Students Farnsworth Hendrickson Jr. and Miguel Freire explore the world of sports journalism while covering Super Bowl LIX.
When the mom of a Seton Hall senior came to his dorm room with a suitcase, it wasn’t to help him pack for move-out day. Farnsworth Hendrickson Jr. was about to embark on the experience of a lifetime: a weeklong trip to New Orleans, where he and fellow student Miguel Freire would be on assignment to cover Super Bowl LIX as members of the news media.
The opportunity was part of the College of Human Development, Culture, and Media’s new Pirates in the Field program, a Center for Sports Media initiative that gives students hands-on experience producing sports-related content and pitching stories to local and national news outlets. Covering the Super Bowl was one of six high-profile opportunities students could apply for during the 2024-25 school year.
“My mom cried!” says Hendrickson, recalling when he told her he was selected for the Super Bowl assignment. He was excited to build on his media production experience, which already included roles with Awesome Films and the University’s student-run Pirate TV.
Both Freire and Hendrickson graduated in May with bachelor’s degrees in visual and sound media. Freire, an avid sports fan who was active with Seton Hall media like Pirate Sports Network and WSOU 89.5 FM, was shocked when he got the news. “I honestly didn’t think I’d be one of the two students picked to go to the Super Bowl,” he says. “When I read the email, I was like, ‘Oh wow, it was me.’”
They had less than a month to prepare, which also involved working with the Center’s executive director B.J. Schecter, who launched Pirates in the Field in 2024.
“Miguel and Farnsworth earned the right to go to the Super Bowl and stood out from the pack in a very competitive application process. They’re hard working, fearless and very coachable,” says Schecter, who has more than 30 years of experience in sports media, including two decades at Sports Illustrated.
The students were in New Orleans for seven days, using their credentials to cover many Super Bowl activities leading up to and including game day, alongside more than 6,400 media professionals from around the world. “These two jumped right in and produced great content from Day One at opening night, which is a circus,” says Schecter. “They were unafraid to go up to players and secure interviews. That was very impressive.”
The duo conducted one-on-one interviews with Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Josh Sweat; asked questions during press events with Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid and retired coach and sports analyst Jimmy Johnson; and chatted with player-turned-media-personality Michael Strahan at the FOX Sports compound. Together they produced six original videos for the Center’s social media platforms, hosted a wrap-up podcast, and shared lots of behind-the-scenes content from their time in New Orleans.
Expecting the unexpected was one way the pair approached their assignment. Robust pre-production planning was another, spending many nights in strategy sessions before their trip.
“We’re throwing every little idea on the table, no matter how simple or difficult it may be,” Freire says. “Even if we’re not going to be able to accomplish it, because maybe we’d need $1,000 worth of equipment or something like that, it was about pitching the ideas. That’s what Pirates in the Field is all about — improving our abilities to develop, pitch and execute on our own ideas.”
During their experience working on Media Row, where media outlets from across the globe host live broadcasts and conduct interviews, they observed a lot of collaboration in the industry. “We saw teams of people with many pieces of equipment, all playing a role,” Hendrickson says.
“When it came to editing our videos, Freire was the voice in my ear saying, ‘Hey, maybe do this, or try that,’” Hendrickson says, reflecting on his and Freire’s partnership. “That’s what I saw on Media Row, as well. The editing computer may be mine, but Miguel and I edited this together. That is collaboration. And I love that a lot.”
Lori (Varga) Riley, M.A. ’06, is a freelance writer living in New Jersey.
