Ryval Studios Turns Hustle into High-Profile Sports Content

From cold emails to NHL media days, the nine-time Emmy-winning shop has built a reputation for “content that competes”

Breaking into the sports production industry is no small feat. It’s an ecosystem where reputation and relationships often outweigh résumés, and the path is rarely paved for newcomers.

For Jon Morgan, founder of Ryval Studios, his journey in sports began not with industry connections or a well-thought-out business plan but with an ambitious creative spirit and a relentless drive to succeed.

From Corporate Work to the Sidelines

Morgan launched his company, JM Films, in September 2015 after getting laid off from his first corporate job. The work at the start was standard corporate video: marketing content, small business videos, whatever would keep the lights on. While corporate work paid the bills, Morgan had a bigger dream of getting into sports content—fast-paced, emotional, and cinematic.

That pivot started with a chance assignment: filming a commitment video for a high school football player in East St. Louis. Morgan and his team not only shot the video but edited it himself, even though the job didn’t require it. The gamble paid off—he now had something to show the sports industry.

Armed with a single portfolio example, Morgan began firing off cold emails to college football programs across the Midwest. Most were ignored, but one wasn’t. The University of Illinois gave him his first real chance, hiring Morgan to produce a hype video and additional promotional content for recruiting. Morgan credits this project as the one that lit the fire for him.

Rebranding for Bigger Ambitions

Still, Morgan knew he would need more than good work from one team if he was really going to make it in sports. He needed a new brand targeted for sports. In January 2020, Morgan officially launched Ryval Studios, complete with a new logo and website.

That rebrand coincided with one of the most challenging times to start a sports production company: the COVID-19 shutdown. Even as live sports went dark, Morgan doubled down on his dream. He pushed his new work for Illinois to every college football program out there and started showing up at sports conferences all over the country to meet people face-to-face. It was a risky bet, but with enough passion, persistence and prayer, Morgan began laying the foundation for what he was confident was to come.

A Breakthrough in the Big Leagues

The turning point came in the fall of 2022. Ryval landed two media day productions for two NHL teams – the Carolina Hurricanes and St. Louis Blues. The work put the company on a national stage for the first time and established its credentials in an ultra-competitive field. From there, momentum snowballed.

Over the last three years, some of today’s top college and professional teams have turned to Ryval to help them level up their in-game, recruiting, and promotional video content. Many would say Ryval punches well above their weight class as a newcomer to the sports production industry.

Ryval continues to be called upon by both pro and collegiate teams when they need to take a production to the next level; like the Chicago Blackhawks who are one of three NHL clubs celebrating their 100^th anniversary this season. The Blackhawks awarded their media day production to Ryval and commissioned them to produce their season open video commemorating the Centennial that will debut at the home opener October 11.

Expanding the Playbook

Morgan’s vision for Ryval goes beyond intro videos and media days, though. The company is increasingly collaborating with sports leagues, conferences, networks, sponsors, and brands, taking on more diverse types of productions. Opportunities in original sports content and entertainment have also started to surface.

Most notably, this summer, Ryval was brought in by creative agencies Milhouse and RaceService to collaborate with video game giant EA Sports to produce the cover reveal trailer for the upcoming launch of EA SPORTS NHL 26, starring the Tkachuk Brothers.

The goal, as Morgan describes it, is to make Ryval the go-to production house for sports content of all kinds. “The success of Ryval Studios is a combination of relentless hard work, prayer and a passionate creative team,” he says. “The future for Ryval is extremely bright and we can’t be more excited to see what’s in store for us.”

Building “Content That Competes”

Less than a decade after its humble beginnings, Ryval Studios has earned nine Emmy Awards, a silver national Addy and a silver Clio Sports award. For Morgan, this national recognition validates the countless cold emails sent, the risks taken during a pandemic, and the belief that there was room in the industry for a new player. Not many have done what Morgan has done in sports, and he is always looking for ways to help support others in the industry however he can.

Ryval’s growth is proof that persistence, craft, and vision can still move the needle in sports production. From pounding the pavement to producing content on some of the biggest stages in sports, the company has staked its place as one to watch.