The Fan Experience Blueprint

You can't always plan where your career is going to go. This week, Emma Kazian, manager of entertainment experience for the Vegas Golden Knights, joins the show to talk about her decade-long journey working in sports presentation and the realities of the industry. Emma grew up in the Chicago suburbs, attending Libertyville High School and spending her weekends watching the Chicago Wolves at Allstate Arena. She started out doing basic tasks for her local high school hockey team — like running the scoreboard and playing music — long before she ever knew it could be a real job. After walking away from a difficult path in nursing school, a simple career test pushed her to change her major and dive headfirst into the sports world.We talk about what it's really like to put on a massive, theatrical hockey show in Las Vegas where you are constantly competing with casinos and concerts for people's attention. Emma also reflects on the sheer amount of work it took to pull off an famous indoor drone show on the ice, the safety rules required to protect the players and surviving 80-hour work weeks during the busiest parts of the NHL season.Connect with Emma on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ekazian/Connect with Connor on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/connor-smith-0719/Connect with Connor on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/connornicholas19/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Building a lasting career in sports media requires a willingness to adapt and treat every single game day like a championship broadcast.On this episode of "The Fan Experience Blueprint," host Connor Smith sits down with sports journalist, broadcaster and Santa Clara University public address announcer Derrick Ow. The conversation marks a full-circle milestone for the duo, who first connected as student journalists during the COVID-19 pandemic before Derrick’s own podcast, "Chronicles From The Upper Deck," inspired the launch of this show.Derrick opens up about his early life, sharing his story of surviving 16 medical seizures in a 48-hour window as a toddler. Defying early medical expectations through speech and occupational therapy, he turned a childhood obsession with reading sports columns into a professional career. Derrick details how he navigates the industry on the autism spectrum, utilizing deep roster preparation and a "Game 7" mindset to keep his focus sharp and pave a wider path for the next generation of sports professionals.Derrick shares how the fast pace of working in TV news translated to sports and pulls back the curtain on the quick decisions that go into his PA gigs. He also breaks down his full-time role with the Northern California Golf Association at Poppy Hills, explaining why checking in on people and building real connections beats transactional networking every single time.Connect with Derrick on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/derrick-ow-937377177/Connect with Derrick on X: https://x.com/derrickq42Connect with Derrick on Threads: https://www.threads.com/@dq42golflifeConnect with Derrick on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dq42golflife/Connect with Connor on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/connor-smith-0719Connect with Connor on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/connornicholas19/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Breaking into the sports industry takes far more than just submitting a resume online. It takes persistent outreach and building real relationships.On this episode of "The Fan Experience Blueprint," host Connor Smith sits down with Nick Bianchi, Account Executive of Membership Sales for Chicago Fire FC. Nick shares the wild story of his time at Loyola University Chicago, where he spent an entire year cold-messaging the late Stacey King on Instagram until he finally scored a reply — leading to a three-hour phone call, a trip to Stacey’s house and a job running the content and guest lists for the "Gimme The Hot Sauce" podcast alongside names like Scottie Pippen and LaVar Ball.Nick opens up about how he built his foundation by taking a step back from major league environments to work for the Kane County Cougars. He explains what minor league baseball teaches you about the true stamina of a game day — where you go from talking to business clients in the front office to running the pitch clock on the field just two hours later.We talk shop about how he brought that exact relationship-first approach to Major League Soccer, where he became the number one inside sales rep in Fire history by crushing his annual revenue goal by 214% in just five months. Nick breaks down the chaos of handling a sold-out Soldier Field crowd on the historic night Lionel Messi came to town, the difference between an NFL Sunday and an MLS match day and why you don't need to be a soccer expert to build authentic, lasting connections with fans.Connect with Nick on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nick-bianchi-a56576237/Connect with Connor on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/connor-smith-0719/Connect with Connor on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/connornicholas19/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Running live audio for a massive stadium crowd requires a rare blend of quick timing, deep music knowledge and the ability to stay cool under intense pressure.On this episode of "The Fan Experience Blueprint," host Connor Smith sits down with longtime sports music director Michael “Grubes” Gruber. Across an incredible decade in the Dallas-Fort Worth market, Grubes commanded the game-day soundtrack for the NHL’s Dallas Stars (2013-20), the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks (2015-16), and MLB’s Texas Rangers (2020-22).Grubes opens up about the raw reality of his early days on the job, admitting that despite years of experience in sports talk radio, the split-second pacing of a live professional hockey game almost caused him to quit just a few weeks into his rookie season. He shares how leaning on a front office that had his back helped him settle into the booth and eventually co-create some of the funniest, most popular fan traditions in hockey history — including the night the arena played nothing but Nickelback for an entire period.We talk shop about the legendary Bruce Springsteen philosophy of putting on a world-class show for the fan sitting in the very back row, keeping thousands of people engaged even when the home team is losing badly and how running a live sound system compares to the pure chaos of hockey possession changes.Connect with Grubes on X: https://x.com/tweetgrubes?lang=enConnect with Grubes on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-gruber-5552626Connect with Grubes on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tweetgrubes/?hl=enConnect with Connor on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/connor-smith-0719Connect with Connor on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/connornicholas19/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sports media is about much more than just reporting scores on a screen. It’s about finding the human passion, community connection and unique personalities that happen behind the statistics.On this episode of "The Fan Experience Blueprint," host Connor Smith sits down with multimedia sports journalist Justin Evans. The host of the "Athletes of Aurora" series and co-host of "Bears Talk Today" on Aurora Community Television has spent years building a versatile media footprint across the Chicago sports scene.Justin reflects on his professional journey, from his early days working the fan experience at Super Bowl LIII as a Morehouse College freshman to editing social media content for the PGA TOUR’s Korn Ferry communications team and assisting in the field with Bally Sports Southeast. He also shares what it was like stepping right onto the grass at Rate Field to interview Chicago White Sox rookie pitcher Noah Schultz.We dive into his real-world experiences managing social media for the Chicago Snowballs, including the fun of navigating quick two-hour game limits, "reverse baseball" rules and setting up post-game autograph sessions on the field. Justin also shares a great look at audience psychology, explaining why building a deeply loyal core audience matters infinitely more than chasing temporary internet trends.Justin's website and personal portfolio: https://justintevans1999.wixsite.com/my-site-2Connect with Justin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justin-evans-b95b2a174Connect with Justin on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/justin_evans1105/Connect with Connor on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/connor-smith-0719Connect with Connor on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/connornicholas19/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After a decade across the Chicago sports scene, you learn a lot about crowd psychology and how much split-second timing dictates a live event.On this episode of "The Fan Experience Blueprint," host Connor Smith sits down with veteran public address announcer and sports broadcaster Chris Dubiel. Heading into his 10th season as the PA voice of the AHL's Chicago Wolves, Chris has spent a decade behind the microphone across the local hockey landscape — including fill-in work for Blackhawks games at the United Center and the USHL's Chicago Steel. Chris pulls back the curtain on how he built his foundation in broadcasting and PA announcing, including early reps at high school football and minor league baseball games. He shares what it was like finding his footing with the Joliet Slammers and explains how running a smooth game night-script is exactly like executing a football offense where everyone has to hit their marks.We talk about how to properly modulate your vocal energy so you enhance the arena experience instead of overpowering it, the importance of precise name pronunciations and working milestone events like the Calder Cup Finals and his first regular-season Blackhawks game in April 2022. Chris also breaks down the absolute chaos of handling 16,000 screaming kids on a school-day field trip game.Chris' website and personal portfolio: https://cdubiel.comConnect with Chris on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-dubiel-9b103738Connect with Chris on X: https://x.com/c_dubiel44?lang=enConnect with Chris on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/c_dubiel44/Connect with Connor on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/connor-smith-0719Connect with Connor on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/connornicholas19/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Most people wait until after college to start their careers, but Brady Holzmiller was running sound for professional hockey games before he even finished high school.On this episode of "The Fan Experience Blueprint," host Connor Smith sits down with PA announcer and music director Brady Holzmiller. Brady pulls back the curtain on how he broke into the sports industry as a teenager and learned to handle massive crowds early on.He shares the exact afternoon at Fenway Park that changed everything for him, showing how watching a crowd react to a stadium anthem revealed his true path. We talk about how to create your own opportunities, song selection at games and what it takes to run a show for 20,000 screaming fans. A current sophomore at Springfield College, Brady is a PA announcer for the University of Massachusetts and is one of two in-game DJs for the American Hockey League's Hartford Wolf Pack. He was also the DJ for the 2026 NCAA Division III Men's Volleyball National Championship.Connect with Connor on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/connor-smith-0719/Connect with Brady on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brady-holzmiller-b74ab6281Connect with Connor on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/connornicholas19/Connect with Brady on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bholzzz/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Behind every major league game presentation is a control room team orchestrating the visual identity and real-time storytelling of the stadium bowl.On this episode of "The Fan Experience Blueprint," host Connor Smith sits down with freelance game operations producer and motion graphics animator Caleb Bouchy. Caleb breaks down his industry trajectory, starting from his childhood roots in the Arena Football League to working as a student production assistant with the Pac-12 Network at Arizona State University. Caleb also pulls back the curtain on what it takes to design, animate and execute live in-arena video packages, scorebugs, crowd prompts and full-screen takeovers for major sports franchises, including the Phoenix Suns, Washington Capitals and Arizona Coyotes. We dive deep into his unique creative process, including how to protect your creative freedom, how to infuse pop culture into stadium entertainment and the mechanical reality of running different venue boards. Caleb also shares a raw look at navigating a sudden NHL team relocation and the reality of building your own independent business.Connect with Connor on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/connor-smith-0719/Connect with Caleb on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/caleb-bouchy/Caleb's personal website and portfolio: https://calebbouchy.wixsite.com/my-site Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What does it actually take to make a stadium experience work for every single person in the crowd? On our premiere episode, host Connor Smith sits down with professional sports journalist Zain Bando to talk about live sports from a fan-first perspective. Fresh off a wild Cubs walk-off win at Wrigley Field, Zain shares his take on the timeless magic of a day at the ballpark, the crazy high-energy crowd inside of a UFC fight night and the real-world challenges of navigating massive venues. Zain pulls back the curtain on how teams can do a much better job with disability awareness and why true inclusivity always starts with speaking up and taking action. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to The Fan Experience Blueprint. Host Connor Smith takes you behind the scenes of the live sports entertainment landscape—analyzing stadium environments, fan engagement and modern media infrastructure. Tune in for upcoming interviews with the directors, producers, DJs and media professionals who shape the game-day experience. Episode One drops soon featuring sports journalist Zain Bando. Subscribe now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and YouTube. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.