By David Scott
Boston Sports Media Watch

BRISTOL, Conn. - This will likely be the last post of the day from the ESPN Campus as we are scheduled for some scurrying around before our chariot brings us back to Boston for the late edition of Out of Bounds on CN8 (following exciting CAA college football).

We’re currently in the midst of an ESPN International overview, having finished up the SportsCenter overview by making Mark Gross, the SVP and Managing Editor, Studio Production a bit uncomfortable by continuing to harp on the branded elements of SC (i.e. Budweiser Hot Seat and Coors Light Six Pack).

“Our fans, our viewers, they are accustomed to it,” said Gross. “They get hit with sponsorships at every sporting event and people expect it now. The things that are sponsored we would be doing anyways.”

Really? Budweiser Hot Seat interviews with Hollywood stars would be on a sports news program? We find that hard to believe.

“(The sponsorhip) really doesn’t bother me,” said anchor Steve Levy.

. . . Levy also talked about the over-schtick that had seeped into SportsCenter in recent years. “The era I joined ESPN was the Dan (Patrick) and Keith (Olbermann) era and we all came in trying to be either Dan or Keith. But after six months or so, you settled in. Schtick has worked for a lot of people. The people who were going overboard are either not here anymore or have gone on to be big, big stars.”

“We want people to be themselves,” said Gross.

“You can’t fool the audience,” said Levy. “I’m not one of those (schtick) guys. I enjoy the serious story.”

. . . Georgie Bingham, an International SportsCenter anchor is now speaking and we’ll be damned if we’re going to ignore her.

. . . Thanks for joining us for our field trip to ESPN - nothing earth shattering and a lot of ESPN Spin being spun at every corner, but you’ve got to give the ESPN folks credit for inviting a blogging swine like myself to their behind-the-curtain look at the Worldwide Leader. That’s a good sign for all bloggers everywhere, right?