








Supporting our own in times of need...


On October 2, 2020, 11-yearold Cassidy Stocker (center) was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor. The SVG Sports Broadcasting Fund stepped in to assist with everything from living expenses to insurance premiums and treatments. She continues to inspire friends, family, and even strangers via her “Candid with Cassidy” YouTube channel that has more than 2,000 subscribers.
Since 2012, the SVG Sports Broadcasting Fund has been making a difference in people’s lives, day in day out, week after week. Created especially for those involved in sports production, the Fund is dedicated to providing aid to industry professionals and their families in times of need.
Our goal is simple: to be available as a “first responder” and to quickly help those we serve pay bills, enabling recipients to stretch their own cash reserves so that stress related to financial challenges is not piled onto an already stressful situation.
The SVG Sports Broadcasting Fund exists thanks to the generous financial support of those in our industry. As you or your company lay out charitable contributions, please make sure to include the SVG Sports Broadcasting Fund in your plans!
All ticket sales to the Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame Ceremony directly support the SVG Sports Broadcasting Fund, a 501(c)(3) non-profit charity.
TIN: 84-2588096 NYS Reg: 48-15-35.
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Ukraine in March, they eventually ended up in Lisbon where Yaroslava signed a contract with Channel 11, the Portuguese Football Federation’s channel. The Sports Broadcasting Fund stepped in to provide assistance, covering the costs of installing air conditioning in their apartment as well as medical bills.
or 30 years, Kristen Sleboda has been a freelance graphics operator and project manager at various networks. When she was diagnosed with breast cancer, it meant she wouldn’t be able to work as all of her time was devoted to treatments and recovery. During that three-month period, the Fund helped pay major bills, allowing Kristen to take the time needed to recover with her family.
When the Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame was started 15 years ago, it began with a simple mission: to honor excellence from across the entire spectrum of our industry. We knew the first few classes would have inductees who were not only considered legends to those in our industry but also honest to goodness household name. Names like Howard Cosell, Jim McKay, John Madden, and Vin Scully.
But the goal of our Hall of Fame was not to honor only household names: it was to celebrate our entire industry, because a successful sports production — as everyone here knows — takes a team of dozens, if not hundreds (and occasionally thousands). And out of all of our classes, tonight’s embodies just how all of those hundreds of people can intersect and influence each other and, ultimately, help each other have Hall of Fame career. I invite you to pay attention tonight to the connective tissue provided by the Olympics or a Super Bowl to connect many of tonight’s inductees to one another. And it was a commitment by our inductees to not only their own success but the success of those they worked with that led them, collectively, to tonight.
So, to all of this year’s inductees — Terry Adams, Terry Bradshaw, Joe Buck, Drew Esocoff, Roger Goodell, Ross Greenburg, Manolo Romero, Deena Sheldon, and Darrell Wenhardt — congratulations, but also thank you for driving our industry forward with innovation, leadership, and excellence.
Hitting year 15 is a nice stopping point for reflection, and, over the past 15 HOF ceremonies, our organization has evolved and grown. We have more members of our voting committee than ever (more than 130), and they better reflect the entire industry. But, most importantly, we have transformed tonight’s event from being a simple celebration to the core financial driver of the SVG Sports Broadcasting Fund. All of the ticket sales from tonight’s event will be donated to the SVG Sports Broadcasting Fund, our sister organization that provides often life-saving financial support for those in our industry who find themselves in a difficult situation. Each year, we provide hundreds of thousands of dollars of support to primarily sports production professionals who have been impacted by everything from hurricanes to illness or, sadly, war.
And if you or someone you know needs assistance or if you would like to donate and support the SVG Sports Broadcasting Fund, please visit www.sportsbroadcastfund.org or scan the QR code found at tonight’s event.
Happy Holidays,
19 West 21st Street, Suite 301
New York, NY 10010
Tel: 646-205-1810 Fax: 212-696-1783 www.sportsvideo.org
Chairman and Executive Producer
Ken Aagaard
Show Producer Michael Goldman
Producer Ken Kerschbaumer
Stage Manager Greg Fox
Video Producer/Coordinator David Beld
Director of Engineering Jon Campbell
Bexel / NEP Project Managers
Andrea Rosenkrans and Nick Teti
Graphics Operator Thom Paris
Prompting Operator Meghan Prendergast Tyler | CueScript
VO Talent Colin Cosell
Talent Coordinator/PA Donna Jarrett Music Editing/PA Mike Taylor Event Manager & Table Sales Carrie Bowden
Editorial Support
Ken Kerschbaumer, Jason Dachman, Brandon Costa, Kristian Hernandez, and Susan Qualtrough
Production Support
Karen Hogan Ketchum and Katie Champion Art Direction Riva Danzig
Rob Payne, Andrew Gabel, and Dylan Davidson Hotel Liaison Cris Ernst
Meetings and Events Manager Alicia Montanaro
Membership Services Andrew Lippe
Thank you to these partners for providing video-footage support: Fox Sports, ESPN, HBO, NBC Sports, NFL Films, OBS, and PGA Tour Entertainment
Ken AagaardSports Broadcasting Hall of Fame, Chairman
Mike Tirico is the voice of NBC Sports’ biggest events, handling play-by-play for Sunday Night Football — primetime TV’s #1 show for an unprecedented 11 consecutive years — and serving as the primetime host for NBCUniversal’s coverage of the Olympics. Tirico, who joined NBC Sports in July 2016, also hosts NBC Sports’ coverage of Triple Crown horse racing, the Indianapolis 500, and golf’s U.S. Open and Open Championship.
Wrote The Associated Press in January 2021: “Smooth, informational, funny and opinion ated when needed, Tirico simply is the best no matter what sport he is announcing. The more Tirico the better.”
This is Tirico’s 17th consecutive season calling primetime NFL games, including 10 years as the voice of ESPN’s Monday Night Football. In addition, 2022 marks his 27th season as an NFL primetime studio host or play-by-play voice.
In May 2022, Tirico earned the Sports Emmy for Outstanding Sports Personality – Studio Host, following an unmatched year in which he anchored the Tokyo Olympics in primetime, the Super Bowl LVI Pregame Show, Football Night in America, horse racing’s Triple Crown, golf’s U.S. Open, and the Indianapolis 500.
In February 2022, Tirico completed an unprecedented hosting double, anchoring the NBC Olympics primetime show in Beijing (beginning Thurs., Feb. 3) and Los Angeles, while also hosting the Super Bowl LVI pregame show from SoFi Stadium on Sunday, Feb. 13, as NBCUni versal presented the two global events in an 18-day stretch.
The 2022 Beijing Olympics was Tirico’s third as NBC’s primetime Olympics host (Tokyo, PyeongChang). He served as an NBC daytime host at the Rio 2016 Olympics.
In February 2019, Tirico was named host of NBC Sports’ inaugural coverage of the India napolis 500. Earlier in the same month, he called play-by-play for his first-ever NHL game, after previously hosting the 2018 Stanley Cup Final, 2019 NHL Winter Classic, and 2019 NHL All-Star Game.
In August 2018, Tirico was named studio host for Football Night in America, the mostwatched studio show in sports, leading into Sunday Night Football, primetime television’s #1 show.
In May 2017, Tirico was named NBC’s play-by-play voice for Thursday Night Football, along side analyst and current SNF partner Cris Collinsworth. NBC/NFL Network Thursday Night Football was primetime television’s #2 show in the 2016-17 TV season and the #3 show in the 2017-18 TV season.
Tirico was named the full-time lead play-by-play voice of NBC Sports’ Notre Dame Football coverage in August 2017. In the spring of 2017, Tirico debuted as the host of NBC’s Triple Crown horse racing — covering the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes.
Tirico made his NBC Sports Group debut in July 2016 as host of NBC Sports’ live coverage of The Open from Royal Troon in Scotland. Shortly thereafter, he made his Olympics debut as host for NBC’s daytime coverage of Rio 2016. Also that fall, Tirico served as host of The Ryder Cup and NBC’s primetime coverage of the Breeders’ Cup World Championships.
Tirico joined NBC after 25 years at ESPN/ABC (1991-2016), where he established himself as a preeminent broadcaster on properties and events including Monday Night Football, The Open, The Masters, NBA, college football, college basketball, FIFA World Cup, and tennis’ U.S. Open and Wimbledon.
Congratulations to our very own AND and the rest of the 2022 Hall of Fame Class
Terry Adams has been involved with remote and sports production since 1973, but it is his work on the Olympic Games for NBC since 2000 that has put him at the center of key innovations and technical advances for big-time sports events. His efforts allowed NBC Olympics production efforts to become larger and more efficient while also embracing new technologies like HD, 4K and HDR, Dolby Atmos, remote workflows, IP, and more.
Terry cut his teeth for over 25 years as an EIC in mobile units. He worked in some of the biggest sports and entertainment shows and had a knack for executing big shows flawlessly. He also had a great eye for both picture and sound quality and never compromised either. He could get along with most any client and remained calm no matter how big the show, or how big the challenge. TA’s calm pragmatic way of solving problems is what allowed him to have such a long and successful career with the Olympic unit. In such a highly charged environment, with all the pressure that builds up on the two-year planning cycle, it can be overwhelming. But TA always handled it with ease and gave those around him a great sense of confidence.
David Mazza, Sports Broadcasting Hall of FamerI had the pleasure of working with Terry as a truck engineer-in-charge prior to our years together at NBC. He was magical and what every remote production person looks for is a smart and engaged technical leader who can see what the production people are trying to accomplish. They help the team do what is best for the show and Terry was a great truck EIC in his early years and later a great partner at NBC.
— Mike Sheehan, NBC OlympicsIt might be difficult for some to believe, but there was a time when television cameras used tubes and video recordings were made on 14-inch reels of twoinch-wide tape. TA wasn’t at the first Metropolitan Opera television broadcast in 1940, but he smoothed the transition from tubes to solid-state image sensors, from composite to component, and from analog to digital. And then, one day, just when I thought there was nothing left to change, he handed me a control that electronically changed a window from transparent to opaque. What a guy! There’s no one I’d rather have with me on a 40-hour remote day.
— Mark Schubin, Metropolitan OperaFor more on each of our Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame inductees, visit www.sportsbroadcastinghalloffame.org
Terry Bradshaw segued from playing in the NFL to broadcasting as a guest commentator for CBS Sports’ NFC postseason broadcasts (1980-82) before joining CBS Sports as an NFL game analyst in 1984. Beginning in 1990, he spent four seasons as a studio analyst on The NFL Today before joining Fox NFL Sunday and becoming a primary force in making the show America’s mostwatched NFL pregame program. His work on Fox NFL Sunday earned him Sports Emmy Awards in the Outstanding Sports Personality/Analyst category in 1999, 2001, and 2009.
To say that Terry Bradshaw is one-of-a-kind would be an understatement — TB was the FIRST of his kind. Before he went into the studio, analysts spoke only about Xs, Os, and game concepts. Bradshaw was the first to bring his personality to the table, and at the same time lay it all on the table. The fact that his humor was mixed with a human vulnerability made him totally different than anyone else on TV three decades ago. Many have sought to replicate it, but there’s only one TB.
— Curt Menefee, Fox SportsThe only piece of advice I was given by Fox executives when I arrived in January 1994 to set up Fox Sports was ‘don’t hire Terry Bradshaw’. Now, as an Australian out of London, I wouldn’t have known Terry Bradshaw if he stood up in my cornflakes... I knew exactly what I wanted for the Fox Sports pregame show, and I knew exactly the vibe. Because that show would be the Fox Sports brand. A game is a game is a game, but the attitude of the studio show defines who and what you are. And I knew that guy striding over the CBS studio floor was exactly who I wanted. To find out he was THE Terry Bradshaw was a bit of a shock — but he was also perfect. He defined attack, so then all I needed was defense and a coach and a traffic cop. And that begat Howie Long and then Jimmy Johnson, and then James Brown. But Terry was the spark — the perfect television personality — because with him you always expected the unexpected.
— David Hill, Sports Broadcasting Hall of Famer
The past 29 years and counting with Terry have been the ride of a lifetime professionally. Back in 1994 an unlikely friendship began, and I haven’t stopped laughing since. Terry is a throwback entertainer, in the same mold as Bob Hope and Milton Berle. Terry is at his happiest when he’s entertaining “America,” as he would say. He has redefined what the pregame show looks like. Many have tried to duplicate his genius, but my boy is 1 of 1, nobody has ever done it better. Congrats my friend, well deserved!
— Howie Long, Fox Sports
We at FOX Sports could not be prouder than to watch Terry Bradshaw be recognized among them. In fact, Terry was built for moments like these. We have a saying here that ‘FOX is Family’ and Terry is at the very heart and soul of that mantra — a true personification of everything this company represents.
— Eric Shanks, Fox Sports
For more on each of our Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame inductees, visit www.sportsbroadcastinghalloffame.org
Now the play-by-play voice of Monday Night Football for ESPN, Joe Buck’s career has been highlighted by calling NFL games since 1994 (including six Super Bowls), calling 24 World Series, 22 MLB All-Star games, five of golf’s U.S. Opens, and having hosted his own studio shows. Buck has been named the National Sports Media Association’s National Sportscaster of the Year four times, including three years in a row (2002-04, 2006).
[When we were starting FOX Sports,] I wanted young, fresh voices. I knew of Jack Buck by repute, and I’m a great believer in bloodlines. Even though Secretariat sired winners like Rising Star and Lady’s Secret, none of his progeny came close to emulating his remarkable career. So, it was with some trepidation that I [watched Joe’s] tape. Boom. This kid knew his stuff. His voice was butterscotch. Magnificent timbre, mellow but magisterial, good breath control, and — even more remarkable in someone of his age — his use of the pause was masterly.
— David Hill, Sports Broadcasting Hall of Famer
There aren’t many like Joe Buck. In my opinion, he’s the Curt Gowdy of this generation — doing it all from the Super Bowl, World Series, and U.S. Open to bass fishing, horse racing, and everything in between. His voice is synonymous with some of the biggest moments and brightest spotlights, entertaining without ever getting in the way of the story unfolding on our screens. An industrydefining broadcaster and exceptional person, I couldn’t think of anyone more fitting for this prestigious honor.
— Pete Macheska, FOX Sports
Joe is such an amazing talent and one of the greatest play-by-play guys in sports television. When you turned on a game on FOX and you heard his voice, you just knew it was a huge game and a big event. Joe has had some of the most iconic calls in the history of sports television. He has an incredible ability to know and understand the moment and when to make a call and when to just layout and let the pictures speak for themselves.
— Rich Russo, FOX Sports
For more on each of our Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame inductees, visit www.sportsbroadcastinghalloffame.org
Ken Aagaard, HOF Chairman
Michael Aagaard
Rick Abbott, TENFOLD
Adam Acone, NFL
Chip Adams, NBC Olympics
Fred Aldous, HOF
Ricky Anderson, PGA Tour Entertainment
Steve Anderson, HOF
Katina Arnold, ESPN
Mike Arnold, CBS Sports
Lance Barrow
Steve Beim, LIV Golf
Craig Bernstein, NBC Sports
Andrea Berry, Telemundo
David Berson, CBS
George Bodenheimer, HOF
Steve Bornstein, HOF
Onnie Bose, NFL
Tim Brosnan, PrimeSport
Chris Brown, WBD Sports
Garrett Brown, HOF
Harold Bryant, CBS Sports
Dick Button, HOF
Chris Calcinari, ESPN
Kevin Callahan, Fox Sports
Mary Carillo, HOF
Mary Ellen Carlyle, Dome Productions and HOF
Leonard Chapman, HOF
Brad Cheney, Fox Sports
Dennis Cleary, ESPN
Michael Cohen, United Soccer League
Jason Cohen, CBS Sports
Joseph Cohen, The Switch
Don Colantonio
Michael Connelly, Bally Sports
Christopher Connolly, NBC Sports
Rod Conti, Fox Sports
Greg Coppa, CBS Sports
Bruce Cornblatt, MLB
Rob Correa, CBS Sports
Bob Costas, HOF
Lou D’Ermillio
Michael Davies, Fox Sports
Scott Davis, CBS Sports
Jim Defillippis
Ed Delaney
Donna De Varona
Todd Donovan, NBC Sports
Jed Drake
Michael Drazin, NBC Sports
Stephanie Druley, ESPN
David Dukes, PGA
Dick Ebersol, HOF
John Entz
Drew Esocoff, NBC Sports
Patti Fallick, USTA
Craig Farrell
John Filippelli, YES Network and HOF
Davey Finch
Bob Fishman, HOF
Lee Fitting, ESPN
Sam Flood, NBC Sports
Michael Francis, CBS Sports
Jon Freedman, PGA Tour Entertainment
Woody Freiman, YES Network
Hugo Gaggioni, Sony and HOF
Rosa Gatti, ESPN
Fred Gaudelli, Amazon Prime Video and HOF
John Gonzalez
Steve Gorsuch
Ken Goss, NBC
Curt Gowdy, Jr., SNY
Mark Gross, ESPN
Mark Haden, NHL
Gordon Hall, Showtime
Eric Handler, YES Network
Rob Hedrick, NHL
Steve Hellmuth, NBA
David Hill, HOF
Barry Hogenaur
Stan Honey, HOF
Deb Honkus, NEP Group and HOF
George Hoover, HOF
Charlie Jablonski, NBC Sports
Evelyn Jackson, CBS Sports
Jeff Jacobs
Darryl Jefferson, NBC Olympics
Howard Katz, NFL and HOF
Artie Kempner, Fox Sports
Ken Kerschbaumer, Sports Video Group
Kevin Landy, USGA
Chris Laplaca, ESPN
Peter Larsson, BSI International and HOF
Mark Lazarus, NBC Universal
John Leland
Glen Levine, NEP Group
David Levy, The Raine Group
Louis Libin, Broadcomm
Mark Loomis, NBC Sports
Geoffrey Mason, HOF
David Mazza, NBC Olympics and HOF Mike McCarley
Rob McGlarry, MLB Network
Bill McKechney, F&F Productions
Sean McManus, CBS Sports and HOF
Tom McShane, CBS Sports
Mike Meehan, NBC Sports
Sarita Meinking, Fox Sports
John Miller
Steve Milton
Mike Muriano, NFL Jim Nantz, CBS Sports and HOF Grant Nodine, NHL Deanne O’Toole, CBS Sports George Orgera, F&F Productions and HOF Chuck Pagano, HOF
Phil Parlante
Dave Patterson
Tony Petitti
Neal Pilson, HOF
Patty Power, CBS Sports Mark Quenzel, NFL Jamie Reynolds, ESPN
Linda Rheinstein, Space Games Federation and HOF
Jimmy Roberts, NBC Sports John Roché, NEP Group and Hall of Famer
Larry Rogers, First In TV Mike Rokosa
Amy Rosenfeld, ESPN Tom Sahara, HOF
Jeremy Schaap, ESPN Ted Shaker
Eric Shanks, Fox Sports
Bruce Shapiro
Dave Shaw, NFL
John Skipper, Meadowlark Media
Jon Slobotkin, NBC Sports Regional Networks
Suzanne Smith, CBS Sports
Molly Solomon, NBC Olympics, Golf Channel Jerry Steinberg, HOF
Susan Stone, MLB Network
Garrett Sullivan, Game Creek Video Pat Sullivan, Game Creek Video and HOF
Larry Thorpe, HOF
Bob Toms, ESPN
Jacob Ullman, Fox Sports
Lesley Visser, HOF
Leslie Anne Wade
John A. Walsh, HOF
John Ward, Amazon Web Services
Mike Webb, YES Network
Eric Weinberg
Michael Weisman, HOF
Darrell Wenhardt, CBT
Mike Werteen, NEP Group
John Wildhack, Syracuse University
Ken Woo, HOF
Cathy Yancy, NFL
Gary Zenkel, NBC Olympics
Drew Esocoff, the director of NBC’s Sunday Night Football, is now in his 23rd season as the director for an NFL primetime game, and his 17th season directing SNF (he spent six years as director of MNF). A 19time Emmy Award winner, Esocoff has directed seven Super Bowls and has also directed NBC Sports’ Triple Crown horse racing coverage, including the two historic Triple Crown runs in 2015 and 2018.
Drew has the one trait every great director embodies: he’s always where he should be, when he’s supposed to be there. His shots are always the right shots editorially. He’s not off looking for the most cinematic shot; he’s serving the sports fan and giving them what they need to process what has happened.
— Fred Gaudelli, Sports Broadcasting Hall of FamerDrew Esocoff should go down in the annals of broadcasting history as the best sports-television director ever. If he doesn’t, it’s simply because he never tooted his own horn. All he did was go to work 1,000% prepared, bring his artistry to the table every single time, and gain the love and respect of every person he collaborated with. — Al Michaels, Sports Broadcasting Hall of Famer
Drew is an incredibly important part of what has made Sunday Night Football such a dominant success story. His ability as a director and leader has enhanced many NBC Sports events. He is a positive influence on our culture and in sharing his experience to teach others. He also happens to be a Hall of Fame person. It’s a privilege to be his colleague and his friend.
— Mark Lazarus, NBCUniversal Television and StreamingThere simply is nobody better. Often, when I plan to talk about someone, that person is on the screen before I utter their name. It is amazing. When big moments happen and it is up to Drew to paint the picture with multiple shots, I have learned the best thing that I can say is nothing. We just let Drew do his thing.
— Cris Collinsworth, NBC SportsBefore I met Drew, I knew his reputation as one of the best directors in television sports, but what surprised me when I started working with him was how humble, fun-loving, and unselfish he is. Everyone loves working with Drew because he is collaborative, respectful, and funny.
— Michele Tafoya, NBCSports
It is an honor to be on the same team as Drew Esocoff. He is one of the most talented people in our industry, and he is the rare person who can combine endless passion with an amazing and unflinching sense of calm, which sets the tone for all of those that are fortunate enough to work beside him.
— Pete Bevacqua, NBC SportsFor more on each of our Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame inductees, visit www.sportsbroadcastinghalloffame.org
Since becoming Commissioner of the National Football League in 2006, Roger Goodell has helped the NFL become the most important sports media entity in the nation and arguably the world. His numerous accomplishments include building solid relationships with media partners in both the traditional broadcast and digital space; keeping the league’s rights deals on the ascent; launching a new NFL West production facility; and continuing to drive international growth.
Bringing the NFL to Amazon Prime for Thursday Night Football was a forwardthinking, long-term investment that would not have been possible without Roger Goodell’s partnership and leadership. He had a strong vision for the opportunities of the rapidly-growing streaming market — and we’re thrilled with the results so far and excited about the future together. — Jeff Blackburn, Amazon
What’s amazing is that, under Roger Goodell, the NFL was able to play the entire 2020 season from start to finish without missing a game. That’s just a remarkable accomplishment.
— Howard Katz, Sports Broadcasting Hall of Famer
He was always candid and helpful, but you could never pry any of the league’s secrets from him. It was apparent that [former NFL Commissioners and Sports Broadcasting Hall of Famers] Pete [Rozelle] and, later, Paul Tagliabue had enormous confidence in Roger, and his stature within the league and with the owners continued to grow. —Neal Pilson, Sports Broadcasting Hall of Famer
The first thing that hit me when I started working with the NFL in 1994 was that it was unlike any sporting body I had worked with anywhere else in the world. They were all bloody smart! And there was Roger Goodell, who always carried himself with an air of authority. In conversations, he never said much, but what he did say inevitably got to the heart of the matter.
— David Hill, Sports Broadcasting Hall of Famer
For more on each of our Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame inductees, visit www.sportsbroadcastinghalloffame.org
ON YOUR INDUCTION INTO THE YOUR FRIENDS AND COLLEAGUES AT
Ross Greenburg redefined and reinvigorated the genre of sports documentaries during a 33-year career at HBO. He served as VP and Executive Producer of HBO Sports from 19851990, SVP and Executive Producer from 19902000, and then President of HBO Sports from 2000-2011. Greenburg has won more than 100 major television sports awards including eight Peabody Awards, 56 Sports Emmys, 21 Cable ACE awards, 12 Cine Golden Eagles Awards, and five Monitor Awards from the Video Tape Production Association.
Under Ross’s leadership, HBO Sports became the gold standard in sports television, comprised of groundbreaking, smart, thought-provoking programming, which was a biproduct of the value Ross put on journalism, storytelling with an emphasis on high-quality productions... I don’t believe there has ever been a department at HBO that was as close and collaborative than the men and women who comprised HBO Sports, which is reflective of Ross, as one of the most genuine and innovative executives in sports television.
The depth and quality of the programming Ross Greenburg created and oversaw at HBO Sports remains the gold standard.
— Bob Costas, Sports Broadcasting Hall of Famer
Ross Greenburg popularized sports documentaries and reshaped an entire genre with his own unique approach and vision. He’s a master storyteller and one of the industry’s most influential producers.
— Adam Silver, NBA
I have been at HBO Sports for more than 25 years, and it has been the finest work experience of my life. Ross’ sense of story, his understanding of the athletic heart, and his commitment to inclusion are only some of the reasons he’s being inducted tonight... but they’re my favorite reasons. Congratulations, Ross.
— Mary Carillo, Sports Broadcasting Hall of Famer
For more than 40 years, Ross has proven his abilities from both a creative and management standpoint. The high quality of his work has been clearly evident and his impact on the industry is enormous. His legacy will be pure excellence both personally and professionally.
— Sean McManus, Sports Broadcasting Hall of Famer
I am forever indebted to Ross Greenburg for the significant role he played in my broadcasting career. Ross is a superb teacher who welcomed a collaborative approach in shaping a story, sharpening journalistic skills, insight, and presentation. He was effective because he is, himself, a journalist at heart.
— James Brown, Sports Broadcasting Hall of Famer
For more on each of our Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame inductees, visit www.sportsbroadcastinghalloffame.org
Manolo Romero helped define the concept of a host broadcaster and Olympic Broadcast Services (OBS) during a career that spanned more than 20 years and 10 Olympic Games.
He began his Olympic career in 1968 at the Mexico City Games and in the 1992 Barcelona Games headed up broadcast operations for the first time. And as each Olympics grew in technical complexity, he helped make formats like HDTV or stereo (or even color TV) popular on a global scale.
Manolo had to all but invent the host broadcast concept back in 1984 for ABC in Los Angeles and then in reality in 1992 in Barcelona. He is the driving force behind modern Olympic coverage.
— David Mazza, Sports Broadcasting Hall of Famer
He was in charge of the whole operation and host broadcaster organization and I found his feed to be exceptional, like everything that he produced.
— Terry Ewert, NBC Olympics and Atlanta Olympic Broadcasting
The Olympic Games in the years since Manolo and OBS took over stands as a permanent legacy to his brilliance. He truly is a giant.
— David Hill, Sports Broadcasting Hall of Famer
He brought the Olympics to viewers around the world in ways that were never seen before and in ways that could only be imagined. The organization he built was extraordinary.
— Peter Diamond, NBC Olympics
His work ethic, his total commitment, his human warmth, and the capacity to solve problems and deliver today while constantly thinking of new ways of improving the experience for viewers are the measure by which I evaluate myself and our team every single day.
— Yiannis Exarchos, Olympic Broadcasting Services (OBS)
Attention to every detail is just one of the many lessons that Manolo taught those of us who worked for him. He demanded that we perform as well as the athletes and, in many ways, we were his Olympians.
— Tom Sahara, Sports Broadcasting Hall of Famer
We all learned from him and we still implement the concepts that he set and defined. — Sotiris Salamouris, Olympic Broadcasting Services (OBS)
For more on each of our Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame inductees, visit www.sportsbroadcastinghalloffame.org
During her 40-year career as a camera operator and technical innovator, Deena Sheldon has done it all. Her resume includes nine Sports Emmy Awards, 12 Super Bowls, 17 Daytona 500s, 17 Indy 500s, 24 Kentucky Derby and Triple Crown races, six U.S. Open tennis championships, three Olympics, and 11 years shooting Monday Night Football and 12 shooting Sunday Night Football. As co-VP of the Sports and Entertainment Division of the Cameron | Pace Group, she was a 3D Producer and operator on eight 3D Concert and Feature Films.
Deena has been well known for her camera expertise for years, but what really stands out about her in my mind is her ability to innovate new types of camera systems that have been able to enhance sports broadcasts.
— Ken Aagaard, Sports Broadcasting Hall of Famer
A simple listing of the events Deena has covered over her long career in sports TVis impressive enough and speaks to her mastery of her craft. What that list would not reflect is Deena’s endearing personality. Deena is not only great at what she does, she is simply one of the nicest people I have ever worked with.
— Bob Costas, Sports Broadcasting Hall of Famer
Deena prepared like a coach, talent, or producer. Knew every nuance of all the subject matter, whether it was for a football game, or a horse race. She is the consummate pro. — Drew Esocoff, Sports Broadcasting Hall of Famer
Deena is one of the most prepared and sports knowledgeable camera operators
I’ve ever worked with. Her ability to identify players, coaches, general managers, owners, and wives is unparalleled. Her ability to get those shots prior to being asked is part of what separated her as a member of the crew. Her devotion to making the show great was on display for all to see just by observing her work.
— Fred Gaudelli, Sports Broadcasting Hall of Famer
Deena’s extraordinary talent behind the camera has no doubt earned her this incredible, well-deserved honor. In the trenches she was always a step ahead creating the right shots at the right moment. Capturing the big action down to the smallest, impactful, emotional details. She always had the shot.
— Roger Goodman, Longtime ABC Sports & News Director
Deena took pride in learning the nuance of each sport, which allowed her to be smart visually and react in an instant — a trait needed in ‘live’ sports television. This energy towards understanding the most detailed parts of the game always put her in position to be where she needed to be to help us tell the story.
— Craig Janoff, Longtime ABC Sports & News Director
Deena Sheldon is built for this job, mentally, physically, and professionally. Have you ever seen her high beam smile right before she goes into the middle of a post game scrum to get the perfect shot? She’s enormously talented, people love her, and she gets the job done. — Lesley Visser, Sports Broadcasting Hall of Famer
For more on each of our Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame inductees, visit www.sportsbroadcastinghalloffame.org
Darrell Wenhardt, currently principal consultant at CBT West, played a major role in bringing together countless opinions and created the workspaces and workflows that have been crucial to the sports broadcast industry for nearly five decades. His understanding of technical workflows and how to apply them to new facilities helped improve the quality of sports production in countless ways.
His knowledge of the broadcast technology needed in this type of facility is truly world-class and he has been an integral part of every conversation. Simply put, we would not have been able to pull it off without his expertise and wisdom. He has great attention to detail and is equally comfortable talking about any part of the project, ranging from the broad financials to the detailed technical specifications of a piece of equipment. And he is whip smart, humble, and easy to work with. It’s been an honor to work with him on such an important and visible project for the PGA TOUR.
I first met Darrell in the early ’80s when I was at NBC and needed a truck built in a very short time frame for golf and was fortunate to have found Centro, a company he had founded, to figure out how to do the impossible. Darrell’s ingenuity in pre-building the guts to the truck in his shop and sliding it into the truck that was completed only weeks before we needed it, was sheer brilliance. Especially when it worked, and we used the truck for multiple years to come.
His innovation and implementation of the Ball Park Cam system was truly a game changer for MLBN. The system connected us to every team and allowed us to show images from every ballpark at any time with a simple toggle on a controller in our control room. We conducted thousands of interviews with players, managers and coaches. Darrell’s vision and his execution were flawless.
— Tony Petitti, MLB NetworkFor more on each of our Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame inductees, visit www.sportsbroadcastinghalloffame.org
What do the NFL Network, the MLB Network, KABC Los Angeles, and WMAQ Chicago, and the PGA TOUR’s new production facility (set to open in 2025) all have in common?