DATE=9/30/03
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=E-S-P-N Dream Job (l-ONLY)
NUMBER=2-308080
BYLINE=David Byrd
DATELINE=Washington, DC
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: The E-S-P-N television sports broadcasting network is offering fans the chance to fulfill a lifelong dream -- to be an on-air anchor on television. The E-S-P-N "Dream Job" contest is a reality show that gives average sports fans the chance to earn a one-year contract to work on E-S-P-N. Several potential candidates showed up recently (9/30) at an audition here in Washington for the Dream Job show and V-O-A's David Byrd was there.
TEXT: On a cool, clear autumn day in Washington, nearly 200 people stood outside the E-S-P-N Zone restaurant for a shot at making E-S-P-N's "Dream Job" show. Most of the candidates were young men, most were dressed in suits and ties, and they had come from all over the Eastern United States for a shot at winning their "Dream Job."
One candidate was Michael Vincent, a 24-year-old African American man with a bright smile and dressed in a blue suit and tie. Vincent told V-O-A Sports he drove from his home in Miami, Florida because he wanted the chance to live out his dream -- being an anchor on E-S-P-N's popular sports news show called SportsCenter.
// VINCENT ACT //
It's like Scarface (actor Al Pacino in the movie "Scarface) said, "You get the job, you get the money, you get the women!" Okay and that's what happens. And that's what happens. You get money, you get the power, you get the job, you get the women, period. What could be after that? I'm 24 so there isn't much after that.
// END ACT //
Also in line is Mike Malloy, an information technology specialist, who lives in Washington, D-C. Like the other candidates he wears a stick-on name tag, but his says "Mike - Yankees Sweep" referring to the American League Baseball playoff series between the New York Yankees and the Minnesota Twins. Malloy, a New York native, says he has other reasons for wanting to audition.
// MALLOY ACT //
I'm incredibly bored at work, so I figured this would be a nice diversion. I'm an I-T (information technology) consultant and it's really boring. I'm going to -- flying by the seat of my pants (make the effort even though he has no experience) -- see what happens.
// END ACT //
But it's not only men in line -- there are also women vying for the E-S-P-N Dream Job. Cathy Conger is a mother of two children from here in Washington, D-C. She says if she had the chance to do her life over she would be a sports journalist. Conger says that she has just as good a chance as anyone auditioning.
// CONGER ACT //
I think the (so-called) "soccer mom" demographic is not represented enough in the sports world. So here I am. I know I've got plenty of friends my age, women who love sports, watch sports, play sports. We need to be represented.
// END ACT //
Once the candidates get inside the restaurant they are taken to an area where they have seven minutes to answer 30 sports trivia questions. Jason Blake is one of the casting directors for the Dream Job Show, and he says that the purpose of the testing is to make sure the candidates have what it takes to be on the air.
// JASON BLAKE ACT //
We take them, once the trivia test is done, (and) they go to an interview round table. Here we have about eight to 10 candidates, who are being quizzed and judged by some of our casting staff and as well as some celebrity judges. The first thing we ask them to do is the play-by-play of their favorite sports moment of all time. So that way we can see what they like, see if they have potential right away.
// END ACT //
Inside the roundtable, several candidates -- men and women -- are having a heated discussion about sports -- in this case about professional (American-style) football player Terrell Owens of the San Francisco Forty Niners.
// ROUNDTABLE ACT //
The offensive coordinator, it wasn't like -- if you saw the look on his face it was disgust. (other voice) He was giving him the ball, he was giving him plays (female voice) but he drops two passes every game he plays (male voice). Absolutely! (female voice) The past two years he drops two balls for every game. He's always good for a drop. He's always saying, "you're not throwing me the ball, I will catch it." You can't -- they are throwing him the ball in a slant across the middle and he straight dropped it.
// END ACT //
Once the roundtable is over, and the judges make their decision, the candidates are called back for another round of auditions. From 29 cities across the United States, 10 regional winners will be chosen. Jason Blake says that the idea is to find the next big sports anchor.
// BLAKE ACT //
And then those 10 regional winners are going to go to (E-S-P-N headquarters in) Bristol (Connecticut) in February -- February to March to (they will) be filmed in the reality show "E-S-P-N Dream Job" which follows them competing for that one-year, on-air contract with Sports Center. We're not necessarily looking for just a T-V show. We are ultimately looking to get that one next SportsCenter anchor.
// END ACT //
No professional broadcasters are allowed to take part in the contest. Only a handful of the men and women lined up outside the Washington D-C restaurant will even make it past the first two levels. But there is a possibility that one of them could be the next big thing -- and find their "Dream Job." (SIGNED)
// unvoiced opt //
Decisions during the elimination process will be made by both a panel of judges and viewers of the shows (via ESPN.com or wireless text messaging). The field will continue to narrow each week until the March 28th finale when the winner will be selected.(SIGNED)
SPTS/NEB/BYRD/PARKE/RH/PT