Forward/Rewind: Soccer

1Screen shot 2013-12-26 at 11.28.04 AMEditor’s Note: With this multi-week series — the Front Row Forward/Rewind, 2014/2013 — ESPN’s Communications Department takes the pulse of content executives throughout ESPN for their views on what’s ahead across ESPN for 2014 and some of what transpired in 2013. The snapshots provide a look at where ESPN has been, where it’s going and how it plans on getting there.



SOCCER

Amy Rosenfeld, coordinating producer

Amy Rosenfeld
Amy Rosenfeld

What was the best example of your unit’s teamwork from 2013?
March 22, the FIFA World Cup qualifier between the United States and Costa Rica in Commerce City, Colo.: About an hour to air the stadium operations folks tell us our host set position needs to move due to high wind danger for the tent structure protecting [host] Bob Ley, [and analysts] Alexi Lalas and Kasey Keller from the impending snow forecasted for the evening. Every member of our tech crew immediately mobilized without hesitation to move the entire studio about 20 yards from its original position. The match was played in a complete blizzard, and not one individual either in front of or behind the camera ever complained. It was a terrific show (and result for the USA), and Bob Ley proved once again to be impervious to the elements.

What was the “most social” moment of 2013?
The ESPN soccer on-air crew are big social media participants so there were many choices, but in mid-December US Soccer announced they would be presenting their all-time best XI players (men and women). [ESPN analyst] Julie Foudy provided her best XI on ESPN FC on TV; via Twitter, [U.S. Women’s National Team goalie] Hope Solo took exception with Julie’s choices, Foudy countered. . . and then [ESPN analyst] Alexi Lalas chimed in for good measure with a classic Lalas tweak. I was reading this on a plane before takeoff, laughed out loud and suddenly my iPad was being passed around Row 12 and 13 (soccer fans are everywhere).

What element from another ESPN production unit resonated with you most in 2013 and why?
I thought ESPN’s coverage of the Open Championship with [Phil] Mickelson shooting a final-round 66 to win was simply spectacular. I rarely watch golf on television, but I found the production interesting, informative and compelling for someone like me who knows little about golf.

What excites you most about using ESPN’s new digital center (DC2) in 2014?
Options! There was little to no room left at the DC1 inn – the ability to showcase soccer in the new tech palace is exciting.

Forward/Rewind logo by Samantha Baron

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