SVG All-Stars: David Koppett, Executive Producer, Live Sports and Studio, NESN and SportsNet Pittsburgh

SVG All-Stars: David Koppett, Executive Producer, Live Sports and Studio, NESN and SportsNet PittsburghThe Bay Area RSN veteran is making his mark across live sports in Pittsburgh and BostonBy Brandon Costa, Director of Digital

Tuesday, November 4, 2025 - 7:00 am

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As the pace of change in sports production shows no signs of slowing, a new class of innovators and decision-makers is shaping the industry's future. Now in its second season, our SVG All-Stars series spotlights the rising leaders driving that transformation, offering a look at their career paths, leadership philosophies, creative and technological contributions, and vision for what comes next. Each conversation introduces you to the people redefining the workflows, culture, and possibilities of live sports production.

Few executives in regional sports television can match the depth and breadth of David Koppett's career. Now serving as executive producer, live sports and studio, at NESN and SportsNet Pittsburgh, Koppett oversees game, studio, and podcast production across two of the nation's premier RSNs, managing live coverage for the Boston Red Sox, Boston Bruins, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Pittsburgh Pirates.

An Emmy Award-winning producer with more than three decades in the business, Koppett has deep professional ties to the San Francisco Bay Area, where he helped define the modern regional-sports model. He got his start in 1989 as an associate producer with the San Francisco Giants on the fledgling GiantsVision cable network - an experiment that allowed fans to buy games directly in a pay-per-view model and would eventually evolve into NBC Sports Bay Area and NBC Sports California. From there, he spent nearly three decades producing and overseeing thousands of live telecasts for such teams as the Giants, Golden State Warriors, Oakland A's, San Jose Sharks, Sacramento Kings, and San Jose Earthquakes. Later, as VP, content and production strategy, Pac-12 Networks, he managed studio programming around the conference's marquee football and basketball properties and led talent development across more than 850 live events annually.

Koppett with a Pittsburgh institution: Jalapeno Hannah, one of the stars of the Great Pittsburgh Pierogy Race, which takes place at each Pittsburgh Pirates game (Photos: NESN, Sportsnet Pittsburgh)

Today, at NESN and SportsNet Pittsburgh, Koppett brings that same creative energy and operational precision to a new, East Coast chapter. His philosophy remains simple: If we have fun making it, people will have fun watching it.

In this edition of SVG All-Stars, Koppett reflects on the evolution of regional sports networks, the rise of direct-to-consumer streaming, and why versatility and passion remain essential to thriving in sports television.

What are the key responsibilities of your current role?

I oversee game, studio, and podcast production at New England Sports Network and SportsNet Pittsburgh, focusing on the four major-league teams for whom we hold live telecast rights: the Boston Red Sox, Boston Bruins, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Pittsburgh Pirates.

What is one key industry trend that you believe is having a major impact on your organization right now?

Certainly, the shift toward remote production and the technologies that empower it occupy a great deal of our day-to-day attention. But, for me, the most significant trend impacting our company is the accelerating growth of our DTC livestreaming product, delivering Red Sox and Bruins games through the NESN 360 app and Pirates and Penguins games through the SNP 360 app. These platforms are reaching a scale of audience that is truly impactful. Insatiable fan interest, changing viewer habits, connectivity, and product quality are finally meeting in a place that can sustain a viable and valuable segment of our business.

Koppett worked his first Spring Training in 1990.

What is one core philosophy you try to live by when managing your team/operation?

If we have fun making it, people will have fun watching it!

What is your favorite event(s) you've ever worked?

A difficult question to answer, as there are so many, and that's the best thing about our jobs: you never know what today's game might bring. The Giants' final game at Candlestick Park in 1999 and first by McCovey Cove in 2000 come to mind. They meant so much more to the city than any normal game, and I was able to share them with my dad, who was present as a writer. For an executive, nothing gives greater pride than to watch our announcers and production teams flawlessly execute once-in-a-lifetime moments, as ours did during perfect games by Dallas Braden in 2010 and Matt Cain in 2012. Boston and Pittsburgh have their own storied histories of unforgettable moments, and I can't wait to experience the next generation of those with our teams.

After producing the Coaching Corps Game Changer Awards in 2016, Koppett posed with the championship trophies won by Bay Area teams.

How did you get started in sports production? What was your first real job in the business?

I was lucky enough to be home from my freshman year of college when my hometown baseball team was launching a cable network and willing to employ just about anyone. Starting on the ground floor allowed me to participate in and learn about every aspect of production, and that internship later turned into my first full-time job. We didn't know what we didn't know when we started, but that tiny GiantsVision channel (25 games the first year!) eventually evolved into the pair of NBC Sports RSNs that are still rightsholders for seven Northern California major-league teams and where I enjoyably spent much of my career.

Koppett with the crew from Pac-12 Networks following the final episode of Pac-12 After Dark in 2023

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LINK:	https://www.sportsvideo.org/2025/11/04/svg-all-stars-david-koppett-exe...
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