It's Nov. 20, 2021, and there are 11 seconds left in the first half of the Utah vs. Oregon football game. Britain Covey receives the punt and quickly outmaneuvers three defenders. He sprints to the east sideline and tiptoes the boundary with blockers clearing a perfect path to the end zone. The building starts to shake, and everyone knows exactly what is happening: touchdown!
If you were there, it was a moment you'll never forget. But even if you were watching from home, the meaning and raw emotion were the same. The process of taking these moments and turning them into live content involves specialized equipment and experts with years of experience. When Covey returned this punt in 2021, effectively delivering a dagger to the heart of a highly ranked Oregon team's season, the production oversight and storytelling for all Utah Athletics sports took place externally, not at the U. But now things have changed.
When the University of Utah joined the Big 12 in 2024, it assumed responsibility for producing every ESPN+ broadcast that was not selected for a linear network - as many as 120 broadcasts each year. This marked a massive shift in how productions were handled. Initially, the university partnered with a mobile production company that stationed a dedicated production truck outside sporting venues to meet the immediate need. While the partnership was highly successful, it was always intended as a temporary solution.
Recognizing the need to modernize its production capabilities, Utah Athletics created a new branch called Utes Productions, dedicated to delivering content to viewers in Utah, across the United States and around the world.
The program brought together a team of seasoned broadcast professionals, along with leadership from the Department of Communication, the College of Humanities and Auxiliary Services, to create a new state-of-the-art production studio in the Language & Communication Building (LNCO), where live ESPN+ broadcasts and Utah Athletics stories will be produced.
The core Utes Productions team is packed with broadcast veterans. Bill Riley, the "voice of the Utes," spent 32 years in radio and television before joining the University of Utah full time in 2024. Charmelle Green, who played softball for the U and is enshrined in the Utah Softball Hall of Fame, came to Utah from Penn State to apply her years of athletics management experience as chief operating officer for Utah Athletics. When the production initiative emerged, she eagerly stepped in to lead it. On the control room side, the university turned to Aaron Jester, assistant AD of broadcast operations, who brought 15 years of technical broadcast experience, and Zach Blaine, director of broadcast productions, whose background includes camera operation, directing and producing.
"We're very much aligned in what the possibilities are for this project," Green said.
Utah now has full control over broadcasts produced in-state rather than hundreds of miles away. One advantage of the ESPN platform is that ESPN+ broadcasts remain archived for 30 days, allowing fans who miss a live event to watch it later. The university also has the opportunity to create unique shoulder programming-content produced outside the games themselves that tells the stories of players and coaches away from the field. Utah stories made in Utah.
When live broadcasts break for commercials, Utah controls that content as well. Those moments provide opportunities to highlight local businesses and university partners while also telling the story of the U through research, school spirit and student success.
The studio will benefit more than viewers. It will also create opportunities for students to gain hands-on experience working in a professional broadcast environment.
"The studio, along with its seasoned staff and our industry-engaged faculty, brings a world-class experience for our students," said Avery Holton, chair of the Department of Communication. "Students within Communication and across campus will have opportunities for hands-on courses using industry-leading technology every day. Combined with new internships that broadcast their work to a national audience, these experiences prepare students for immediate entry into highly sought-after careers in production, media technology and immersive media."
Utes Productions is partnering with the department to create internships and experiential learning opportunities. Riley was a journalism major, and as a student he had to work hard to find opportunities outside the classroom. The new program represents a dramatic improvement over his experience.
"The most important part of our business," Riley said, "is the hands-on experience that you can get … within our walls, within our place. You don't have to go to Channel 5 or Channel 2 or Channel 13 or someplace like that to get hands-on experience-you can do it right here."
The initial phase of the project focuses on completing the studio's control rooms, production rooms, podcast bays and other advanced spaces. The planned completion date is August. Phase two will introduce a mirror-learning studio where students can produce their own broadcasts alongside the professional ESPN+ productions created by the Utes Productions team.
Enrollment in the Department of Communication has nearly doubled since 2021, making it the fourth largest among the nation's 261 communication programs. The vast majority of students concentrate in journalism and strategic communication, both of which are increasingly shaped by digital production and storytelling. During a period of rapid growth, the new studio will provide practical experience that directly translates to today's media landscape.
When broadcasting live sports, things can go wrong. To identify and resolve issues before they affect a broadcast, the production team uses AI technologies for predictive maintenance and dynamic bandwidth allocation. But when it comes to scriptwriting, filming and editing, the creative work remains in human hands.
"AI still has a lot to learn about how to artfully produce a broadcast," Jester said.
As a member of the Big 12, Utah must produce between 100 and 120 live broadcasts each year, covering sports from volleyball and lacrosse to gymnastics, all while meeting ESPN+ production standards. The project also advances U president Randall's vision for a more interconnected campus by creating a centralized production hub that brings together communication students, student-athletes and Utah Athletics.
Now, after every big play, the magic of the moment won't be diluted. It will be enhanced by a team that is as passionate about the Utes off the field as it is on it.
