Newhouse prepares for “sports week”

Wednesday, April 23, 2003, By News Staff

Newhouse prepares for “sports week”April 23, 2003Nicci Brownnicbrown@syr.edu

The S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications is enjoying a sports broadcast trifecta this week with visits from three of the nation’s leaders in the field of televised athletics. Ed Goren ’66, president of Fox Sports; George Bodenheimer, president of ABC/ESPN Sports; and Bob Costas ’74, NBC broadcaster, will be on campus to meet with students and answer questions about the business-and art-of sports broadcasting.

Bodenheimer, who will be on campus on April 24, will be accompanied by Fred Dressler ’63, executive vice president of Time Warner Cable; and Bob Miron ’59, chairman and CEO of Advance/Newhouse Communications. The visit will culminate with a question and answer session to be held at 4 p.m. in Studio B of the Newhouse II building. The presentation, which will be moderated by Bud Carey, visiting professor in television-radio-film, is titled “Is Sports on Cable Good for Democracy?” It is free and open to the public.

Costas will speak from 1:00-2:30 p.m. April 26 in Studio A of the Newhouse II building. This event will also be free and open to the public. An Emmy Award winner, Costas has hosted U.S. broadcasts of nearly every kind of major sporting event, including numerous Major League Baseball World Series, National Football League Super Bowls and National Basketball Association Championships, as well as the Olympic Games. Costas was awarded the University’s highest alumni award-the Arents Pioneer Medal-in 2001. Each year he sponsors scholarships awarded to top graduating seniors with an interest in sports broadcasting.

Goren’s visit, which was on April 23, included a question and answer lunch attended by 35 students.

The Newhouse School is recognized nationally for its track record of producing “big names” in sports broadcasting. For decades the school has attracted students passionate about the vocation. In addition to Costas, sportscasters who have come from the Newhouse fold include Marty Glickman ’39 and Mike Tirico ’88.