Courtesy of LA Tech Athletic Communications
Feb. 13, 2025 marked not only the home opener for Bulldog Softball, but also the beginning of a new era in broadcasting for Louisiana Tech Athletics, as the game at Dr. Billy Bundrick Field became the first home event produced in house for ESPN+.
With the dissolution of CUSA TV and the league’s new media rights partnership with ESPN that went into effect for the 2023-24 athletic season, LA Tech made the strategic decision to bring ESPN+ production fully in-house – an investment in staff, equipment, and infrastructure that has not only elevated content quality but also delivered more coverage at a more financially sustainable cost.
“Establishing our own broadcast unit has allowed us to create more content, which in turn allows us to develop our fans and manage and advance our brand at a much deeper level,” said Vice President and Director of Athletics
Ryan Ivey
. “This unit will allow us to tell the Louisiana Tech Athletics story at a previous unavailable level, while at the same time expanding the broadcast offerings of our sports. This in turn allows us to grow and advance the reach and brand of our programs, student-athletes, and department.”
Last summer, LA Tech hired a dedicated three-person broadcast team –
George Brandon Jr.
,
Carson Fryou
, and
Jack Stribrny
– and built a production crew that included a robust group of student workers. Longtime voices of the Bulldogs and Lady Techsters – Malcolm Butler,
Teddy Allen
, and
Kyle Roberts
– transitioned from radio to lead the on-air talent team, bringing energy and familiarity to the ESPN+ platform.
The result: a standout season for digital broadcasting.
- LA Tech produced 99 ESPN+ broadcasts in 2024-25, ranking third in Conference USA
- Of those, 43 were produced by the internal crew including 32 baseball games, nine softball games and two women’s basketball games
- The department also hosted and broadcasted the LHSAA eSports State Championships, further expanding its digital reach
The athletics department also launched LA Tech Live, a branded hub for original and live content that extends beyond game day. This year’s programming included:
- Weekly and post-game press conferences
- In-game coach and guest interviews
- Coaches shows hosted on campus
- Football National Signing Day coverage from Ruston and Shreveport
- Student-focused event coverage and campus-wide productions like Graduation Ceremonies
LA Tech’s commitment has placed it at the forefront of the league’s broadcast evolution. Among the seven primary ESPN+ sports (Football, Men’s Basketball, Women’s Basketball, Baseball, Softball, Volleyball, and Soccer), LA Tech was among the league leaders in total events broadcasted.
This growth aligns with the league-wide surge in ESPN+ content: from just 345 events in 2019 to 897 in 2024 – a 260% increase. With the upcoming addition of two new CUSA members, that number is expected to surpass 1,100 events in 2025-26, a staggering 320 percent increase over five years.
Though full viewership numbers are still pending, early results show LA Tech broadcasts are resonating with fans. Men’s Basketball had three of the six most-watched regular season games among CUSA schools on ESPN+, including the top viewed contest when the Bulldogs hosted Grand Canyon. Women’s Basketball also saw strong numbers with two games ranking in the top seven for unique viewers.
Another added benefit to the in-house broadcasting is the increased creative control, offering a platform to showcase campus partners and events, college spots, and news, while also creating revenue opportunities through Sports Properties.
With the foundation in place, LA Tech Athletics plans to expand its content offerings to include podcasts, department recaps, and more original storytelling. In-game productions have already seen significant enhancements for fan entertainment and student engagement, and the team will continue to support high-profile campus events.
With radio broadcasting vacancies now open for the ‘Voice of the Bulldogs’ and the ‘Voice of the Lady Techsters,’ the hiring process is underway in collaboration with Learfield, and announcements will be made soon.
