Boot camp participants practice commentating with James Brown (left) on the mock set in the Kuhlin Center.
BGSU plays host to 13th annual NFL Broadcast Boot Camp
More than three dozen current and former NFL players descended upon Bowling Green State University last week for the 13th annual NFL Broadcast Boot Camp.
The Boot Camp participants benefited from a robust collection of industry experts of top broadcast and radio networks, beat writers and BGSU faculty. Led by Dick Maxwell, a 1970 alumnus of BGSU, leaders from the sports broadcasting world served as mentors and teachers to the 39 current and former NFL players April 1-4.
Maxwell worked for the NFL for 36 years, including 29 seasons in the league office, and was the NFL's senior director of broadcasting when he retired in 2006. He founded the Maxwell Center for Sports Media at BGSU to assist students in the sport management and media and communication programs.
He is pleased his alma mater has stepped up to the task of hosting such a high-profile event.
“Bowling Green State University embraces the challenge of hosting this event and it made a huge difference to the NFL when the new Kuhlin Center (the home of the School of Media and Communication) opened up,” Maxwell said. “To have a modern broadcast center on campus makes a big difference in the decision-making process of where this boot camp is held.”
On-hand industry specialists included James Brown, CBS Sports; Jay Crawford ’87, formerly of ESPN; Greg Cosell, NFL Films; Booger McFarland, ESPN; and Howard Deneroff, Westwood One Radio. BGSU faculty — Drs. Terry Rentner, Lori Liggett and Jim Foust — also lent their expertise to several sessions.
“Over the years, we’ve built a group of ‘outside faculty’ and BGSU faculty who are good teachers and can talk about the things in the broadcast industry that are changing so much,” Maxwell said. “We’re pleased that many have been here over the years and will continue teaching.”
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