Behind the scenes, Lehigh’s broadcasting team brings Mountain Hawk athletics to fans with every taping. Steve Lomangino calls the shots, Frank Lomax manages the technical board, Tommy Biltcliff is in the arena at dawn, and Kelly Rohrer and Maddie Arnold keep everything on track.
The Brown and White shadowed Lehigh Athletics to learn what goes into producing a football gameday broadcast, the challenges of working behind the scenes and the pride they take in bringing Lehigh Athletics to life.
6:00 a.m. — Stabler Arena
Biltcliff, the productions coordinator for ESPN+, powers up Stabler Arena’s control room — the nerve center of Lehigh’s football broadcasts. Screens blink awake as he reboots the software that will stream the afternoon football game to fans across the country.
“It’s all about preparation,” Biltcliff said. “We’ve only got one shot to make it look seamless.”
He checks microphones, tests graphics and calibrates up to six cameras before the student crew arrives. Between cables, monitors and headsets, it’s equal parts technology and choreography. By kickoff, everything must be ready to go.
7:00 a.m. — Goodman Stadium
Rohrer, Lehigh’s director of video board operations, loads sponsor graphics and pregame videos into the board software.
“There are always last-minute changes — sometimes 30 or more pieces of content that change from game to game,” Rohrer said. “That’s the nature of live production.”
She works closely with the marketing and ticketing teams, mapping out in-game promotions and timing breaks with sponsors. By mid-morning, she’ll meet with sales, marketing and the music staff to finalize the run of the production with a script detailing every cue from kickoff to the final whistle.
8:30 a.m. — Press box preparation
In the press box, Lomangino, Lehigh’s director of sports communications, sets up laptops, flip cards and statistics software. He coordinates media credentials and tests every printer and outlet.
“Game day is like practice,” he said. “You prepare all week so the show runs smoothly.”
Once the statistician arrives, Lomangino finalizes the starting lineups and prepares the broadcast notes, also known as the “nuggets,” commentators use on-air.
9:30 a.m. — Production meeting
By this time, everyone gathers for the pregame huddle, including Rohrer, Biltcliff, Lomangino, Arnold, the assistant director of sports communication, and student technicians such as junior Lomax.
The marketing and sponsorship team and music operator are also there to help prepare, including Ryan Dilts, the assistant director of sales and marketing, and Chase Belcak, the partnership coordinator. They help with on-field logistics like promotions, ceremonies and team recognitions, all while being Kelly’s “eyes and ears on the field.”
Rohrer and Biltcliff run through cues for the video board and broadcast feeds with them. Arnold details the social media workflow — photographers will send photos in real time through Adobe Lightroom, a photo editing tool, so she can post updates and graphics throughout the game.
“Everything moves fast,” Arnold said. “We’re constantly communicating, editing photos, posting GIFs and cutting highlights live as the game happens.”
10:30 a.m. — Final checks
By now, both control rooms at Stabler and Goodman are buzzing. Camera operators test angles, focus and battery levels while Biltcliff calls out reminders.
“Camera three, check focus,” Biltcliff said. “Camera four, swap batteries before kickoff.”
Arnold scrolls through the first wave of warm-up photos, cropping them for Instagram. She posts the morning’s gallery while Rohrer checks timing on sponsor segments and ceremonial recognitions.
“It’s a constant coordination,” Rohrer said. “We’re all talking — marketing, sales, announcers, camera ops. One big team.”
11:30 a.m. — Countdown to kickoff
30 minutes before kickoff, the first video plays on the board. The Marching 97 begins, the crowd filters in and Biltcliff runs the final audio test.
“Ready camera one,” Biltcliff said into his headset and pointed to his monitor. “Take one.”
The game is live.
12:02 p.m. — Kickoff
The ceremonial cannon fires. Rohrer switches the board to the live scoreboard feed.
Five cameras feed Biltcliff angles from across the stadium. When Lehigh scores, he cuts to a slow-motion replay from the 3-Play coordinator who sits next to him.
“There’s no re-do,” Biltcliff said. “You have a vision in your head, and you’re trying to make it real in real time.”
1:15 p.m. — Midgame rhythm
By now, the production is in full swing. Rohrer triggers sponsor videos, Lomangino feeds statistics to the announcers and Arnold tweets photos and updates as plays unfold.
Down on the field, Lomax operates a camera steadily propped on a stand behind the end zone.
“Every frame matters,” Lomax said. “One good angle can make or break a replay.”
He’s learned that firsthand. One of his shots once helped overturn a touchdown call on review.
He said that’s when he realized how much impact the Athletics team has, even if no one sees them.
2:30 p.m. — Technical scare
A monitor flickers off in the control room. But within seconds, the team resets the feed, and the broadcast continues without viewers ever noticing.
“You just have to stay calm,” Rohrer said. “If I panic, everyone panics.”
2:51 p.m. — Final whistle
As the clock on the scoreboard hits zero, Rohrer cues the final graphic.
“Three, two, one, out,” Rohrer said.
The crew exhales, claps and begins coiling cables and shutting down the systems.
3:15 p.m. — Postgame wrap
Biltcliff walks over from Stabler to Goodman to assist with the deconstruction of the press box.
Arnold uploads the final photo gallery to Lehigh Footballs’s Instagram account and crafts the game’s closing post.
“This is where I focus a lot of my attention,” Arnold said. “The one that tells the story best and what will shape the outlook of the game.”
Lomangino moderates the post-game press conference while Biltcliff prepares to head back to Stabler to back up the footage.
The team then has a quick debrief where they go over any issues that occurred, and how to improve for the next game. They also make a plan for additional content to go up on Saturday night and Sunday.
Lomangino said the work never stops for the team. He finishes writing the game story and disseminating information before he heads out for the day.
As the crowd filters out, the cameras get packed away to be used for other sports teams, or plugged in to recharge so they’re ready to go next time.
“We do this so much it’s second nature,” Rohrer says. “Every game is different, but that’s what makes it fun.”
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