Perched in an auxiliary box high above Autzen Stadium, a team of five KWVA student staffers prepare to go live before each Oregon football game. KWVA has always reported on Ducks football, but this year, the distinguished radio station is broadcasting live to the Eugene/Springfield area.
It’s a big step, KWVA leaders say, in growing the station’s brand and reputation.
“It’s just been a total blast to be out there on the mic, understanding that not every student radio station out there has the opportunity to do this,” KWVA sports director Ryan Rouillard said.
Last January, after covering Oregon football’s run to the National Championship game, KWVA continued conversations about broadcasting live from Autzen with Oregon IMG, who holds the radio rights to many Oregon sports. It was an idea KWVA had developed over several years.
KWVA used to practice mock broadcasts for its workers’ personal highlight reels. Just last spring, it was cleared by IMG’s national office to broadcast over the KWVA terrestrial feed — 88.1 FM.
The KWVA team spends about seven to ten hours hours preparing call cards before each game. The call cards, along with research, notes third-party research and insight, make the broadcast colorful, Chris Clayton said.
“It’s important when you go on the air to be ridiculously prepared,” assistant sports director Clayton said.
Football differs from other Oregon sports, Rouillard said, because more outlets produce feature stories during the week.
KWVA sports also covers Ducks soccer, volleyball and softball. In the local high school sports scene, KWVA broadcasts Sheldon, South Eugene and Thurston high school football games.
“Over time, we’ve seen so many doors open,” Rouillard said. “Nothing’s all that shocking anymore.”
In the booth, both Rouillard and Clayton call the game. Assistant director Zach Bigley reports on the game and usually contributes a pregame feature from parking lots or student hangouts.
KWVA uses a more technological radio production system for football than for other sports, Rouillard said. The crew has conditional plans to move to the Autzen camera deck if another station, such as ESPN radio, was to broadcast.
KWVA has already seen an increase in interested students, which Rouillard believes is a result of broadcasting Oregon football. Students must “earn the right” to broadcast games by helping in all areas of the radio station. He hopes to inspire the next wave of KWVA staffers.
“We, as students, should be able to say we broadcast it,” Clayton said. “I think it helps our reputation to say we’re on the front lines.”
Clayton, who joined the staff has a freshman, has worked his way up covering to Oregon football games. Along the way, he learned the ropes of broadcasting and play-by-play.
Clayton said Rouillard and former sports director Joey McMurry, who now works with Oregon IMG, paved the way for KWVA’s expansion.
“Our department has a history of not settling,” Rouillard said. “We’ve always looked for more. The last thing we want to do is be stagnant.”
Follow Jonathan Hawthorne on Twitter @Jon_Hawthorne