ESPN’s Matt Barrie is an admitted faculty soccer “junkie.” Like many faculty soccer followers, he grew up watching the wit and knowledge of Rece Davis, Mark Could, and Lou Holtz on School Soccer Last. He nonetheless considers this system the present of file for faculty soccer followers to this present day. Nevertheless, since becoming a member of ESPN in 2013, Barrie has grown into the identical faculty soccer ecosystem that he as soon as seen as a baby.
For the final seven seasons, Barrie has been the guiding voice of School Soccer Last, navigating followers from sport to sport and delivering the headlines and key storylines that matter most to varsity soccer followers. This previous spring, in recognition of his work at ESPN, he acquired a name that can change his position heading into the upcoming season. Starting subsequent month, Barrie will grow to be the brand new host of SEC Nation on SEC Community.
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“If you happen to’re a school soccer junkie like I’m, there are few jobs with ESPN that scratch that itch. SEC Nation is one in every of them,” mentioned Barrie. “It was offered to me as a chance to the touch faculty soccer in a serious method, and a chance to proceed rising in that area.”
Starting this season, Barrie would be the lead host of the flagship SEC Community gameday pregame program. He earned the position following the departure of Laura Rutledge, who hosted the present since 2017. Rutledge’s new vacation spot with the community opened a window and offered a brand new problem for the 13-year ESPN veteran. One he is wanting ahead to tackling.
“Once I was named the host of School Soccer Last, to be that was a profession pinnacle second as a result of that is a present I grew up watching. Letting go of that was the toughest half, whereas understanding how good the SEC Nation position is,” defined Barrie. “I’ll miss these guys in studio. However like every part in your profession, nothing stays the identical for too lengthy.”
A New Problem
Barrie defined that he is impatient by nature. The problem of one thing new, after working at ESPN for therefore lengthy, was the draw that outweighed every part else in making the choice to tackle the SEC Nation position.
Now, the roles are reversed. As an alternative of catching followers up on the day’s occasions and storylines, the shift is within the method. The position will probably be extra preview than evaluation. Barrie considers the chance each a accountability and a privilege to tell viewers on SEC Community why every sport is necessary in a method all his personal.
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“It has been Laura’s [Rutledge] present for practically a decade. She put that present on the map as a result of she did it for therefore lengthy and made it her personal. That, to me, you’ll be able to’t exchange or replicate,” mentioned Barrie. “For me, my method is the best way I method SportsCenter and every part else I do. Proceed the legacy of a present of what she constructed right into a legacy present. That is the neatest factor to do whereas incorporating the way you host the present.”
With rising competitors within the faculty soccer pregame viewing expertise, Barrie famous he is already been at work with present producers growing concepts for the present heading into the brand new season.
Nevertheless, Barrie understands what makes an SEC soccer fan distinctive. Whereas rivals could concentrate on the most important video games nationally, his focus is on illustration throughout the convention.
“For me, the purpose of SEC Nation is to make each SEC faculty really feel concerned in each Saturday gameday. Not simply the location the place we’ll be broadcasting from,” defined Barrie. “It might be straightforward to concentrate on the large sport within the convention, however that is only one sport of many.”
Acquainted Territory
If there’s a phrase that defines SEC soccer followers, Barrie says it begins with ardour. A loyal assortment of followers who stay, breathe, and die for his or her colours and groups. Soccer is a lifestyle in lots of the communities that make up the SEC. Sixteen colleges, some new and a few outdated. However all are heavy hitters in a sport that continues to showcase Saturdays within the South.
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Some would contemplate taking over the position a high-pressure scenario. Fortunately for Barrie, he is entering into the position with loads of familiarity with those that will encompass him each Saturday morning this fall. His expertise engaged on SportsCenter for the previous 13 years has given him alternatives on digicam with each member of the SEC Nation expertise lineup. That point has already constructed on-camera chemistry and off-camera familiarity.
“That is the simple a part of it. While you’ve labored with these guys for therefore a few years, it is simply been on one other present,” mentioned Barrie. “It should be enjoyable for all of us. With SportsCenter, we contact on every part. When I’ve any of those guys with me on SportsCenter, it is just for perhaps three to 4 minutes. Now, I get to be with these guys for 2 hours speaking about faculty soccer. It is virtually unleashing us collectively from the time confines of SportsCenter.”
As Barrie steps into the position this fall, his ESPN plate will stay full. He’ll nonetheless be on the decision for Thursday Night time Soccer broadcasts on ESPN this season whereas balancing his new position with SEC Nation.
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“Plate stays full throughout soccer season. I would not have it another method, and I would not change it. You simply have to discover a method to stability the time accordingly. Internet hosting SportsCenters, prepping for Thursday evening faculty soccer, and now internet hosting SEC Nation on Saturdays,” defined Barrie. “The one distinction with the brand new position on SEC Nation is including a flight. I do not anticipate something feeling prefer it’s extra. This could be a shock to the system if I used to be doing this schedule for the primary time, however I have been doing it for therefore lengthy already.”
Discovering Success With TGL
One other ingredient of Barrie’s resume at ESPN has been serving because the guiding voice for TGL in the course of the previous two years, the upstart indoor golf simulator league that includes among the high names within the sport. TGL has grown in reputation over the previous two years and was seen by greater than 21 million individuals this previous season. That is an 8% improve in viewership 12 months over 12 months. For Barrie, the main target stays on persevering with that pattern heading into a 3rd 12 months of protection on ESPN.
“The final two years with TGL has been probably the most rewarding factor that I’ve ever performed in my profession, and it is not even shut,” defined Barrie. “It was a startup that we did not know would succeed or fail. Everybody was all in on it not figuring out what may occur. To be on the bottom flooring of one thing, watch it develop with the gamers we’ve, every part has been nice.”
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Barrie famous the idea of TGL was to not goal the “golf purist,” however as an alternative to create an avenue for a youthful technology to attach with the sport itself. He continues to obtain suggestions from mother and father who admire the TGL expertise as a method to bond with their kids whereas watching golf. Merging golf with know-how has created a presentation that’s enjoyable and entertaining for everybody to take pleasure in.
Persevering with Legacy
Suggestions is one thing Barrie has all the time sought throughout his time at ESPN. Over his profession, he is earned 11 Emmy Awards and three Edward R. Murrow Awards. Profession achievements do not occur with out steering from friends within the trade.
With SEC Nation, Barrie notes his method to the present would be the identical because it was when he walked by way of the doorways at ESPN 13 years in the past.
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“Once I acquired to ESPN, my mantra was do nothing or say nothing that was going to have an effect on the fame of the present [SportsCenter]. That is not my present. It belongs to Dan Patrick, Bob Ley, Chris Berman and so forth. I am not going to do something to smash that,” mentioned Barrie. “My plan was to point out up, honor the previous, and attempt to do an excellent present. If and once I discover my very own voice, perhaps add slightly one thing then. To me, do not disrespect what’s already been.”
Barrie used that method when he arrived at SportsCenter. It is the identical method he took when he accepted the accountability of School Soccer Last following Rece Davis. Now, Barrie expects no change in that philosophy as he steps into Laura Rutledge’s sneakers and assumes the position of lead host of SEC Nation on SEC Community.
“Why would I do something apart from proceed the legacy of the present to serve who’s been watching it perpetually,” mentioned Barrie.
For somebody who grew up watching School Soccer Last and later discovered himself internet hosting the very program he idolized, Matt Barrie understands the burden that comes with entering into a task cherished by passionate followers. That is why his method to SEC Nation is not about reinventing what already works. It is about honoring what got here earlier than whereas including his personal voice to the dialog.
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The project could also be completely different, however the philosophy stays unchanged. Respect the viewers, the historical past, and the model. It is the identical mindset that guided Barrie onto the SportsCenter set greater than a decade in the past, and it is the one he’ll proceed to hold with him each Saturday morning this fall.
In a sport constructed on custom, few issues matter extra. As Barrie prepares to take the reins of SEC Nation, he isn’t seeking to exchange what Laura Rutledge constructed. He is seeking to proceed it, guaranteeing the following chapter of one in every of faculty soccer’s most necessary reveals stays in good arms.
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John Mamola
John Mamola
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John Mamola is Barrett Media’s sports activities editor and each day sports activities columnist. He brings over 20 years of expertise (Chicago, Tampa/St Petersburg) within the broadcast trade with experience in model administration, gross sales, promotions, producing, imaging, internet hosting, expertise teaching, expertise improvement, net improvement, social media technique and design, video manufacturing, inventive writing, partnership constructing, communication/networking with an extended monitor file of progress and success. He’s a five-time acknowledged high 20 program director in a serious market by way of Barrett Medi’s Prime 20 collection and has been honored internally a number of occasions as station/model of the 12 months (Tampa, FL) and worker of the month (Tampa, FL) by iHeartMedia. Join with John by e mail at John@BarrettMedia.com.
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