By Nate Sanchez
Senior Columnist
For spectators and fans, Cal State Bakersfield’s sporting events are an exciting and affordable (and often disappointing) way to spend two to three hours on any given afternoon. For CSUB’s athletic communication department, those three hours translates to nine hours of non-stop work.
I followed CSUB’s Sports Information Director Matt Turk and Assistant Sports Information Director Isaac Comelli for Thursday’s women’s basketball game and got a newfound appreciation for the work that goes into the production of a single basketball game.
I entered the Sports Information office at 4:45, two and a half hours before game time. Matt and Isaac already had boxes of gear in their arms, ready to go.
“The longest I’ve ever worked in a day is 16 hours,“ Turk said. “A typical basketball day is around 12 hours.”
The people behind the production reminded me of The A-Team. Everyone in the building had a specialty and a task, the execution of which was crucial to the mission. Thursday’s mission: produce the game in which Tyonna Outland would become CSUB’s all-time points leader for women’s basketball.
“When we head over to the Icardo Center, we bring a printer, a spare ream of paper and an equipment bag with an extension cord and two power strips,” Turk said. “We have to be prepared for everything.”
Turk and Comelli went to work setting up the media table, which included making places for all the expected media outlets and setting up the instant replay system and game cameras, one of which was awkwardly pointed at the bleachers.
“We can’t remotely control any of the cameras,” Comelli said. “So in this case, we have to get someone on a ladder and move it by hand while I keep an eye on the monitor to make sure we’ve got it in the right place.”
Next for the team was the meeting with the officiating crew. From the gym, Comelli, the media table crew and I made our way to the officiating crew’s locker room, where they were briefed on the technical details of the instant replay system and hand signals. On top of all those responsibilities, Turk and Comelli take on duties of hospitality.
“We can’t control everything,” Turk said. “The one thing we can control is how we treat people. That’s how I learned it from my mentors and that’s what I’d like to pass on to Isaac.”
During the game, Turk and Comelli didn’t have time to look up. Whatever isn’t happening on the court, is in their hands. Outland reached her career milestone, while pictures and videos went up on the display screen without a hitch.
Afterword, Turk escorted Outland, Alyssa Shannon and Coach Greg McCall into the Icardo room where the media was waiting for interviews.
Mission accomplished.
“This is when we have to go into writer mode,” Turk said. “It’s the most hectic time for me since I have to get the players into the interview rooms and get my quotes and head back to the office and write my game recaps.”
On our way back to the office, I could tell Turk was pleased with the outcome. Then he quoted Hannibal, leader of The A-Team.
“I love it when a plan comes together.”
Before last Thursday, the extent of my knowledge of their duties didn’t go beyond a response from an email letting them know I’d be there to cover a game. I walked out of that office with a new appreciation for the all the work that goes into a single game.
“Matt knows the day-to-day stuff in and out,” Assistant Athletic Director of Communications Corey Costelloe said. “You could ask him anything and he could rattle it off the top of his head. Everyone wants stats, so having someone like him is key.”
