Teamwork behind the mic: How collaboration made the Vitale-Barkley broadcast a night to remember
When two iconic voices like Dick Vitale and Charles Barkley come together to call a game, the spotlight naturally shines on the talent behind the microphones. But it takes much more than just the on-air voices to bring the moment to life.
We caught up with VP, college basketball production and Saturday’s lead game producer Alex Farmartino to discuss how teamwork and preparation led to a night Dick called “one of the happiest moments of my ESPN career.”
What does preparation look like for a game featuring two personalities as iconic as Dick and Charles?
The prep for this game and the approach to it really was unique because they were a part of the story on this day. We wanted to develop a strategy that had the two of them comfortable with how we were showcasing the fact that they were going to be together and have the crew ready to support that, while still covering the game. That was our goal.
How do you balance letting them be themselves while still serving the game and the viewer?
I give a lot of credit to play-by-play voice Dave O’Brien for that. He was air traffic control. We knew Dick and Charles were going to cover a lot of topics and it was the job of OB and us in the truck to always be steering back to the game when it was required. We knew we weren’t going to have control over the conversation between Dick and Charles in the way you would in a traditional game and we were happy to ride the wave as best we could throughout the game.
What was your favorite moment of the broadcast?
There are a couple that stand out. Savannah Daly, our content associate, did a great job of finding some footage of a game of Charles from the 80’s that Dick had called. And to be able to show that video and allow them to listen and reminisce about how long they’ve been in each other’s lives — it made that moment coming together on air as broadcasters even more impactful. And Dick leaned over and gave Charles a kiss on the head and on what was a very entertaining night, that was a sincere moment that captured the excitement.
Charles donating to the V Foundation live on air was another special moment. I loved the idea that our director Mike Griffin had to print out fat heads of Charles and Dick with their famous phrases. We used those shots to add a special seasoning to the show. It’s a real credit to the entire team that we were able to make the night look and feel as special as it truly was.
