UCF Students Team Up With ESPN+ for Game Day Coverage
Nicholson School of Communication and Media (NSCM) students gain real-world broadcast experience on the field.
Written by: Emily Dougherty | September 26, 2025
When Knight Nation tunes into ESPN+ before a football game, they’re watching more than the countdown to kickoff. They’re watching students’ career ambitions unfold.
Hitting the Field, UCF’s student-run sports broadcast network, has collaborated with ESPN to produce the Pregame Show. NSCM instructor and faculty advisor for Hitting the Field, Nicholas Joiner, says this collaboration will give students the opportunity to fully produce seven live shows before each home game on the field of the Acrisure Bounce House. With support from UCF Athletics he says they received a custom desk for hosts, ESPN provided graphic templates, and most importantly, real-world experience.
Senior electronic journalism major Edgar Rodriguez serves as host for the Pregame Show alongside former UCF running back and analyst Adrian Killins Jr., and says this opportunity has been a milestone in his journey as a broadcaster.
“It means everything,” he said. “When I first came to UCF, I never would’ve thought something like ESPN+ or anything closely related to athletics would even be possible. Seeing how far we’ve come has been very special.”
Rodriguez says the show airs right before kickoff, giving viewers a chance to feel Knight Nation’s energy while highlighting key players who take to the field.
“Our goal is to hype up fellow Knights and the community while informing them as much as we can,” he said. “We try to pack everything into those 28 minutes, so fans walk away ready for kickoff.”
Behind the scenes, senior film and media production student Kiersten Blaylock manages preproduced content and live directing. In these roles she helps plan the show each week by assigning students graphics to create while leading the production team while on air.
“It’s crazy because people don’t realize this is student-run. To be able to say, ‘I’m the director,’ and know I helped make each show happen is huge,” she says. “I love sports as well as production and this lets me experience both.”
Blaylock says the opportunity to produce and direct a nationally viewed show wouldn’t be possible without the skills she gained from Hitting the Field (HTF). She says it gave her the confidence to thrive under tight deadlines, build her leadership skills, and find solutions quickly.
“With live shows, there’s no alternate opportunity. It’s going on air no matter what. That pressure makes our crew stronger and that’s how we’ve built a team that knows how to get it done,” Blaylock says.
Senior broadcast journalism student Nicolas Cohen says the Pregame Show opened his eyes to other vital roles in production outside of hosting, such as production, giving him more insight into what makes a good show.
“I only ever wanted to be on camera,” Cohen said. “At HTF, I mostly served as a host. However, producing this show has taught me how to think about rundowns differently as well as the importance of communication on the other side of the camera. That background helps me plan shows that actually flow well for the hosts.”
Cohen says the most valuable thing he has learned from this experience is how to fill multiple roles, giving him the chance to broaden his future career opportunities.
“Before the Pregame Show, I never pictured myself being a producer until now,” he says. “It never hurts to learn every facet of an industry, so you always have another leg to fall back on.”
For students who are curious about taking the next step in their career journey, Blaylock encourages students to put themselves out there.
“It sounds cliché but you never know what’s possible until you try,” she says. “I wouldn’t have made it where I am today without getting involved with Hitting the Field.”
For readers wanting watch the Pregame Show, please tune into ESPN+ 30 minutes before home game kickoff. To watch Hitting the Field, please visit their YouTube channel.