Some time in the near future, Brandon Clemens would like to go sideline to sideline, covering sporting events for a major television network. In order to develop his reporting skills, the telecommunications major from Goshen, Indiana is working as a member of Sports Link.

Sports Link allows students to produce sports-related content for the university's multiple platforms such as radio, television, and the Internet as well as a variety of mobile communications formats.

"The main thing I like about it is that it’s a real experience because we find the stories and create shows from scratch," Clemens said. "Sports Link also teaches us versatility. In today's media, news outlets want to do more with less, which means as an on-air talent I need to be able to shoot video, edit, and produce. Sports Link gives me an opportunity to do all of those things." 

Telecommunications professors Tim Pollard, Suzy Smith, and Rich Swingley, along with University Teleplex producer/director Bill Bryant, are leading students in the semester-long immersive learning class that builds upon Ball State's growing number of emerging media options.

To maintain a focus on cross-platform promotion, students repackage the feature stories they create for local use at Ball State and send them to local news stations and outlets in the hometown of the featured player—on any platform the station may require. In addition to sideline reporting and learning how to use various cameras, students also are immersed in game broadcasts by operating the university's production truck.

"With the advent of 24/7 sports networks, regional networks such as FSN and the Big Ten Network, and an acceptance of Web-streamed video for viewing, the need for trained personnel in sports production has never been higher," Pollard said. "Potential employers, as well as companies looking for freelancers, are looking for people that they can count on to come in on day one and produce material for multiple platforms."