Live From Men’s Final Four: Big East Conference Blankets Tourney In Buildup To UConn’s Journey to Houston

Focus is on interview-based content as conference looks to bring fans inside the stories of UConn's players

At an NCAA Men’s Basketball Final Four filled with fresh faces [three of the four programs have never advanced to this point], the long-established entity here in Houston are the Connecticut Huskies and their legacy-rich league: the Big East Conference.

Despite being the conference that’s been here plenty of times before (Villanova was here just last year), that doesn’t make this trip any less special for those that work on the Big East’s digital content team. In fact, Bobby Mullen, Senior Director, Digital and Social Media Bobby for the Big East Conference isn’t afraid to admit that he approaches each one of these opportunities as if it may be the last. That motivates him and his group to give their absolute best effort in creating content over the course of such a busy weekend.

“You can’t think any idea isn’t going to work,” says Mullen, who joined the Big East Conference staff in September of 2019 following stops in the athletic departments at Seton Hall University and UConn. “You can take advantage of the situation. Don’t be afraid to try new ideas in the postseason. You can do something that’s different and that is really fun. These opportunities don’t come around often. Even for us, I don’t take for granted that we are going to have a team here. Don’t think ‘eh we can do that or get that next time.’ There might not be a next time. Think big about what you can pull off in the moment.”

Mullen is here leading the charge on a social and digital content plan to cover UConn’s visit to Houston (which now takes the team to the National Championship Game). Mullen is handling the posting of content natively to each social platform, as well as the conference’s website. He’s working alongside Coordinator, Creative Services Ben Piascik who is handling much of the shooting and editing of video and audio-related content.

There are two reporters here working for the league, as well. John Fanta is serving as the primary talent and host of longer-form shows, while Maria Trivelpiece, who typically works for The Patriot League, is here helping with social content like mini-mic interviews with players and behind-the-scenes cell phone footage.

The ⁦@UConnHuskies⁩ fans are out in full force to support ⁦@UConnMBB⁩ in Houston! #BEdancing pic.twitter.com/qbu9OOjJQj

— BIG EAST Conference (@BIGEAST) March 31, 2023

The league is also producing live content, streaming live editions of its popular Big East Shootout program.

Equipment-wise, the Big East is running pretty sleek and minimal. Shooting for postproduction items is being shot primarily by Piascik with a Sony a7S III, but there’s plenty of video content being acquired through the use of iPhones, at times on Ronin stabilizing gimbals. All editing is handled in Adobe Premiere.

It’s been a busy month for the conference’s digital team, which has been following a whopping 11 teams across both the men’s and women’s basketball fields. During last weekend’s Regionals, five correspondents and freelancers were split up across five sites across the country. Senior Associate Commissioner, Broadcasting Scott Hecht has done yeoman’s work coordinating travel schedules of conference staff while recruiting freelancers to help in Regional and Final Four cities where needed. With no team on the women’s side reaching that Final Four, it allowed for the Big East to focus its resources on UConn and their shot a title here in Houston.