Fairfield University received the Sony Award for Best Live Game or Event for its production of its January 30, 2010 men’s basketball contest versus Rider University, as announced at the 2010 College Sports Media Awards (CSMA) in Atlanta, Ga. on Tuesday.
“This award is a tribute to the hard work, dedication, and vision of numerous people,” said Fairfield University Director of Athletics Gene Doris. “The collaborative effort of faculty, staff and students in putting together an award winning production is a testament to the success of the University’s hands-on approach to its Living and Learning strategic plan. I look forward to the continued success of our television productions in the coming years.”
Among other honorees announced at the College Sports Video Summit were CBS Sports for its production of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship Game between Butler and Duke and ESPN for its promotional campaign for the College Baseball World Series.
“We are excited for the entire crew,” said Casey Timmeny, External Projects Producer in the University Media Center, who produced and directed the game. “A lot of effort was put into this production and it is an honor to be recognized for that effort at the national level.”
The Fairfield University media center produced the Fairfield-Rider men's basketball game, which aired live on My9 Channel 59 throughout the state of Connecticut. The production included full-time media center staff as well as Fairfield University students.
Eight to 12 students have roles in the game-day productions, and some former students return because they enjoy helping out. The crew arrives seven hours before the game tips off, so that they can set up and test the equipment and signal in order to work out any problems that may occur.
The students are also involved in the planning and preparation for the game-day telecast. They help develop the story lines, shoot footage for pre-game packages, and develop graphics that are shown throughout the broadcast.
The awards recognize excellence in video production at all levels of college athletics. The University of Arkansas, New Mexico State University, and Texas A & M University were also nominated in the category. Fairfield also received a nomination in the Special Feature category, which was won by the University of Oregon 2009 Football Season Highlight video, which received the 2010 College Sports Video of the Year Award.
