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Grayson Rainey ’18 shares a behind-the-scenes look at the skills required for success producing some of the most popular events in live sports
Grayson Rainey ’18 made a virtual visit to Rick Hamlin’s Sports Media & Broadcasting elective in late September to share some wisdom learned from his recent experience working behind the scenes at the Master’s, March Madness and the NFL for CBS Sports. 

Even though Rainey’s toolkit includes a host of technical know-how, like videography, sound engineering, and statistical research, he says the most important skills are the ones he honed at Trinity: communication and respect for others.

“You meet a lot of different people in this kind of job and one of the things they try to teach us at CBS is to be professional,” he said. “I'm contacting a lot of people during the week for my job, so I'm always trying to be very curious, but respectful of their time.”

“Preparation is the key,” he said of his work creating tape highlights and stat sheets for producers and directors on each broadcast. “Especially on the NFL, I make it a priority to get a lot of work done during the week.” Rainey showed students a research notebook that he compiles each week for the announcer Charles Davis. “I'm compiling research material and articles on the upcoming team, and then I go to FedEx each week, print it out, and then give it to him at our Saturday night production meeting.”

A four-year player and leader on the varsity golf team while at Trinity, Rainey missed the launch of TESPN, the school’s growing sports broadcasting club, by only a year or two. But he is thrilled by the opportunities now available to current Trinity students as well as those on the horizon with the completion of the Morgan Hall Expansion and the creation of a dedicated studio space for TESPN.

After Trinity, Rainey graduated from the Missouri School of Journalism and worked in local TV news before joining CBS Sports Golf in 2022. He says the highlights of his time at CBS have been working at the 2024 Masters as well as the UCLA/Hawaii football game in Honolulu last year.

Rainey’s advice to students interested in a job in live sports broadcasting is to expect to make mistakes but be willing to learn from them. “The best thing about this job is you don't feel satisfied after every game,” he said. “You're looking for ways to improve and get better.”
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