Tour stop? What's the deal with those notecards?