Team Player: Cassidy Hubbarth and Steve Hodolitz
ESPN+ NBA Crosscourt co-host Hubbarth on her senior producer Hodolitz: "We are trying to give viewers a different look and feel to our everyday NBA content, and Hodo is a critical part of accomplishing that goal. He makes our shows sing with fast-paced, entertaining, and smooth edits."
In the latest installment of Front Row’s “Team Player” series — where an ESPN commentator selects a behind-the-scenes colleague to spotlight – ESPN NBA host and reporter Cassidy Hubbarth is highlighting Steve Hodolitz, senior digital video/social producer.
One of ESPN’s most recognizable NBA voices, Hubbarth has proven to be a tremendous colleague who regularly seeks opportunities to shine a light on others. This is Hubbarth’s third “Team Player” selection.
At the start of the current NBA season, ESPN launched NBA Crosscourt, the first dedicated NBA-branded show on ESPN+, ensuring that there is now more NBA content on more ESPN platforms than ever. Hubbarth co-hosts with Rosalyn Gold-Onwude, and a variety of ESPN NBA commentators join the duo. Hodolitz plays a critical role in producing the show.
When did you first work with Hodolitz, and how has that collaboration evolved?
I’ve worked with Hodo since I started at ESPN in 2010. First, we collaborated on several digital segments in the basement of Building 4 on the Bristol, Conn., campus. Even then, I was blown away by his creativity, original viewpoints, and overall talent. Now, working with him on NBA Crosscourt, that appreciation has grown, as has his talent.
We are trying to give viewers a different look and feel to our everyday NBA content, and Hodo is a critical part of accomplishing that goal. He makes our shows sing with fast-paced, entertaining, and smooth edits. He truly is a wizard behind the computer. I’ve seen it for years, and I’m so thankful to have him on our team.
What makes Hodolitz critical to the success of NBA Crosscourt?
Hodo has incredible instincts, which shows in how he produces the segments on NBA Crosscourt. We know if Hodo gets behind an edit, it’s going to come out amazing, and it’s exciting to know you have someone you can just trust to turn our segments into magic. Our show takes on a lot of different looks, and a lot of different talent are involved, but his touch and the pace of the edits draw a nice thread throughout the show. That is at the core of what we are trying to accomplish.
How does Hodolitz help you perform to the best of your ability?
He knows how to bring the best out of segments and, in doing so, helps put the talent in the best positions to succeed. He’s also such a creative and knowledgeable sports fan that he makes it easy to collaborate on ideas and help take them to the next level.
“I’ve been working with Cass on and off since she joined ESPN in 2010. Her easy-going demeanor and sense of humor made her a perfect fit for a Digital Media department that was constantly evolving. She’s always had a willingness not just to dive into something new or different but to do it with passion. She is a true teammate, bringing her own ideas to the table while working towards the collective vision of the group. That was true 12 years ago, and it is still true today as we work to develop NBA Crosscourt into a unique show built for a new generation of NBA fans.”
For more on NBA Crosscourt, visit ESPN Pressroom
