Center for Sports Media Kicks off Academic Year With New Partnerships, Opportunities and Student Spaces
Wednesday, August 27, 2025
Students engage with Center for Sports Media Founder Bob Ley and Center Director BJ Schecter during an event.
As Seton Hall welcomes students back for the 2025–26 academic year, the Center for Sports Media is expanding its reach with new academic programming, high-profile industry partnerships, hands-on learning experiences and even a dedicated student space.
From new courses to major industry partnerships, here’s what’s ahead this fall.
A New Hub for Students
The Center announced that construction is underway on a new lounge on the third floor
of Jubilee Hall. Designed with couches, TVs and space to gather, the lounge will serve
as a casual spot for students to connect, study or watch games. An opening reception
will be scheduled once the project is completed this fall.
Industry Partnerships Expand
The Center continues to deepen its ties with leading sports media organizations. Its
multifaceted partnership with ESPN will continue to expand with plenty of exclusive
opportunities for our students on and off campus, with ESPN executives coming to campus
this semester for focus groups and networking.
NBC also joins the Center as a significant partner. Amy Rosenfeld, senior vice president for Olympics Production at NBC Sports, has been appointed Professional-in-Residence this fall. She will co-teach a new course in Live Sports Production, giving students a behind-the-scenes view of Olympic coverage and potential opportunities to intern with NBC at the 2026 Winter Games in Italy. Read more >>
In addition to ESPN and NBC, collaborations are in development with Gotham FC, Fox Sports, CBS Sports, U.S. Soccer Federation, SNY, and the New Jersey Soccer Federation, broadening the professional networks available to students.
Covering Major Sporting Events
The Center is again offering students the chance to cover marquee sporting events
as credentialed media through Pirates in the Field. Opportunities for the 2025–26 academic year include the Big East Media Day in New
York City, the World Series, Super Bowl LX in Santa Clara, the NCAA Women’s Final
Four in Phoenix and even the 2026 FIFA World Cup at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford.
Students interested in participating must maintain at least a 3.25 GPA, submit two recommendations, provide work samples, and write a 750-word essay on why they are suited for the experience. Learn more >>
This summer, senior and Public Relations/Journalism major Jackie Litowinsky interned for ESPN at their headquarters in Bristol, CT.
Expanding Student Voices
The Center’s Pirates Cove blog, launched last spring, continues to showcase student-produced content. Recent
features include Jackie Litowinsky’s documentation of her 10-week internship at ESPN’s
Bristol, Conn. headquarters. Read about her experience >>
This summer, the Center also hosted its Sports Media & Business Academy for high school students, where participants produced multimedia projects ranging from video features to podcasts. Additionally, the long-running Sports Broadcasting Camp, led by analysts Dave Popkin and Dave Siroty, made its debut on Seton Hall’s campus, drawing campers from ages 10 to 19 who interacted with industry figures including Kenny Albert, Noah Eagle, and John Fanta. Read more about both camps >>
New Course in Live Sports Production
Launching this fall, the new one-credit Live Sports Production course — taught by
Center Director B.J. Schecter and Professional-in-Residence Amy Rosenfeld — will give
students direct insight into what it takes to produce major events such as the Olympic
Games. Along with classroom instruction, students will have the opportunity to visit
NBC Sports’ Stamford headquarters, with select students interning in Italy during
the 2026 Winter Olympics.
To learn more about the Center, visit its website.
About the Center
The Center for Sports Media, housed within the College of Human Development, Culture, and Media, works at the intersection of sports, media and social life, reflecting the legacy
of its founder, Bob Ley, and his groundbreaking ESPN show, Outside the Lines. Established
in Fall 2021, the Center is working to redefine how students are trained in media,
communications and sports business, by engaging with the sports community, while also
producing groundbreaking content through University channels and establishing innovative
partnerships with major media outlets. Through the activities generated and inspired
by the Center for Sports Media, Seton Hall continues its tradition of innovation in
higher education, and underscores its commitment to experiential learning, ethical
leadership and community engagement.
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