
SVG All-Stars: Cindy Pennington, Operations Specialist, ESPN The Kentucky native is an integral behind-the-scenes leader on countless remotes By Brandon Costa, Director of Digital
Tuesday, November 12, 2024 - 10:22 am
Print This Story | Subscribe
Story Highlights
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.
Anyone whose worked in sports television knows that the operations team gets. things. done. It takes a cool, smart, confident leader to oversee the setup of a complex live event production, whether its a live game, a studio show, or a major activation like a Draft. At the juggernaut that is ESPN, one of the best at filling that essential role is Cindy Pennington.
ESPN's Cindy Pennington serving as Operations Specialist at the 2024 PGA Championship at Vahalla Golf Course.
A native of Kentucky, Pennington was expecting to go to law school, when a job in local TV in Lexington changed her life. Now, with two decades at ESPN, she's the lynchpin behind-the-scenes for major events like the College Football Playoff, the MLB All-Star Game, major golf tournaments, and so much more.
Pennington has built a reputation on running an organized and effective live remote operation, making her a highly-trusted leader within the busy ESPN enterprise.
In this week's edition of SVG All-Stars, learn more about Pennington's career journey, discover what industry innovations she has her eye on, get her advice for getting started in the industry, and her call on the industry to do more to open to door to the next generation of sports television professionals.
Pennington working the 2024 NBA Draft at Barclays Center with operations coordinator
Tatianna Montalvo (left)
What are the key responsibilities of your current role?
As an Operations Specialist for ESPN, I oversee the technical logistics for the projects that I am assigned to, as well as lead the Operations team & technical crew onsite.
What is one key industry trend that you believe is having a major impact on your organization right now?
REMI productions have made significant strides over the years. There was once an argument that we may be sacrificing quality for quantity, but we've recognized the key challenges and have started implementing solutions that have improved these productions tremendously.
Pennington with Operations Coodinator Jovy Serviss (left) and Operations Producer Brittany Dippolito (right); an all-female tech/ops team on the ABC Primetime college football game between Georgia and Alabama in Tuscaloosa earlier this fall.
One pressing concern that we face is the aging of our workforce, and I worry that there is not enough new talent coming up through the ranks to fill the gap. As an industry, we need to do more to create opportunities for the next generation to learn from seasoned professionals and advance in their careers. We must find a way to balance day-count restrictions and budget constraints to foster future growth and development.
What is one core philosophy you try to live by when managing your team/operation?
Lead by example and clearly communicate your expectations.
What is your favorite event(s) you've ever worked?
I've had the privilege of working on a number of unforgettable events throughout my career. Stepping onto the grounds of Augusta National each April is always a surreal experience and, as a Kentucky girl with a love for horse racing, the Kentucky Derby holds a special place in my heart.
But two events, in particular, stand out as truly remarkable: the historic Major League Baseball game in Cuba in 2016 and, most recently, the 2024 College Football Playoff in Houston. Both presented unique challenges and ultimately created memories that will stay with me for a lifetime.
Pennington with ESPN colleagues at the 2025 College Football Playoff Meetings at Mercedes Benz Stadium earlier this year. From left: Senior Manager - ESPN College Football Jarrett Baker, Fiber Team member Duke Thorne, Operations Specialist Terry Cook, and ESPN Safety member Marty Lalick.
How did you get started in sports production? What was your first real job in the business?
I was hired as a Studio Camera Operator for WLEX-TV in Lexington, KY during my freshman year of college. At the time, I had planned on attending law school, but that all changed once I discovered my true passion for broadcasting. It became clear to me that this was where I truly belonged.
What's one piece of advice you have for someone just starting their career in this industry?
Actions speak louder than words. Don't tell someone how good or eager you are, show them. Ask the important questions, spend the extra time learning everything you can, and Network, Network, Network!
To read more of the SVG All-Stars series, CLICK HERE.
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
09/10/2026
September 10 2026, 06:00 (PDT) Dolby Expands Dolby OptiView Platform with New Capabilities at IBC 2026
New Sports Intelligence helps providers better unders...
07/10/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, today announced the latest Long-Term Supported (LTS) release of Dalet Flex. Build...
22/09/2026
From Malaysia to Mexico and from DR Congo to Ukraine, this year's 12 finalists for the 2026 Thomson Foundation Young Journalist of the Year award tell extra...
22/09/2026
The annual preseason content-gathering event brought 36 NHL players to Las Vegas, where ESPN used 2.5 kilowatts of laser power and a motion-control camera syste...
22/09/2026
Neumann has introduced the KK 104 A (cardioid) and KK 105 A (supercardioid) wireless capsule heads, succeeding the KK 204 and KK 205. The new capsules are compa...
22/09/2026
The NFL and TMRW Sports have announced a new annual Pro Flag Showcase to be held during Super Bowl LXI week in Los Angeles. The event will feature top flag foot...
22/09/2026
Washington State University has unveiled a new end zone video display and audio ...
22/09/2026
Disney's SVP of Live Operations and Engineering details the technology behin...
22/09/2026
Cosm has announced two senior promotions. Mazen Alawar has been promoted to SVP,...
22/09/2026
Mississippi State University's University Television Center has purchased four KOKUSAI DENKI SK-UHD7000-S2 cameras since 2024, with plans to add two more, a...
22/09/2026
Net Insight has announced that Christine Kjellvard will assume the role of interim Chief Financial Officer on November 1, 2026. Kjellvard has previously held in...
22/09/2026
Net Insight has announced Zyntai TimeNode Access, a compact PTP Grandmaster designed for distributed edge sites. The product carries secure, precise time across...
22/09/2026
Sam Hazeldine, Austin Amelio, Padraic McKinley, Julia Jones, and Ethan Hawke attend the premiere of The Weight at The Ray Theatre on January 26, 2026, in Park...
22/09/2026
Second high-gain tone plug-in released
Following on from their debut release, Chainsaw Suite, Avalanche Tones have announced the launch of their second plug...
22/09/2026
Uncompressed audio with below 6ms of latency
Lewitt's have just introduced their first pair of headphones which, despite being aimed primarily at studio...
22/09/2026
Two new capsule heads for Sennheiser wireless systems
Neumann have announced the upcoming launch of the KK 104 A and KK 105 A, a pair of new premium condens...
22/09/2026
Apogee Plugins Are Moving to Plugin Alliance We're excited to share an important update about the future of Apogee plugins.
Apogee plugins are moving to Pl...
22/09/2026
Parkland, Florida, US, September 22, 2026: SipRadius, widely recognized for making content processing and connectivity secure and seamless, has been honored wit...
22/09/2026
VanityFilter 3.1.5 adds project files and adjustable protection around lips, bro...
22/09/2026
Chile's TV Modernizes Broadcast Operations with Blackmagic Design
Brie Clayton September 22, 2026
0 Comments
URSA Broadcast G2 brings versatility...
22/09/2026
OWC Shares Sneak Peek at Amazon Prime Big Deal Days Pricing
Brie Clayton September 22, 2026
0 Comments
Image courtesy of Deposit Photos
Business and ...
22/09/2026
Berklee's First Homecoming Block Party Brings Alumni Home for Global Music F...
22/09/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
22/09/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
22/09/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
22/09/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
22/09/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
22/09/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
22/09/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
22/09/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
22/09/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
22/09/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
22/09/2026
From Academy Award-winning Passion Pictures and BAFTA-winning director Marian Mo...
22/09/2026
Tuesday 22 September 2026
Portrait Artist of the Year returns to Sky Arts with ...
22/09/2026
Whether it be from the sun or from our phones and other devices, we are all exposed to electromagnetic radiation in some shape or form. With the dramatic growth...
22/09/2026
Comscore's latest AI Intelligence Report Shows Competition Intensifying as C...
22/09/2026
The Factory-X Project Sets Standards for Data Sovereignty in Industry
Arvato Systems Brings Digital Sovereignty to Industrial Practice
Factory-X Successfully...
22/09/2026
LONDON Apple today announced the opening of Apple Music Hall, a brand-new state-...
22/09/2026
RT , Creative Ireland and Shared Island Initiative ask young artists
to respon...
22/09/2026
To build and deploy sophisticated robotics applications that can perceive, reason and act in dynamic environments, developers need new physical AI models and to...
21/09/2026
Manifold Technologies, developer of software-defined, FPGA-accelerated infrastructure for live production, has named Ryhaan Williams as Chief Commercial Officer...
21/09/2026
Studio Network Solutions (SNS) has won Best Journal Article at the 2026 IAMT Impact Awards for What Video Editors Need When Everything Is Changing Around Them,...
21/09/2026
Major League Wrestling (MLW) has announced a streaming distribution agreement with Tubi for its weekly series MLW FUSION. Beginning September 17, new episodes w...
21/09/2026
Disney Entertainment has announced that Adam Smith has been named Chairman, Direct-to-Consumer, with responsibility for Disney and Hulu including product, engi...
21/09/2026
United Airlines and DISH have announced an agreement to bring live professional ...
21/09/2026
SES and JioStar have announced a multi-year agreement under which SES will provide satellite distribution services for JioStar's television channel portfoli...
21/09/2026
The Detroit Red Wings have announced details for their inaugural season on Detro...
21/09/2026
Manifold Technologies has appointed Ryhaan Williams as Chief Commercial Officer for North America, effective October 1, 2026. Based in Jacksonville, Florida, Wi...
21/09/2026
Angels Broadcast Television (ABTV), the local television home of the Los Angeles...