
SVG All-Stars: Pam Chvotkin, Remote Operations Management Freelancer The D.C. native brings her skills to major broadcasts all over the country By Brandon Costa, Director of Digital
Tuesday, December 10, 2024 - 7:00 am
Print This Story | Subscribe
Story Highlights
In an era when sports production is evolving faster than ever, a new generation of leaders is making its mark on the industry. Our new SVG All-Stars series explores the journey of the industry's rising professionals, showcasing their experiences and career highlights in the business, overarching philosophy and leadership strategy, technological and creative innovation, and where they see the industry headed. Join us as we uncover the story behind their ascent and the impact they are having in our ever-evolving industry.
She's one of the hardest-working people in the sports-television business; that's the name of the game for freelancers like her.
You'd be hard-pressed to walk around the production compound of a major national broadcast and not bump into Pam Chvotkin. With her fire-red hair and electric personality, you'd spot her quickly, too.
Pam Chvotkin is a freelancer in remote operations management. She has worked major championship events like the Stanley Cup Final.
Residing in the D.C. Metro area, Chvotkin is a battle-tested leader in remote operations. Whether it's a scalding-hot set day before the MLB All-Star Game or a bitter winter night at the scorer's table during a basketball game, things get done efficiently and correctly when Chvotkin is at the top of the crew list. And, because she's a freelancer, many broadcasters (FOX, ESPN, CBS, and others) benefit from her hustle and intuition.
In this week's edition of SVG All-Stars, Chvotkin shares her career journey while offering her opinions on industry innovations she has her eye on, how to get started in the industry, and why not all professional networking is created equal.
What are the key responsibilities of your current role?
I work with other operations managers/directors as well as the technical managers. Whatever they need onsite during an event/broadcast, which varies from network to network, is the primary focus. Additional responsibilities include distribution of schedules, managing of production assistants, vendor/equipment needs, parking, catering, travel, vendor/heavy-equipment needs, shipping, and administrative duties. Depending on the show, it will vary by game-side or studio-side; we often support both sides onsite.
In August 2017, Chvotkin worked the MLB Little League Classic in Williamsport, PA, for ESPN.
This job is primarily to ensure that logistics of any remote productions run smoothly. I have experience working high school, collegiate, and professional sports and entertainment shows including award ceremonies, pageants, and reality television.
Organization is key with this job, along with having flexibility and adaptability so we can troubleshoot and resolve any issues that could happen.
Chvotkin has worked numerous NCAA Men's Basketball Final Fours for CBS Sports and TNT Sports, including in New Orleans in April 2022.
What key industry trend do you see as having a major impact on your organization right now?
One key industry trend is that traditional-TV viewership is declining, but the need for sports and entertainment is increasing! Recently, more fans are consuming sports content on digital platforms. In order to have a clean broadcast, one has to deal with challenges, such as buffering, streaming, bandwidth, etc. As with any new technology, there are going to be hiccups with producing events; it is still being perfected. There is a need not only for content but for authenticity with any brand. Producing television is no different. We're starting to see many organizations revising their marketing and operating models to integrate current digital capabilities across all aspects of their organizations. The industry is constantly changing, and there have to be revisions to these models to keep up with the consumption.
What core philosophy do you try to live by when managing your team/operation?
There are three core elements in my work philosophy: people, action, and feedback. It's important to have an energetic, thoughtful, and collaborative team that can deliver a great product. It's important to understand that we're managing people, not work. Establishing everyone's communication styles early will help with organizing and distributing what needs to be done among the team. Everyone wants to be successful, which also includes mentoring and helping each other. The expectation in the industry is that there is zero room for error. However, people will make mistakes. We strive to minimize them by problem-solving issues as soon as they arise. I always want to foster creative freedom amongst the team to ensure open communication and feedback regarding any situation.
What is your favorite event(s) you've ever worked?
Some of my favorite events include the Army-Navy game, Little League World Series, any Game 7's (World Series, Stanley Cup Final, NBA Finals), US Open tennis, WKC Dog Show, Super Bowl, Field of Dreams, MLB at Rickwood Field, Miss World pageants, International soccer friendlies, conference-rival college football and basketball games. There's nothing like being onsite for any event.
Chvotkin worked for CBS Sports at Super Bowl LVIII in Las Vegas.
How did you get started in sports production? What was your first real job in the business?
My first real job was timeout coordinator for a basketball game because the person who was hired for the job was stuck in traffic. I volunteered. After seeing a production truck for the first time and how many people it took to create a seamless event, I was hooked. I've been in production ever since.
Wh
North America Stories
05/03/2026
More than 250 sports-graphics professionals packed into The Cutting Room in New ...
05/03/2026
Cosm announces that it will open its third immersive entertainment venue at downtown Atlanta's Centennial Yards on June 10, 2026. Its first public event wil...
05/03/2026
Following last year's broadcast television debut, The CW Network is growing its partnership with the Savannah Bananas, announcing that it will be the exclus...
05/03/2026
TGL presented by SoFi, the primetime, men's team golf league, announces AT&T...
05/03/2026
Ateme, which specializes in video compression software, announces that it has entered into a multi-year agreement with Netflix for the deployment of its TITAN L...
05/03/2026
As part of its strategy to deliver flexible and scalable media solutions, NEP Europe, part of NEP Group, has redesigned an outside broadcast (OB) unit to help b...
05/03/2026
Net Insight's Nimbra Edge and the Nimbra 400 series are now included in YouTube's Live verified encoders list. This confirms that the solutions have bee...
05/03/2026
Audinate, the creator of the Dante audio networking platform, announces the laun...
05/03/2026
LiveU announces the first large-scale deployment of its AI-driven LiveU IQ (LIQ) technology at a global, multi-venue sporting event, setting a new benchmark for...
05/03/2026
SportsEngine Play, a first-of-its-kind subscription streaming service for captur...
05/03/2026
The senior from small-town Pennsylvania has had a huge impact on the Spartans' B1G Student U program
In the live-sports-video industry, the future is brigh...
05/03/2026
Real-time animated presentation of Capitals-Rangers game blends tracking data, o...
05/03/2026
With Super Bowl LX taking place in Santa Clara, all eyes were not only on the field - but on the future of fandom itself. New technologies are being introduced ...
05/03/2026
The network aims for a uniform production while accommodating tech differences i...
05/03/2026
MLB Network produces the host broadcast, and FOX layers in cameras, studio prese...
05/03/2026
Barbara Hammer appears in Barbara Forever by Brydie O'Connor, an official se...
05/03/2026
Quality control (QC) has long been a gatekeeper of technical fidelity. Editors and technicians have adhered to a simple, disciplined checklist: bitrate, resolut...
05/03/2026
Leading video software provider Synamedia today announced it has partnered with Swiss sports technology specialist, Asport to deliver global live streaming for ...
05/03/2026
Advanced Systems Group, LLC (ASG), a technology and services provider for media creatives and content owners, announced the promotion of Gretchen Taipale to Vic...
05/03/2026
Clear-Com has provided Gen-IC virtual intercom, its cloud-based voice communications system for SaxaVord Spaceport, the first fully licensed vertical launch s...
05/03/2026
The Hollywood Professional Association (HPA) concluded the 2026 HPA Tech Retreat, convening more than 800 industry leaders, technologists, creatives and executi...
05/03/2026
LynTec, a leading manufacturer of electrical power control solutions for professional audio, video, and lighting systems, today announced that its new Dual DMX ...
05/03/2026
Snicket Labs is pleased to announce a new distribution partnership with ES Broadcast for its award winning solutions, Match and Enrich.
Under the agreement, ES...
05/03/2026
LiveU today announced the first large-scale deployment of its AI-driven LiveU IQ (LIQ ) technology at a global, multi-venue sporting event, setting a new benchm...
05/03/2026
Back to All News
Innovation for Filmmaking, By Filmmakers: Why InterPositive Is Joining Netflix
Business
05 March 2026
Global
Link copied to clipboard
Dow...
05/03/2026
New LinkedIn Data Shows Women's Path to Senior Leadership Is Narrowing Published on Mar 5, 2026 Categories: Data and insights
LinkedIn Corporate Commun...
05/03/2026
March is in full bloom, and that means a fresh wave of games heading to the cloud. 15 new titles are joining the GeForce NOW library this month.
Leading the Ma...
04/03/2026
Lega Basket Serie A (LBA), the governing body for Italy's premier basketball...
04/03/2026
Wrexham AFC co-chairmen Rob Mac and Ryan Reynolds will host a first-of-its-kind ...
04/03/2026
The countdown is underway and with just 100 days to go until the world's greatest sporting event begins on Thurs., June 11, FOX Sports, America's Englis...
04/03/2026
No matter where they are in the world, service members and veterans can stream N...
04/03/2026
Telemundo officially releases Somos M s, the anthem for the network's cove...
04/03/2026
The Hollywood Professional Association (HPA) concluded the 2026 HPA Tech Retreat, convening more than 800 industry leaders, technologists, creatives, and execut...
04/03/2026
Smith Entertainment Group transformed how local sports are consumed by creating ...
04/03/2026
The production method, which spans a distance of 36.2 miles, was designed and im...
04/03/2026
Haivision, a global provider of mission-critical, real-time video networking and...
04/03/2026
When Hugues Meyrath came out of retirement to take the helm as CEO of Quantum, i...
04/03/2026
Last week's launch of Banana Ball Championship League has spurred a significant upgrade of production facilities
The Savannah Bananas, arguably the hottest...
04/03/2026
sldkfjsdlfkjsldkfjsldkjfslkdjfslkdjfsl
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus...
04/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
04/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
04/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
04/03/2026
Back to All News
Netflix Unveils the Trailer of Made In Korea', a Cross Cu...
04/03/2026
Back to All News
Netflix's Hit Courtroom Comedy Maamla Legal Hai' Arri...
04/03/2026
Back to All News
Bloodhounds' Season 2 Gears Up for April 3 Premiere with ...
04/03/2026
Back to All News
Netflix Ads Suite Expands Capabilities
Business
04 March 2026
GlobalUnited States
Link copied to clipboard
After launching the Netflix Ad...
04/03/2026
Scripps Research welcomes healthcare innovator Joe Kiani to the Board of Directors Kiani brings decades of experience in patient safety and public service.
Mar...
04/03/2026
Nanoparticle vaccine approach takes on a new target: Hepatitis C virus Scripps Research scientists reengineer critical proteins on the surface of HCV, paving th...
03/03/2026
Beyond Sports, a Sony group company, and LIV Golf, the world's golf league, ...
03/03/2026
Ilitch Sports + Entertainment announces the launch of Detroit SportsNet (DSN), a year-round broadcast home for two of Detroit's franchises. With flexible op...