Upcoming Events
Seton Hall University
College of Communication and the Arts
Black History Month
Sports Media Panel Series
Hosted by Bob Ley ’76, renowned television broadcast journalist, and College of Communication and the Arts Professional-In-Residence B.J. Schecter.
COVID, College Hoops and the College Sports Model
College basketball has become bigger than ever, generating billions for the NCAA, conferences and schools each year. With more and more television exposure and a postseason that is as compelling as any professional sport, college basketball is big business. In 2020, the NCAA tournament was cancelled due to COVID, which resulted in losses nearing $1 billion. Now, with the pandemic still raging there is more pressure than ever to get through March Madness. But at what cost? Teams across the country are limping toward March with pauses and cancellations every day. Is it fair or just to expect college athletes to put themselves in harm’s way, play in front of few or no fans so that others can cash in on a big payday? Players have been more outspoken than ever about social justice and playing conditions as the issue of Name, Image and Likeness heads to the Supreme Court. Is this an inflection point in terms of the players’ power and influence?
Ley and Schecter speak with ESPN college basketball analyst Jay Bilas and former UConn star, NBA player and Fox broadcaster Scott Burrell, who is currently the head coach at Southern Connecticut State University.
This event is Part II of a three-part series celebrating Black History Month. The final event will take place on Wednesday, February 24 at 12:30 – 1:30 p.m.
Past Events
Diversity, Inclusion, Necessity: Sports at a Time Like No Other
Feb. 10, 2021
“Year of Playing Dangerously: Sports During COVID-19”
Nov. 5, 2020 at 7 p.m.
Moderated by renowned television broadcast journalist and Seton Hall University Alum Bob Ley ’76, and hosted by College of Communication and the Arts Professional-In-Residence B.J. Schecter. Professional and college sports have returned during the COVID-19 pandemic, but many challenges and questions remain. This event assembles an esteemed expert panel of sports media figures from every area of the professional sports industry to tackle the moral, ethical, health, and financial questions that playing sports in the pandemic presents.
Bob Costas and Bob Ley: The Changing Face of Sports Media
There are no two bigger names in sports media than Bob Costas and Bob Ley. The two iconic broadcast journalists came to Seton Hall’s South Orange campus to discuss the ever-changing landscape of the sports media industry. Some of the topics included adapting and evolving as storytellers, the evolution of social media and its impact on journalism and the reasons why solid reporting will always be the foundation for success. In addition, students and student-athletes joined the discussion later in the program, followed by a Q&A with the audience. See more from the event »
Sports Business and Media Ethics: Symposium featuring NBA Commissioner Adam Silver and ESPN Broadcasters Stephen A. Smith and Bob Ley
On April 2, 2019, the College of Communication and the Arts and the Stillman School of Business held their second Sports Business and Media Ethics Symposium, which welcomed many guest speakers including current NBA Commissioner Adam Silver. The event covered a wide range of topics including sports gambling, amateurism, and the role of sports in American culture. The event also saw ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith and Seton Hall alum and industry veteran Bob Ley ’76 sit down for a lively discussion about their views on the business of professional sports and media ethics. Watch their conversation in its entirety below, and click here to read more about the guest speakers »
Ben Reiter and Jeff Benedict – Sports Journalism and Storytelling
Students, friends and alumni of the College of Communication and the Arts gathered on December 6, 2018 to hear from New York Times bestselling authors Jeff Benedict and Ben Reiter for a roundtable discussion titled, “The Book on Storytelling, Writing, and Publishing.” Moderated by CommArts Professional-in-Residance B.J. Schecter, the event highlighted the enduring strength of powerful non-fiction writing and provided audience members with valuable strategies for engaging readers. Gain more insight from the event »
ESPN’s Bob Ley Teaches Master Class, “Sports Journalism and Its Challenges”
Thirty lucky students from the College of Communication and the Arts and Stillman School of Business were selected to participate in a master class taught by former SportsCenter host and Seton Hall alum Bob Ley ’76. Ley’s class gave prospective communication professionals an exclusive look at what a career in broadcasting entails in today’s media landscape, and provided Seton Hall students practice based experience from one of the best in the business. Learn more about Bob Ley’s Master Class »
Sports Business and Media Ethics: A Conversation with Former NBA Commissioner David Stern
On April 26, 2018, the College of Communication and the Arts and Stillman School of Business welcomed former NBA Commissioner David Stern as keynote speaker for the first ever Sports Business and Media Ethics Symposium. Stern talked with former head of the NBA players association and current Seton Hall professor Charles Grantham at length about racial disparities, drug use in professional sports, the one and done rule and much more. Watch the conversation in its entirety below, and click here to read more about the keynote speaker »
Paul Fichtenbaum and Dana O’Neil of The Athletic – A Sports Media Roundtable
Paul Fichtenbaum and Dana O’Neil of The Athletic participated in a roundtable discussion about how their subscription-based sports website is changing the way we access quality sports journalism. Moderated by CommArts Professional-in-Residence B.J. Schecter, this event offered students a sobering look at the future of sports journalism and its place in the digital marketplace. Read more about the discussion here »
“Baseball and Spring Training: Covering America’s Game Today” – Featuring Tom Verducci of Sports Illustrated, Marc Werner of MLB Network, and Jayson Stark of ESPN
In the inaugural event of the College of Communication and the Arts’ Sports Media Speaker Series, students and faculty gathered to learn about the latest in reporting, writing, and story-telling strategies from some of the industry’s leading sports writers. Read about the guest speaker’s accomplished careers and advice they offered to students here ».