Quote Originally Posted by Rejlector84sports View Post
The networks will also use the staff and equipment of the Television Center. Several games in the early 80s were completly produced by the TV Center for ABC or CBS. If necessary they will also get certain students to help. When MSU games were televised in the early 80s I would work as a statistician or spotter for the networks. I was asked because the Athletic Department knew me from being Reflector sports editor.
That's not the case anymore. Football is the only sport now that isn't covered by the in house crew. Yes, ESPN or CBS will get students to be utility or hold parab mics on the sideline, but just about everyone else is freelance, being brought in from out of town. When it comes to all the other sports, there are a few key positions that are run by full time university employees, or freelance with years of experience, but those are all in the control room. As far as cameras, utility, and everything else in the arena, it's students. The TV Center is in no way affiliated with sports anymore. That happened with the start of the SEC Network. When I was a student, I did player interviews for the John Cohen show and also directed the short lived Sports Zone while working at the TV Center, so yes, it was affiliated at one time. But once the SEC Network was born, it all shifted over to the athletic department. I would know, I work on the broadcast crew for 4-5 years, including the first two of the SEC Network+.