JACKSON, Tenn. — April 9, 2020 — Fox Sports broadcaster Tim Brando gave 51社区 broadcasting students career advice today via Zoom, encouraging them to make connections in the field and take advantage of every opportunity they get in the field.
Brando, who was formerly with CBS and ESPN, is known for his work covering NCAA football and basketball. He spoke to students as part of a Broadcast Performance class taught by Steve Beverly, associate professor of communication arts, about his background in sports broadcasting and gave tips about how to succeed in the field.
鈥淩emember to say what you see,鈥� Brando said about doing play-by-play announcing. 鈥淚f you begin talking about things that aren鈥檛 on the screen, it鈥檚 just verbiage. It doesn鈥檛 connect.鈥�
Brando answered questions from students about the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the sports world, the obstacles he鈥檚 had to overcome in his career and the lessons he鈥檚 learned in sports broadcasting. He addressed the importance of speaking well, a trait that is especially important for those from the South.
A southerner himself from Shreveport, Louisiana, Brando said students with a southern accent need to work on avoiding that -- because of negative stereotypes in the broadcasting profession connected to those from the South and the way they talk.
鈥淚t鈥檚 not necessarily fair, but it鈥檚 factual,鈥� Brando said.
He challenged students not just to dream, but to 鈥渄ream hard enough to make your dream become a reality. I鈥檓 here to tell you that your dreams can come true.鈥�