My Game Day at Michigan Stadium
10/2/2008 12:00:00 AM | Football
Tara Preston - Athletic Media Relations
My game day starts about two and a half hours before kickoff when I arrive at Michigan Stadium, but my preparation for football games begins weeks in advance of each home game. I process and disseminate all media requests from outlets wishing to cover Michigan football or our opponent. This can be a very hectic time especially when we have multiple home games in a row.
My first trip is to the press box to see if there are any last-minute media requests that I need to handle. With my briefcase in tow (which, by the way, had to be checked by the bomb-sniffing dogs for the first game of the season) I head to the newly renovated "Media Will Call" booth at Gate 9 on the north end of the stadium. I share this space with the "Student Will Call" ticket staff. I settle in and prepare for any media to arrive and pick up their passes and parking for the media lot.
My day typically ends shortly after kickoff when I head to the press box for the best seat in the house to watch the game. This has been a part of my gameday routine for 19 years.
Matt Stout - Internal Press Box Announcer
On game day, I am the internal public address announcer in the press box. I announce the game as it is reported to me by the official scorer, who sits next to me. I announce the outcome of plays, like how many yards a rush was or who was credited with a tackle or sometimes I announce when someone has reached a career milestone. This information is useful to everyone in the press box, including members of the media, bowl game representatives and special guests. People often wonder why the external press box announcer is not just piped into the press box. What I announce is received directly from the official scorer while the external announcer's call is unofficial.
My preparation for this job begins on Saturday morning when I review the rosters, peruse the depth charts, get any difficult name pronunciations and especially review the visiting team's roster more extensively, focusing on the offensive backs and receivers along with the defense as a whole. Difficult name pronunciations and double numbers are usually discussed directly with the visiting team's sports information director.
Ultimately, my goal is to announce the game to the people in the press box just as they would hear it announced if they were sitting in the stadium, while adding information that might be helpful for their jobs. Perhaps the most difficult aspect of the job is not cheering. As a Michigan grad, I want Michigan to win but I must deliver the game in an unbiased and professional approach. In a last-second nail-biter, it's never easy.
My Game Day:Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday
