The exciting world of broadcasting professional sports has been the career field of dreams for many a St. Cloud State Mass Communications students, including Emmy Award-winning 1995 graduate Matt Gangl, who took his career to a new personal best in July when he directed the “Field of Dreams” major league baseball game.
Played on the Iowa cornfield-turned-baseball-field created for the enchanting 1989 movie of the same name, the game between the host – and winning – Chicago White Sox and the New York Yankees drew just over 5.9 million viewers to become the most-watched regular season major league baseball game on any network since 2005.
“The event was like nothing I’d ever been part of,” Gangl said. Part Hollywood, part major league sports, the game brought together devotees of an iconic film and lovers of baseball.
“I wanted to find a way to take the heart of the movie and pay homage to what it means to fans — bring that into present day,” he said. “It was a baseball game, but the setting was why the game was so special.”
Preparation was the most intense Gangl had experienced in his stellar career, which includes earning a National Emmy Award for Outstanding Live Sports Special for his role as director during the 2018 World Series between the Boston Red Sox and Lost Angeles Dodgers.
In addition to the players on the two legendary major league teams, there was the presence throughout of Oscar winner and “Field of Dreams” star Kevin Costner. The evening before the game Costner walked through the preparation and planning with Gangl and his team.
“It was a unique honor, and we wanted to be sure we incorporated his vision,” Gangl said. “So many people put their heart and soul into this magical night, it was a great pleasure to be part of it.
“Beautiful setting, beautiful weather, and a game that came down to back and forth and ended with walk-off run. We couldn’t have scripted it better.”
Stepping right into their dream careers
Among the many SCSU Mass Communication grads excelling in the exciting world of sports broadcasting are Jim Nantz Award winner Katie Emmer Storm ’19, on-air host and reporter for Bally Sports North (formerly Fox Sports North); and Paige Jaeger ’20, who is a production assistant for the Minnesota Vikings and Bally Sports North. They credit their strong academic foundation and mentoring as well as hands-on opportunities with much-honored Husky Productions for being prepared to step right into their dream careers.
