Ep. 2: Inside the Control Room: Pop Culture Meets the Pro Leagues

Behind every major league game presentation is a control room team orchestrating the visual identity and real-time storytelling of the stadium bowl. On this episode of "The Fan Experience Blueprint," host Connor Smith sits down with freelance game operations producer and motion graphics animator Caleb Bouchy. Caleb breaks down his industry trajectory, starting from his childhood roots in the Arena Football League to working as a student production assistant with the Pac-12 Network at Arizona State University. Caleb also pulls back the curtain on what it takes to design, animate and execute live in-arena video packages, scorebugs, crowd prompts and full-screen takeovers for major sports franchises, including the Phoenix Suns, Washington Capitals and Arizona Coyotes. We dive deep into his unique creative process, including how to protect your creative freedom, how to infuse pop culture into stadium entertainment and the mechanical reality of running different venue boards. Caleb also shares a raw look at navigating a sudden NHL team relocation and the reality of building your own independent business.