EJ's Game Plan

Steve also brings thoughtfulness to his broadcasting and to his Game Plan interview. When asked what to avoid on-air, he mentions he never uses war references in reporting (“Throwing a bomb”). He mentions that when covering the Little League World Series he will never name the young athletes that make mistakes. These are small gestures rooted in understanding the impact the media industry has, and they say a lot about the character that Steve Levy is.

SportsCenter’s late-night host brings his characteristic humor and brevity to the Game Plan, but don’t think that means there’s any shortage of advice. SVP echos other guests who stress the importance of writing for broadcasters and working to earn the respect of colleagues. But he does not shy away from championing the untraditional routes — both his own experience “getting terrible grades” and peers such as Big Cat and PFTCommenter who found space in digital media.

Allie LaForce’s sideline expertise is applicable anywhere in sports media — do research outside of what’s obvious, or what you think you might need. Every bit of prepwork you do can lead to a new story idea. Even if you’re not a reporter, LaForce says robust preparation makes you ready to contribute to a team.

Emmy award-winning sportscaster James Brown, who you may know as J.B. on NFL Today, has become one of the biggest names covering the NFL. In his session, J.B.’s talks about broadcast fundamentals, preparing for play-by-play, and how to handle teleprompter malfunctions.

Jon Weiner, known professionally as Stugotz, hosts the incredibly successful Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz. Stugotz’s interview for the Game Plan is as fast-moving and fun as it is informative. He talks about getting started in radio, how luck helps you grow, botching on-air questions, and having an employer that will give you time to find your footing.

Turner Sports announcer, Brian Anderson, joins EJ's Game Plan. Stressing authenticity, especially for broadcasters, he claims that finding your own voice is integral. Brian Anderson also talks about doing the day-to-day work necessary to be great, managing others’ expectations, and much more.

Missouri, Michigan, Mississippi, Montana: Matt Winer has been all over. He’s covered news and sports, been at ESPN, and he now works at NBATV with Turner Sports in Atlanta. In his livestream conversation from March 27, 2020 Matt talks about his career as a sports journalist and moving across all those cities and news organizations. He gives valuable insight into what skills journalists need, how to get started in media, and what to do if you keep getting rejected for a lack of experience.

Sportswriter and broadcaster Seth Davis joins EJ's Game Plan to answer viewers' questions and give his take on sports journalism.

“The greatest joy I had in journalism classes was when our professors would bring in people who were actually doing what I wanted to do for a living.” Ernie Johnson wants to give more people the opportunity to experience those informational days.