Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame: Class of 2014 Inductees Announced

The Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame will induct seven legends of the sports-television industry on December 16 at a ceremony to be held at the New York Hilton Hotel. Now in its eighth year, the Hall of Fame honors those from across the entire spectrum of sports broadcasting who impacted, directly or indirectly, the way sports television is produced.

The Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame Class of 2014

Ken Aagaard: During his career, which began at WMAQ Chicago nearly 45 years ago, Aagaard has had an impact on nearly every major national and global sporting event as part of NBC Sports and, currently, CBS Sports where is EVP, Engineering, Operations, and Production Services.

Steve Bornstein: Former NFL Network President and CEO and EVP of Media, for the National Football League, Bornstein helps guide arguably the nation’s most powerful sports brand. And in a previous role as chairman of ESPN and president of ABC he did the same for those two networks as well.

Bob Dixon: Dixon inspired a generation of TV audio professionals during a career that was highlighted by his work on 12 Olympic broadcasts for ABC, CBS, and NBC and also saw him help HBO Sports transition from mono to stereo sound. He also designed and implemented the first stereo broadcast of the Olympics (1998) and the first discreet 5.1 Surround broadcast (2008). He retired in 2010 following the London Olympics.

David Hill: Hill’s career has left an indelible mark on the industry as his work as the first president of Fox Sports, beginning in 1993, put technology innovation at the forefront. He is currently He is currently Chairman, National Geographic Channels and Executive Producer, American Idol.

George Orgera: Founding CEO and President, F&F Productions, Orgera is a pioneer in remote production and remains the driving force behind a company rooted in a commitment to excellence in engineering. Chris Schenkel: For more than five decades, Schenkel’s unique voice was at the center of many of the world’s biggest sports events and is the recipient of a lifetime achievement Emmy Award.

David Stern: As Commissioner, of the National Basketball Association from 1984-2014 Stern oversaw an era of the sport that saw it grow in popularity decade after decade. His vision included the launch of NBA TV as well as ensuring that all NBA arenas are designed with TV productions in mind.

“The Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame once again demonstrates a range and diversity of inductees who truly represent the many facets of our unique business,” says Tom Sahara, chairman of the Sports Video Group, which produces the Hall of Fame annual event. “No other industry is so interdependent as one that goes live to air and crafts stories, legends, and dramas in real time before hundreds of millions of people.”

Geoff Mason, ESPN, senior production specialist and a member of the Hall of Fame, adds: “The collective impact this year’s inductees have had on our industry extends well beyond their own organizations and having worked closely with four of them over the past 45 years I can personally attest to their unique qualities of leadership and creative accomplishment. Their inductions in December will elevate the entire Hall of Fame enterprise.”

The event will begin with a networking reception at 5:30 p.m. followed by the ceremony at 7 p.m. in the Trianon Ballroom at the New York Hilton Hotel, 1335 Avenue of the Americas. To purchase tickets to attend this year’s Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame ceremony, contact Carrie Bowden at [email protected] or visit www.sportsvideo.org/halloffame/.

Please note that ALL proceeds from table sales will be donated to the Sports Broadcasting Fund and will help sports production professionals and their families who find themselves in financial difficulty due to illness, injury, or loss of life.