Sports Media

On This Page

Program Overview

Fairfield University’s sports media program encompasses the main tenets of the industries and practices that make up the larger sports media environment - including journalism, broadcasting, communication, and public relations - and combines them with a critical approach to studying sports that is rooted in the liberal arts and the Jesuit mission of the University.

A sports media major or minor is experiential, analytical, and interdisciplinary in nature, and requires students to take courses within the College of Arts and Sciences’ Digital Journalism program, Communication Department, and Film, Television, and Media Arts program. As part of their studies, students critically evaluate the social, cultural, and political issues that imbue and surround sport, while learning the professional skills needed for careers in sports media.

By completing a major in Sports Media, students are able to:

  • Exhibit a critical stance towards the role of sports in social, political, cultural and academic life
  • Present evidence of an interdisciplinary lens toward sports media, including but not limited to, professional commentary, journalism, broadcast news, reporting, writing, and other fields
  • Demonstrate a deep understanding of industry and its relationship to the commentary by fans, athletes, business partners, and regions
  • Analyze the complex political, social, and ethical issues that increasingly shape contemporary sports
  • Demonstrate mastery of communication and writing within sports media and the skills employed by professional commentators

Students will also benefit from Fairfield's proximity to many major sports media institutions like ESPN, NBC Sports, WWE, and the YES Network, which will serve as key locations for majors to pursue internships and potentially start their careers.

Requirements & Curriculum

Required Courses

Sports Broadcasting and Remote Television Production
Sports, Media, and Culture
Sports Media Industry
Introduction to Sports Writing
Sports Journalism
Independent Writing Project
OR
Internship
OR
Independent Study
Four (4) Sports Media elective courses
Sports Broadcasting and Remote Television Production
Sports, Media, and Culture
OR
Sports Media Industry
Introduction to Sports Writing
OR
Sports Journalism
Two (2) Sports Media elective courses

A detailed list of course requirements, offerings, and more can be viewed in the University’s course catalog.

Stag Spotlight

Brielle Nesto ’20 headshot

Brielle Nesto ’20

Partnership Activation Coordinator
Major League Baseball

Get to Know Brielle

Brielle Nesto ’20
Partnership Activation Coordinator
Major League Baseball

Major: Communication

Minor: Public Relations

What were your reasons for choosing Fairfield University?
From the moment I stepped on campus I just felt like I was at home. Every college tour beside Fairfield I would always think “but it's not Fairfield.” With that being said, I applied early-decision. The beautiful campus, enthusiastic tour guide, close distance to home, and fun downtown area was everything I was looking for. I also knew it had a good reputation and was located on the beach, so for me, I felt like it was a “no brainer.”

What would you tell a student considering coming to Fairfield as an undergraduate?
I have absolutely nothing bad to say, and I feel as if that's something within itself. The proximity to the beach, modern campus, relationships you can develop with your professors, etc. Fairfield really has everything! The sports are great, and there are so many options outside of the classroom as in extracurricular activities. It is a small school, but it does feel big, and I loved walking on campus seeing so many familiar faces every day. Just when I thought one year couldn't get better than the next, I was super sad to say goodbye to Fairfield, Conn., every summer.

What went into your thinking as you selected your major?
I always loved talking to people and felt as if I was super creative. I was intrigued about the media, so communication was an easy decision for me!

What were the best aspects of your experience at Fairfield?
I made the best friendships I could ever imagine, and I left the University feeling as if I truly grew in a positive way as a person. I also felt as if Fairfield made me a lot more confident in myself and super smart, as if I can take on anything I put my mind to. Even as a senior living on the beach, I enjoyed having classes on campus and after every year packing up my belongings for the summer, I would always shed so many tears. A part of my heart was definitely left in Fairfield when I graduated.

Please describe any interesting project, research opportunity, internship, leadership opportunity, or anything else you were a part of while at Fairfield.
>During my senior year, I participated in an independent study with my classmate, Kylie Sposito. We assisted the Senior Launch career center program, by implementing “Life Skills 101” weekly seminars. Examples of seminars offered were budgeting and saving money, how to write a check, apartment hunting, job applications, etc. Our goal was to help prepare students for personal life after graduation. We conducted research through interviews and surveys to collect data on promoting the program and to find new advertising ideas that would help increase student engagement. We served as ambassadors of the program and role models to the other students by being key figures and speakers in the weekly events. We always had great turnouts of the events and the participants were always super enthusiastic about the program.

What are you currently working on, or studying, and what about it inspires you?
I currently work at Major League Baseball, as a partnership activation coordinator, in the Sponsorship Department. I love my job, the location (in NYC) and the people there. My role consists of but is not limited to: day-to-day management of various digital and TV media campaigns for the MLB channels (MLB Network, MLB.com, @MLB, MLB.TV) in which we “activate” all sponsorship deals. I work closely with corporate sponsors, agencies, media companies, and the Toronto Blue Jays, LA Dodgers, KC Royals, Atlanta Braves, and the Minnesota Twins. We have daily client meetings and phone calls in which we discuss the status of each account. We also track various forms of data from all our digital advertisements and campaigns. We also prepare and present delivery reports and recap decks to our clients outlining the campaign success. We work externally with other teams such as Social-Media, Strategic Planning, Legal, PR, Design, and Ad Operations, etc. I’ve always wanted to work in sports and have always been a big baseball fan, so I am very happy and I honored to work at MLB!

How have the opportunities offered to you through Fairfield such as research, internships, alumni network, faculty relationships) helped you move closer to achieving your career goals?
I began my baseball career as I interned at MLB in the Sponsorship Department the summer of 2019, and it was a plus to find out that three Fairfield Alumni worked in the Sponsorship - Sales Department, too. (Courtney Coppotelli ’02, Bryan Wrabel ’12, Patrick Lawler ’18). Once I graduated, I kept in contact with my supervisors and coworkers, especially that we are all now part of the Stag Alumni Community/Network. The Alumni network is so strong and super helpful. Stags love helping Stags!

What student activities (clubs, athletics, honor societies) were you involved in on campus?
I was part of the “Colleges Against Cancer” club, and also participated in intramural volleyball and softball. I also spoke on the ‘Spring 2020 Internship Panel’ giving advice to current students on how to utilize Fairfield’s career center, alumni network, and how to score your dream job!

Which school were you enrolled in?
College of Arts and Sciences

Trey Liburd ’19 headshot

Trey Liburd ’19

Content Associate ESPN

Get to Know Trey

Trey Liburd ’19
Content Associate
ESPN

Major: Communication

Minor: Digital Journalism, Education

What were your reasons for choosing Fairfield University?
I chose Fairfield University because of the great programs that it offered to me. The Communications Program was and still is very highly-rated. The friendliness and helpfulness that everybody had towards me when I came for my first campus tour also drew me. Downtown Fairfield is a really nice area too with nice shops and restaurants, and another key was being so close to Fairfield Beach along with being a train ride away from NYC.

What would you tell a student considering coming to Fairfield as an undergraduate?
I would tell them that Fairfield has a wide variety of majors, so anything that you are looking for from business to nursing to Education. Fairfield will have it for you. The connections you make with friends and alumni also extend beyond graduation. I still regularly see my roommates from senior year even though I graduated over two years ago.

What went into your thinking as you selected your major?
I definitely wanted to work within sports after graduation, so I tried to find the programs at Fairfield that would cater to that dream coming true. That's why for me, I thought that being a communications major and a digital journalism minor would help prepare me the most.

What were the best aspects of your experience at Fairfield?
The helpful and caring teachers, lifelong friends, and the alumni helpfulness following graduation.

Please describe any interesting project, research opportunity, internship, leadership opportunity, or anything else you were a part of while at Fairfield.
An internship that I really benefitted from was at Outside Television in Westport. During the fall semester of my senior year. Outside Television covered different outdoor sports ranging from surfing to snowboarding to paragliding. This was my first internship through Fairfield that involved sports and I loved every part of it. There were four other interns along with me and, basically, we reached out to different YouTube accounts that had impressive extreme sports videos and had them enter our Outside Television contests for prizes. It helped to increase Outside Television's brand and exposure. It was a really cool experience.

What are you currently working on, or studying, and what about it inspires you?
I currently work at ESPN in Bristol, Connecticut. I am a content associate within the Production Department. When I first started at ESPN, I worked within SportsCenter at Night and created the highlights that would air on the different SportsCenter shows and the Scott Van Pelt Show. Now, I work within Event Production for the NBA and WNBA Event Teams. I put together any video elements for our ESPN-Broadcasted NBA and WNBA games. Working at ESPN a great opportunity and what inspires me about it is I've been passionate about sports since I was little so working in it is the ultimate dream.

How have the opportunities offered to you through Fairfield such as research, internships, alumni network, faculty relationships) helped you move closer to achieving your career goals?
The internships that I had during my time at Fairfield definitely set me up with a good resume for ESPN. The Fairfield Alumni Network being super helpful also was great. Fairfield Alumni within my job interest helped me properly prepare for getting through an interview at ESPN and getting past the many other applicants going for the job that I wanted.

What student activities (clubs, athletics, honor societies) were you involved in on campus?
I ran a fantasy football show on Stags Television (Fairfield's TV Station), hosted a weekly radio show on WVOF 88.5 (Fairfield U's radio station), wrote sports articles for the Fairfield Mirror (newspaper), graduated Cum Laude, and played Intramural Sports while attending Fairfield.

Which school were you enrolled in?
College of Arts and Sciences

Kelley Ekert ’18 headshot

Kelley Ekert ’18

Digital Editor
NBC Sports

Get to Know Kelley

Kelley Ekert ’18
Digital Editor

Major: Digital Journalism

Minor: Psychology, Marketing

What were your reasons for choosing Fairfield University?
When looking for a college, I knew I wanted to go to school where I wasn’t just a number in a lecture hall. I wanted to form close relationships with my advisors and professors, and I wanted to recognize friendly faces as I walked around campus. I also valued Fairfield’s core curriculum as I figured out exactly what I wanted to major in, and thus do with my life. Fairfield U checked all of those boxes! It also helped that my mom went there, so I already had a lot of Stag gear.

What would you tell a student considering coming to Fairfield as an undergraduate?
Fairfield will become your second home. From the people you meet in your dorm hallway on the first day, to academic advisors, to friends you'll make in clubs, to your professors -- we all care about one another deeply. Everyone at Fairfield is there to help you achieve, and to celebrate, your wins -- both in your career and as you develop as a young adult. It’s really the perfect place to figure out who you are and who you want to be.

What went into your thinking as you selected your major?
I came to Fairfield unsure of what I wanted to do with my life. The first English class I took as a freshman was very heavy in writing (which I loved), and it was that professor who encouraged me to get involved in some of the on-campus publications. Once I realized that I could actually do that for a living, the decision to join Fairfield's up-and-coming digital journalism program was easy.

What were the best aspects of your experience at Fairfield?
One of my favorite things about my experience at Fairfield was joining the digital journalism program as it was just starting. I got to shape my own education with classes that interested me and were applicable to the major, and even got to add a technology class to the curriculum (which allowed me to add minors in marketing and psychology!)

Please describe any interesting project, research opportunity, internship, leadership opportunity, or anything else you were a part of while at Fairfield.
At Fairfield, my roommates and I founded a campus chapter of She's the First, a non-profit organization that sponsors women's education worldwide. In my duties as founder and president, I gained vital leadership and delegation skills that I still utilize to this day. It was an invaluable experience to take ownership of starting a club, recruit members, run meetings, plan events, and help women in need at the same time.

What are you currently working on, or studying, and what about it inspires you? (If applicable, please include your current job title, company or grad school name and program, and a brief description of your responsibilities.)
I've been working at NBC Sports as a digital editor since graduating in 2018. My main responsibilities include creating digital content around major national sports news and tentpole events, most recently the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, for NBC Sports Regional Networks and local sites. In my past three years at NBC, I have also copyedited and packaged stories for the MyTeams app, produced push alerts for viral and breaking news, and tried my hand at producing some marketing copy for social media platforms.

How have the opportunities offered to you through Fairfield such as research, internships, alumni network, faculty relationships) helped you move closer to achieving your career goals?
Without my experience at several on-campus publications and the internships I had during my time at Fairfield, my resume would not have stood out nearly as much when applying for my current role at NBC Sports. Those experiences, coupled with all of the skills I learned in my classes, gave me the tools to be confident in myself as a writer, reporter, and young professional in general. Plus, I was able to debate with my manager about our favorite place to get a hot dog in Fairfield during my final interview ... which I think sealed the deal on my hiring.

What student activities (clubs, athletics, honor societies) were you involved in on campus?
Magic Scholarship program, Sigma Tau Delta, She's the First President & Co-Founder, Her Campus Assistant News Editor, The Fairfield Mirror Online Editor

Which school were you enrolled in?
College of Arts and Sciences

Amanda Hajjar ’17 headshot

Amanda Hajjar ’17

Digital Content Manager
The New York Knicks

Get to Know Amanda

Amanda Hajjar ’17
Digital Content Manager
The New York Knicks

Major: Digital Journalism

Minor: Marketing, Biology

What were your reasons for choosing Fairfield University?
Proximity to home, safe area, close to the beach, and beautiful campus.

What would you tell a student considering coming to Fairfield as an undergraduate?
One of my academic highlights at Fairfield were the professors. I had the pleasure of being taught, coached, and mentored by amazing professors with a variety of backgrounds. I would tell a student to take advantage of this -- go to his or her office hours, get to know them, how they got to where they wanted to get to, etc.

What went into your thinking as you selected your major?
I actually enrolled in Fairfield as a biology major. I was always fascinated by the medical field, but it truly wasn't for me. When I realized it was time to change majors during the summer going into my junior year, I was worried -- I didn't know quite what to do. That's when my advisor opened my eyes to the newly formed digital journalism major. The classes intrigued me and fulfilled several natural curiosities I had - including writing, reporting, critical thinking, literary theory, and philosophy, etc. I didn't know exactly what I wanted to do, but I knew this major was a great base to the type of career I eventually would want to pursue.

What were the best aspects of your experience at Fairfield?
Some of the best aspects of my experience at Fairfield was the town itself (and the amazing food), living on the beach, the friends I made, and the classes I took.

Please describe any interesting project, research opportunity, internship, leadership opportunity, or anything else you were a part of while at Fairfield.
The first thing that comes to mind was a paper I wrote for Dr. Kelley as part of my literary theory class. This was probably the most interesting class I took taught by one of my favorite professors. My paper was titled “A Psychoanalytic Feminist Critique of Fifty Shades of Grey’s Protagonists.” Dr. Kelley pushed my thinking and my writing ability in this class and I dove deep into the fusion between literature and philosophy. I believe this was one of my final pieces while at Fairfield and I was extremely proud of the final product -- thanks to the guidance and trust from Dr. Kelley.

What are you currently working on, or studying, and what about it inspires you?
I am currently a digital content manager for the New York Knicks. After graduating Fairfield University in 2017, I joined ESPN as a sports content researcher, creating and implementing storylines across all ESPN platforms. Following ESPN, I joined The Madison Square Garden (MSG) Company in May 2018 as a business solutions coordinator within the Marketing Partnerships Department responsible for creating sponsorship packages designed to deliver against target KPIs for both new business prospects and current MSG partners. In my current capacity, alongside the head of Knicks’ social, help lead all digital content planning, coverage, and execution across all Knicks digital and social channels – including live game coverage, branded content, and NBA tentpole events (NBA All Star, Draft, Summer League, etc.).

How have the opportunities offered to you through Fairfield such as research, internships, alumni network, faculty relationships helped you move closer to achieving your career goals?
The digital journalism program was honestly the door I needed to open for my confidence and career to take form. After wanting to change from biology, I was a bit fearful of what my next step would be, and had no idea what I truly wanted to do — but the unique nature of this program helped me build a vast array of skills that I knew could take me to something I eventually wanted to do (even if I wasn't sure what that was yet).

What student activities (clubs, athletics, honor societies) were you involved in on campus? Please include any honors you may have received.
I was on the Dean's List each of my final four semesters at Fairfield University (which coincided with when I switched majors).

Which school were you enrolled in?
College of Arts and Sciences

Please add anything else you wish us to know.
It is often very overwhelming to start college suddenly faced with so many questions — who do you hang out with, what classes do you take, what do you want to do, what are your friends doing and should that matter? My advice would be to not rush, find out what your passion is, and to not be afraid of classes that may be different or challenging. You never know what door will open or what will pique your interest. I would urge students to not worry about what job they will land when they are freshmen, but rather, what will pique their interest and motivate them to learn more — from there, everything falls into place. From pre-k through high school, everything is laid out for us as students, and college is finally the time to explore what you really love and what you really want to do, and that is a blessing. That, as well as to find your group of people, find your friends, it’s very important to have a group of friends you can lean on, and these don't need to be in your own class year. For me, my main group of friends were in the grade above me, and I wouldn't change a thing about it.

More About Sports Media

"Navigating a Career in Sports Media in a Fast-Evolving Industry" with NBA TV Host Chris Miles ’03

Learn More

"Navigating a Career in Sports Media in a Fast-Evolving Industry" with NBA TV Host Chris Miles ’03

Richard Greenwald, PhD, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, hosted alumnus and NBA TV Host Chris Miles '03 for a Virtual Dean's Series discussion at noon on Friday, April 16, 2021. The discussion included topics such as mapping career goals, forging the right paths and partnerships, and how a Jesuit liberal arts education is the bedrock for success in media.

Read More About the Discussion on news@

Fairfield University Opens State-of-the-Art Media Center

Learn More

Fairfield University Opens State-of-the-Art Media Center

After undergoing a major renovation during the 2020 summer break, the building that formerly housed the Charles F. Dolan School of Business officially reopened this past fall as the new home of the College of Arts and Science’s expanding programs in communications, digital journalism, sports media, and media arts. It is also the new headquarters of the Marketing and Communication Division’s media production team.

Learn More About the New Media Center on news@

Diversity and Inclusive Excellence

Learn More

Diversity and Inclusive Excellence

Four Students sitting together talking to each other in common srrea 

As a Jesuit, Catholic university, Fairfield is dedicated to diversity and inclusion; to radical hospitality in service of racial, social, and economic justice.

Learn More

Faculty

Learn More

Faculty

The College of Arts and Sciences at Fairfield University is home to a vibrant community of engaged faculty, dedicated staff and budding scholars devoted to the process of invention and discovery and excited by the prospect of producing knowledge in the service of others. Meet the innovative members of our Sports Media faculty.

Meet the Faculty

Search Results