My internship with the Los Angeles Sparks
July 19, 2017
I’ve worked with the Los Angeles Sparks as a game operations and entertainment intern for about a month and a half and it’s been fantastic.
Every day I learn about the execution process of halftime entertainment, camera cues for broadcasts, game day operations and so much more.
But recently the Editor-in-Chief of this publication brought to my attention that what I was learning could translate to my time at East Bay when I return.
With that thought on my mind, I took time to implement that idea and see how the teachings I’ve grasped from my internship could carry over to my studies at CSUEB.
The Sparks games are filled with broadcasting and two-person interviews, which is great to see because my personal goal is to be a sports broadcaster.
This ignited my interest to bring this to East Bay and conduct video interviews with the athletes and coaches following the sports games I cover.
East Bay’s athletics program does not get the recognition it deserves.
Giving them more digital exposure, allowing outsiders to see visuals and understand players through their own voice would be great.
Hearing players’ thoughts on video is much more intriguing than just quotes in a story and could even draw more people to come to the sparsely attended games.
Without the media that covers them, the Sparks would not be a recognizable team, or any other WNBA team for that matter since women’s basketball is not a force in the sports industry.
Their media appearances and constant social and digital media exposure enable the team and players to stay relevant and keep people interested in their league.
As a sports writer, I never record videos of my interviews.
But by doing this, it could create new fans and establish digital and social media exposure of teams and athletes at East Bay with my own spin on it.
I’ve also learned that having a DJ at the game keeps the crowd excited and engaged in the game, even during breaks.
It creates a fun, party atmosphere that makes the fan experience that much better.
The Sparks have a house DJ at all home games, DJ Mallski, who plays music and hypes up the crowd with dance battles and sing-alongs.
Crowd participation is key.
This is something I can’t do myself, but it is something I have seen the Sparks do that makes the game a total experience.
I think it’s important to enhance school spirit and make sporting events fun; it’s an important part of the college experience and culture.
The East Bay athletic culture needs a change that makes students want to come to the games.
I hope that some of the things I’ve learned through my internship can translate here to CSUEB; that would be a great legacy to leave.
