ITS is proud to recognize the Multimedia Team’s ESPN+ Baseball Broadcast Crew as the Spring 2023 Team of the Quarter! The team consists of Alyssa De Anda, Apolinar Cueto, Jorge Macias, Noah Jones, and Sergio Jimenez Gonzalez. 

The group was nominated by Multimedia & Classroom Technology Manager Muhammad “Siddiq” Siddiqui-Ali for successfully broadcasting the UC Riverside Highlanders’ men’s baseball games on ESPN+, an unprecedented feat for the Multimedia & Classroom Technology team and ITS. 

The Multimedia Team partnered with UC Riverside Athletics to pilot the ESPN+ broadcast of men’s baseball games. The pilot ran from March to May 2023 and covered a total of 17 games. Remarkably, the team had no previous experience to draw upon apart from the polished broadcasts of UCR’s annual commencement ceremonies. 

Only four months into his role as Broadcast Technician, Noah took charge of the project. With no prior framework to rely on, he drafted a list of required gear, scheduled training sessions for student workers manning the cameras, and taught about baseball production best practices. 

Siddiq described how Noah proactively managed the challenges his team faced: 

“He called upon colleagues at other [UC schools] when needed, found solutions to problems that presented themselves at every game, and every day, gave it his all. He was in the hot seat and [he] dealt with that pressure with grace.” 

Jorge, Apolinar, and Sergio used their engineering expertise to troubleshoot on the fly. They learned how to operate a new platform to manage live graphics and gained new skills. They also helped resolve technical issues that the team encountered during broadcasts. 

Jorge, Apolinar, and Sergio dedicated their time to the project, working long hours to ensure that UCR is broadcasting top-notch footage in every game. 

As the Multimedia Service Coordinator, Alyssa played a vital role in organizing the schedule of the student workers who assisted with production on multiple game nights. She also organized the Baseball Broadcast Crew’s schedule and ensured that there were no staffing issues, all while working around the timetable of spring quarter events on campus. 

Despite the difficulties Alyssa faced, she persevered. Siddiq also praised her efforts: 

“When staffing was challenging, she did not give up, but [instead] continued to find a solution. [Alyssa] always found a creative way to move students around operational needs, special events, and athletics so they could all be successful.” 

Each member of the team put forth their best effort to get the baseball broadcast up and running. They consistently demonstrated their commitment to overcoming challenges and improving the production of every game they broadcast. 

Siddiq expressed the tenacity that the Baseball Broadcast Crew showed to complete this endeavor: 

“It was a very heavy lift with stumbles and challenges, but through it all, Alyssa, Apolinar, Noah, Jorge, and Sergio always [solved] the problem and came through [in] every game.” 

Thank you, Multimedia Team’s ESPN+ Baseball Broadcast Crew, for your perseverance and commitment to deliver an excellent production. ITS highly appreciates each of your valuable contributions! 

Be sure to submit your nomination for the next Team of the Quarter!