Sony Pixel Power calrec Sony

SVG All-Stars: Cindy Pennington, Operations Specialist, ESPN

12/11/2024

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.
LINK: https://www.sportsvideo.org/2024/11/12/svg-all-stars-cindy-pennington-...
See more stories from svg

Most recent headlines

05/01/2027

Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be demoed at CES 2026

Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...

06/09/2026

Dolby and MagentaTV Bring Fans Closer to the FIFA World Cup 2026 in Germany with Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos

June 9 2026, 23:00 (PDT) Dolby and MagentaTV Bring Fans Closer to the FIFA Worl...

04/08/2026

Dalet Announces Commercial Availability of Dalia, Bringing Media-Aware Agentic AI to Enterprise Productions

Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...

04/07/2026

Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in Dolby Cinemas Across Japan, Presented in Dolby Atmos and Dolby ...

April 7 2026, 19:00 (PDT) Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in...

15/06/2026

University of South Carolina's Valerie Gerfin on Gamecock Productions' Growth, Upgrades at Williams-Brice Stadium

One of the more exciting internal video production divisions within a college at...

15/06/2026

Fox Corp. To Acquire Roku, Pairs Live Sports Powerhouse With Major CTV Platform

The deal valued at $22 Billion is expected to close in the first half of 2027...

15/06/2026

Golf Channel Mobile to Live Stream 2026 Arnold Palmer Cup Beginning July 13th

Golf Channel and the Arnold Palmer Cup have announced a partnership to livestream the 2026 Arnold Palmer Cup on Golf Channel Mobile and GolfChannel.com. The tou...

15/06/2026

TikTok and Panini Launch Digital Collectible Card Experience for FIFA World Cup 2026

TikTok and Panini have announced a partnership to bring a digital collectible ca...

15/06/2026

Cosm and Monster Energy Launch First Full-Dome Immersive Advertisement in Shared Reality Venues

Cosm and Monster Energy have announced the debut of the first full-dome immersiv...

15/06/2026

Fox Nation and Real American Freestyle Sign International Media Rights Deal

Real American Freestyle (RAF) and Fox Nation have announced an exclusive streaming agreement for three RAF international events, beginning with RAF Georgia on J...

15/06/2026

FanConnect and Extreme Networks Announce IPTV Integration for Large Venue Deployments

FanConnect has announced a partnership with Extreme Networks integrating FanConn...

15/06/2026

2026 Sundance Institute Ignite x Adobe Fellows Named

Ten Emerging Filmmakers Ages 18 to 25 Will Start Fellowship Year at Ignite Lab from June 14-19 LOS ANGELES, CA, June 15, 2026 - The nonprofit Sundance Institut...

15/06/2026

Rumble from UVI

Innovative three-band soft synth introduced UVI's latest synth takes an interesting approach to synthesis, offering a trio of synth engines that each op...

15/06/2026

Oram Awards 2026: Open call announcement

Applications now open for 2026 The Oram Awards have returned for 2026 to celebrate the unusual, unique and unfiltered creative worlds of women and gender-di...

15/06/2026

PSPaudioware release PSP Levelizer

New intelligent auto-fader plug-in revealed PSPaudioware's latest release offers automatic level adjustment and provides more detailed control than many...

15/06/2026

4.78M AUSSIES TUNE IN FOR SOCCEROOS WIN OVER TRKYE ON SBS

4.78M AUSSIES TUNE IN FOR SOCCEROOS WIN OVER T RK YE ON SBS 15 June, 2026 Media releases Match had a Total TV average audience of 3.035 million, with over ...

15/06/2026

SBS Head of Commissioning John Godfrey to depart after 18 years

SBS Head of Commissioning John Godfrey to depart after 18 years 15 June, 2026 Media releases SBS Head of Commissioning John Godfrey will depart the broadca...

15/06/2026

Greater Manchester Police installs Rohde & Schwarz security scanner for custody searches

Greater Manchester Police installs Rohde & Schwarz security scanner for custody ...

15/06/2026

The New Discovery Stack: AI, Metadata and Audience Intelligence

Insights from NAGRAVISION's latest industry webinar featuring One Hungary, Liberty Global and Media Press Group In this blog, Laura Rognoni explores the k...

15/06/2026

Clear-Com Introduces Avalon IP Intercom Platform

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

15/06/2026

DoJ Approves Paramount Skydance, Warner Bros. Discovery Merger

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

15/06/2026

Clear-Com Introduces Avalon IP Station for Modern Communi...

Clear-Com has introduced Avalon , a purpose built 1RU IP intercom communication platform for modern networked production, designed to simplify and scale workfl...

15/06/2026

Fox Makes CTV Play with Roku Acquisition

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

15/06/2026

Gray Announces Plans to Expand Lansing, Mich. Broadcast HQ

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

15/06/2026

Richmond Flying Squirrels Raise the Bar for Live Baseball...

MiLB Club Deploys LDX 110 Cameras at CarMax Park to Deliver A New Standard in Engaging Fan Experience Grass Valley today announced that the Richmond Flying Sq...

15/06/2026

Detach from Direct-Attached: How Remote Editing with EVO Keeps Creative Teams Moving

Detach from Direct-Attached: How Remote Editing with EVO Keeps Creative Teams Mo...

15/06/2026

Techtel Completes Media Production Setup for a major AFL sporting organisation

Techtel Completes Media Production Setup for a major AFL sporting organisation Sports 15 June Written By Suzanne Costello (Sydney, Australia 15 June 2026)...

15/06/2026

Sky News takes viewers inside Minab in new film investigating primary school strike in Iran

Monday 15 June 2026 Sky News takes viewers inside Minab in new film investigati...

15/06/2026

Fox Corporation to Acquire Roku, Inc.

Fox Corporation to Acquire Roku, Inc. Combination Creates a Scaled Media and Technology Platform with Superior Reach, Engagement and Monetization Capability ...

14/06/2026

Detroit Drums from Iconic Instruments

Library captures 1960s R&B/pop drum sound Following on from their recent wave of plug-in effects, Iconic Instruments have just launched an all-new virtual d...

14/06/2026

HBO Comedy Rooster Shot with URSA Cine 17K 65

HBO Comedy Rooster Shot with URSA Cine 17K 65 Brie Clayton June 14, 2026 0 Comments Large format brings viewers intimately close to characters. Black...

13/06/2026

Rhythmic Filters for Devious Machines' Infiltrator

Latest expansion pack includes 252 presets Devious Machines have recently introduced another expansion for their powerful multi-effects plug-in, Infiltrator...

13/06/2026

MetaGrid Pro gains AI Builder

Create custom DAW/plug-in controllers using prompts MetaGrid have recently introduced an all-new AI Builder function to their touchscreen-based control surf...

13/06/2026

Spectrum Reach Taps Anoki AI for Contextual Intelligence

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

13/06/2026

Google TV Launches Soccer Hub, New Voice Command Features

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

12/06/2026

YES Network and Gotham Sports App to Air Seven Athletes Unlimited Softball League Games

YES Network and The Gotham Sports App will air seven Athletes Unlimited Softball...

12/06/2026

UFL to Feature FAST Innovation Suite at 2026 United Bowl

The United Football League will host its FAST Innovation Suite at the 2026 United Bowl presented by Credit One Bank on Saturday, June 13 at 3:00 p.m. ET at Audi...

12/06/2026

InfoComm 2026: PTZOptics and LayerJot to Demo AI-Driven Camera Control

PTZOptics and LayerJot will present live demonstrations at InfoComm 2026 showing how natural-language AI prompting, robotic camera control, and on-device comput...

12/06/2026

InfoComm 2026: MultiDyne to Debut VF-9100 Fiber Transport Platform and Crescendo Audio Monitor

MultiDyne Video and Fiber Optic Systems will exhibit at InfoComm 2026, featuring...

12/06/2026

Eurovision Services Deploys Ateme Software-Based Frame-Rate Conversion

Ateme has announced that Eurovision Services is using Ateme's software-based frame-rate conversion technology for international live event workflows. The de...

12/06/2026

Bitmovin, Simplestream, and Xperi Partner to Support OTT Services on TiVo OS

Bitmovin and Simplestream have announced a partnership with Xperi to simplify the launch of OTT streaming services on TiVo OS smart TVs and devices. The collabo...

12/06/2026

Net Insight Deploys Nimbra 520 and Nimbra Edge for Multinational Corporate Live Production Workflow

Net Insight has announced that a multinational technology company is deploying a...

12/06/2026

MLB Players Inc., Athletes First Announce Content Partnership

MLB Players Inc., the business arm of the MLB Players Association, has announced a partnership with Athletes First to develop and sell brand partnerships across...

12/06/2026

G&D and VuWall Announce CommandKeyboard-Advanced for Network-Independent Control Room Operations

Guntermann and Drunck (G&D) and VuWall have announced the CommandKeyboard-Advanc...

12/06/2026

Philadelphia Union and Comcast Deploy Smart Technology at Subaru Park and WSFS Bank Sportsplex

Comcast Smart Solutions announces a new smart technology deployment with Major L...

12/06/2026

Elevation Worship Completes First Leg of 2026 Tour Using SSL Live Consoles and New UMD192 Interface

Elevation Worship completed the initial leg of its Elevation Nights 2026 tour ...

12/06/2026

AJA Announces KONA IP25 Integration with Colorfront Transkoder and On-Set Dailies

AJA Video Systems has announced KONA IP25 support for Colorfront Transkoder and ...

12/06/2026

InfoComm 2026: Audinate To Exhibit With New AVIO Install Adapters and Iris Camera Control Platform

Audinate Group Limited (ASX: AD8) will exhibit at InfoComm 2026 (Booth C7321, Ce...

12/06/2026

Pac-12 Appoints Scott Adametz as Chief Technology Officer

Pac-12 Commissioner Teresa Gould has announced the appointment of Scott Adametz as Chief Technology Officer. The Pac-12 describes the hire as the first CTO appo...

12/06/2026

InfoComm 2026: Grass Valley Introduces AMPP Edge Live for Enterprise Production

Grass Valley has announced AMPP Edge Live, a production system combining Grass Valley hardware, NVIDIA Blackwell GPU acceleration, and AMPP OS in a single platf...