Comm Studies Class Dives Into World of Sports Production with Celtics

Students in Communication Studies affiliated faculty member Bradford Ross’ Sports as Spectacle class peeled back the curtain of a Boston Celtics game production, and got a glimpse of what kinds of careers may await them. 

“It felt like peeling back the curtain,” said Aidan Crooke, MA ‘25. “I’ve been attending games at TD Garden for years, but I’ve always wondered about the behind-the-scenes layer that fans don’t see. Experiencing that firsthand gave me a glimpse of what I might be working in once I’ve earned my degree and entered the workforce.”

The evening included a tour of the Celtics’ corporate offices before the Celtics faced the Atlanta Hawks on November 12. The class got a peek at the in-house live production at TD Garden. Students (including the author of this story) saw jobs across various departments, including marketing, sales, and community relations.

Later, they stepped into the production room moments before the game began. They watched the team busily transition between camera angles, managing the timing and display of interactive fan features like the kiss and dance cams. The TV graphics coordinator worked on creating visuals for pre-game analysis, player introductions, and team lineups.

“Walking into the production room and realizing that at least 10 people are involved in bringing that broadcast to life shows how many roles exist,” said Ross.

As the students took their seats and joined the rest of the fans, they were immersed in the pre-game festivities. Strobe lights and vibrant LED displays flashed in sync with the music. Fire cannons sent bursts of flames into the air as the players made their entrance, while hype videos played on the Jumbotron. While many fans may have taken these elements for granted, for students like Claudia Comas, MA ’25, the experience of seeing how much goes into pre- and in-game festivities served as a nice reminder of how much effort goes into each game.

“Just thinking about the production room, seeing all the different camera angles, and the amount of work, strategy, and development that goes into putting that together is impressive,” said Comas. 

A key aspect of the evening included a LinkedIn assignment, where the students were tasked with posting their reflections on the platform. Ross said the assignment stressed the importance of developing a strong digital presence.

“Similar to how technology has transformed sports as a spectacle, making it more accessible, the job market has evolved in the same way,” said Ross. “You are now competing for jobs on a global scale. Your profile is no longer just your resume or your network within a local community – it’s global.”

Comas said the assignment changed her approach to LinkedIn after seeing the value of engaging with a broader audience in a more creative manner than her usual posts.

“I learned to make my posts more casual, using emojis and hashtags, and being a bit more fun with the content,” said Comas.

Ross highlighted the value of providing students with seeing a professional sports game production. 

“The first thing is being able to walk the halls, talking with people on the front lines, and seeing what it’s like – ‘That’s the cubicle I can sit in, that’s the conference room I aspire to be in,’ it becomes a bit more real,” said Ross. 

Ross wanted students to visualize working on the level of a professional sports arena production. He encouraged students to apply themselves and leverage connections.

“This visit made me visualize myself working in a place like this,” said Crooke. “It’s inspiring to see what’s possible and motivates me to take the steps needed to get there.”