On the Gridiron: Carolina Panthers' Mike Bonner Settles Into New Role Amid Interesting Circumstances Previously at Notre Dame, Bonner is in his first season at Carolina By Kristian Hernandez, Associate Editor Friday, October 2, 2020 - 9:28 am
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Many professional sports have opted for a return to play inside a sanitized bubble. Not the NFL. Without skipping a beat, the league is soldiering on with regular-season games in all 30 stadiums across the country. Similar to our At the Ballpark series, On the Gridiron examines the new routines, habits, and production philosophies of in-venue personnel on any given Thursday, Sunday, or Monday.
Throughout an NFL offseason, players put signatures on pieces of papers, swap jerseys, and continue their athletic careers in totally different cities. At Carolina, there has been a big change on the field, and, off the field, there has been a key signing to bolster in-venue operations. Previously with the University of Notre Dame, Director/Executive Producer, Game Presentation, Mike Bonner is learning on-the-fly and getting comfortable in his new role during this abnormal season.
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I started with the Panthers in late January, he says. I was getting to know the new staff and how things operate when COVID-19 hit [the U.S.] and we were told to work from home. We didn't know how long that was going to last. At that time, home for me was still in South Bend, since my wife and children were back in Indiana finishing out the school year. We did a lot of team meetings and scenario planning before getting into remote production.
Working Remotely: Offseason Productions Include NFL Draft Show, Media Day Photoshoot Celebrity guests NBA superstar Stephen Curry and former Panthers linebacker Luke Kuechly join Panthers talent in virtual NFL Draft Lounge: (top row from left) Jake Delhomme, Kristen Balboni, and Jonathan Stewart; (bottom row from left) Jordan Gross, Curry, and Kuechly.
There are a lot of things to learn on any new job. With the COVID-19 pandemic preventing in-person communication, getting up-to-speed on an organization's philosophy can be particularly difficult. Bonner began his first year with the Panthers from his home, so this new journey had a unique starting point.
One of the major production efforts that he participated in from home was the NFL schedule release. Bonner was in South Bend for this one-hour show, and, just like the way live events throw unexpected curveballs, working-from-home posted its own share of obstacles.
I actually lost my Wi-Fi at one point, he recalls. I had to run over to my neighbors and sit on their back porch.
We [virtually] brought in guests from other teams, he continues, like the Honey Badger, Tyrann Mathieu [of the Houston Texans], who joined [Panthers running back] Christian McCaffrey for a one-on-one conversation. [Tight end] Cameron Brate from the Buccaneers also joined with [defensive tackle] Kawann Short. There was a cool synergy to have someone from the Panthers and someone from the opponent.
Another example, the team's annual Media Day, was also done from an offsite location. Instead of Indiana, Bonner was visiting family in New Jersey and found it pretty cool to produce an event from his childhood home.
Fans are being integrated on the videoboard and in the pregame show via Zoom.
During those two days, I talked virtually to our players and directed them, he says. I did one [shoot] from my old bedroom and the other one from my sister's house. We had a couple of camera operators that were able to be there, but we had a bunch of producers and directors that were also working remotely.
Despite a heavy load of offsite operations, there was a chance for the staff to be together during a four-hour live-streamed show for this year's virtual NFL Draft. For this initiative, the team's on-air talent worked from their respective homes: Kristen Balboni and former quarterback Jake Delhomme in Louisiana interviewed such guests as The Avett Brothers; Charlotte, NC, Mayor Vi Lyles; and NBA superstar Stephen Curry. While they reported from home, Bonner made one of his first visits to the control room.
All of the guests were able to join us virtually, but [our team] utilized the control room, he says. It was a very cool experience, but we're learning so much and continuing to think out of the box during these crazy times.
Practice Like You Play: Team Goes Full Bore on In-Venue Elements for Televised Scrimmage As the regular season neared, the staff sought some much needed production reps. After first-year head coach Matt Rhule decided to practice and conduct player workouts inside Bank of America Stadium, the crew had an opportunity to work through a simulated game-day script.
Kristen Balboni and former safety Kurt Coleman host Panthers Pregame Live before the team's Week 1 matchup.
We were very fortunate to have a practice with a two-hour broadcast, for which we worked with our friends at [Tupelo Honey], says Bonner. It aired locally and for 12 other affiliates, but it was a great opportunity to run through a dress rehearsal.
Because the team requested a full game-day experience, Bonner and company experimented with the new crowd-noise sy
