Jed Drake - Emerging Technology Consultant & Former ESPN SVP & Executive Producer
0:00 - Episode #38 Introduction
1:20 - Introduction to Jed Drake and how he started in broadcast television, first as a local reporter covering the Lake Placid Olympics in 1980.
5:38 - Jed reconciling his Olympic coverage with Roone Arledge
7:05 - When Jed joined ESPN as a production assistant
10:35 - Working the early days at ESPN and how he got opportunities with a start up sports network.
12:40 - What the most fun working at ESPN was for Jed.
14:00 - What makes people standout in a producer role and how the producer has to have confidence in the thousands of decisions they need to make.
16:05 - What some of the announcers are like at ESPN with Chris Berman and Mike Tirico stories.
19:40 - Announcers’ commentary must be dynamic.
20:25 - How personality was a core part of ESPN’s growth and how John Walsh told Jed to “hire intelligence.”
23:00 - Where Jed has had the most impact with the 2014 and 2016 FIFA World Cups.
27:45 - How ESPN’s executive team decides on what budget to allocate to big sporting events.
30:20 - What the date, September 27, 1998 means to Jed - debut of First-And Ten Line.
33:10 - NFL Network’s program Amazing Technology! With technology developments from scratch, Jed talks about believing in what you are doing to continue it and the team that works on those innovations.
37:20 - Mike Patrick’s iconic words introducing the First-And-Ten line and what Jed’s state of mind prior to and after the first airing.
42:00 - How the K-Zone came to be at ESPN behind Jed’s idea.
47:45 - Did the success of these game innovations influence ESPN’s technology group.
49:55 - How the Pylon Cam had to be cleared by the NFL for use on games.
54:00 - How the Ed Placey pitched the Blue Line was added to broadcasts and how those who reported to Jed were encouraged to pitch new ideas.
57:55 - What Jed Drake & Associates does in broadcast television.
59:15 - What Jed is doing with C360 and Cosm.
1:03:30 - What products C360 has and what they do and how sports data will provide new avenues for sports coverage.
1:09:30 - Where Jed sees broadcasting in the next five years (recorded August 18, 2023)
1:13:10 - How the end user may have control over the content they watch.
1:14:50 - What Jed’s favorite sports movie is.
1:15:40 - What sports memento or credential is most special to Jed.
1:17:45 - What advice Jed has for someone who wants to get into sports broadcasting.
1:21:00 - Episode Wrap Up
Video Episode: https://www.youtube.com/@SportsMaking
