20 Super Bowls and Counting! Mike Leonard talks leading ESPN’s worldwide Super Bowl production

“There have been plenty of memorable moments – like watching crews clear ice off AT&T Stadium in Dallas before kickoff – but what stands out most are the relationships built along the way. Working with colleagues across our company and partners at the NFL toward a shared goal of delivering the best possible coverage is what I’m truly most proud of.” – Mike Leonard, Coordinating Producer, ESPN.

Ahead of Super Bowl LX, Mike Leonard, coordinating producer for ESPN Deportes and ESPN International talked to us about leading production in Santa Clara and San Francisco.

Walk us through the scope of ESPN’s international coverage of Super Bowl LX.

This year’s Super Bowl LX presents one of our most complex logistical challenges. With the game in Santa Clara and most of our coverage based in San Francisco, our teams need to seamlessly operate across both locations from the arrival of the NFC Champion Seahawks and AFC Champion Patriots through the final whistle. We’ve set up a stage near the U.S. set at Bierman Park, have a strong presence on Radio Row, and a scenic position overlooking the stadium, all while capturing dynamic content throughout the city. Plus, we’re coordinating multiple crews on the ground for content that will reach distinct audiences across Spanish-speaking Latin America, Brazil, and Australia and New Zealand.

This is your 20th Super Bowl. What are you most proud of on the journey to date?

It’s incredible to believe this is my 20th Super Bowl. My first was Super Bowl XXX in Arizona, and I’ve been part of ever Super Bowl since 2012. There have been plenty of memorable moments—like watching crews clear ice off AT&T Stadium in Dallas before kickoff—but what stands out most are the relationships built along the way. Working with colleagues across our company and partners at the NFL toward a shared goal of delivering the best possible coverage is what I’m truly proud of.

What are some of the challenges in producing an event of this scale and magnitude multiple audiences?

One of the main challenges is ensuring that every team has what they need to do their best work. With so many groups involved—assignment desk, talent, production coordinators, our Mexico and Bristol teams, operations, and more—there’s extensive planning to get everyone aligned. But that’s also the most rewarding part: seeing all these teams come together, fully equipped, and continuously delivering content that elevates our coverage day in and day out.

How has ESPN’s international coverage evolved over the past two decades from a production point of view?

It’s been amazing to see the growth over the past 20 years. Strong collaboration with our domestic ESPN team has elevated our production, allowing us to lean in on shared resources throughout the week and on game day.

What began as SportsCenter segments and reports from site has grown into a full Monday to Sunday slate of shows, around-the-clock reports, and comprehensive coverage reaching fans in over 134 countries and territories, and as the NFL continues to expand internationally, it’s been rewarding to see the role ESPN’s coverage has played in introducing more fans around the world to the game of football.