SVG All-Stars: Danny Kopilnick, Director, Remote Operations, CBS Sports The Ithaca College grad has emerged as a key leader on CBS Sports' golf team By Brandon Costa, Director of Digital Tuesday, January 21, 2025 - 10:30 am
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In an era when sports production is evolving faster than ever, a new generation of leaders is beginning to make its mark on the industry. Our new SVG All-Stars series explores the journey of the industry's rising executives, 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 an ever-evolving industry.
In live sports production and operations, you have to be ready for anything. On even the biggest, most successful remote live productions, things can - and will - go wrong. When those unforeseen challenges do arise, you want a cool customer like Danny Kopilnick.
Daniel Kopilnick, here at last year's Masters Tournament, has been a fixture behind the scenes at CBS Sports since 2016.
Kopilnick started his journey in the industry in 2015 with stints at Major League Soccer and Major League Baseball Advanced Media before becoming a media-asset manager for CBS Sports Network. At CBS Sports, he quickly climbed the ranks, filling such roles as broadcast associate, operations coordinator, unit manager, and production manager. He ascended to his current role as director of remote operations in 2022. These days, he's a critical member of the broadcaster's golf team, managing operations behind the scenes of events as big as The Masters, the PGA Championship, and other major PGA TOUR stops.
With the PGA TOUR set to return to CBS this weekened, we sit down with Kopilnick in the latest edition of SVG All-Stars to highlight the journey of his career, get his take on why it's important to remain calm in chaos when working in operations, and to get his advice for making an impact in one's first jobs in this industry.
What are the key responsibilities of your current role?
As one of our directors of remote operations, I oversee the pre-planning, onsite, and post-event logistics of all our golf events, including The Masters, the PGA Championship, and the PGA TOUR. I also oversee some specialty NFL projects, including the Nickelodeon simulcasts.
Kopilnick oversees remote-operations teams for CBS Sports' golf coverage. Here he's at the 2023 TOUR Championship with lead golf producer Sellers Shy.
I work directly with our production and technical teams to ensure our broadcasts have all the aspects of what make them look great. Essentially, our team is charged with making sure everyone has what they need onsite to produce the shows at the highest level. Those aspects include credentials, parking, catering, travel, personnel onsite, camera positions and structures, compound integration with vendors and other networks, and many more. I work with incredible people to help manage all these shows; they are the best at what they do.
What one key industry trend do you believe is having a major impact on your organization right now?
One challenge that every industry faces is rising costs. Everyone wants to put forth the best product within the scope of their budget. The product is the most important thing, and finding solutions that are budget-friendly yet won't negatively impact the product can be difficult. The operations, production, and technical teams at CBS Sports all do an incredible job working together to ensure we have the highest-quality broadcasts while finding the best solutions that meet our budget requirements.
Kopilnick works on special projects during the NFL season, including the Nickelodeon alternative broadcast of this month's AFC Wildcard game between the Los Angeles Chargers and Houston Texans. Here, he's onsite with colleagues (from left) Emily Sandor, Jill Calandra, Meaghan McConnell, and Jessica Van Valkenburg.
What is one core philosophy you try to live by when managing your team/operation?
Calm in chaos. We work in live events, and things are going to go wrong, and things are going to be hectic. But, as a leader on the operations team, where most problems land at your feet, being able to be calm, process information, and act accordingly is of the utmost importance. People will react better to your decisions, and you'll be better able to articulate what needs to happen, if you remain calm in those moments.
What is your favorite event(s) you've ever worked?
My favorite event all-time that I've worked must be the 2019 Masters. It was my first year working The Masters, Tiger's incredible comeback to winning his fifth green jacket, and my first real opportunity to work one of CBS's major events. I was a small part of a huge broadcast, but it felt great to be a part of that team, and I knew I wanted to work in Augusta every year for the rest of my career.
Other highlights must be the Nickelodeon NFL games, including last year's Super Bowl; PGA Championships; and my favorite stops on the PGA TOUR: Farmers Insurance Open (La Jolla, CA), Genesis Invitational (Pacific Palisades, CA), and RBC Heritage (Hilton Head, SC).
How did you get started in sports production? What was your first real job in the business?
I was an intern in the remote-production department for CBS Sports Network the summer after my sophomore year of college. I knew how much I wanted to be in the sports-TV business, and it led me to work as a PA on CBS Sports Network remotes and studio shows while I was home from college the following two years before graduating.
Once I graduated, I worked as a logger at Major League Soccer and as a PA at MLB Advance
