SYRACUSE N.Y. — There’s no straight answer to reaching your goals.
Joel Mandelbaum, a graduate of the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications receiving a Bachelor of Arts in Broadcast Digital Journalism in ’87, returns to Newhouse and talks to students about his trajectory in the sports industry and how he got started in the sports television.
Working in the industry for almost 4 decades now, Mandelbaum shared some of his unique stories and how he started in the industry and where he is now. He began his career earning $6.50/hr as a page at NBC Sports, delivering mail to producers and directors and answering phone calls in the offices. He refers to that as the start of his career stating, “getting that face time is really key in any career you do..scratch and claw for FaceTime because it matters.”
He spoke to his openness to take positions that did don’t always align with his end goal, because you never now what door it will open for you or where you’re going to go.
Mandelbaum started his career NBC where he had production assignments for Wimbledon, NFL Football games and the Summer Olympics. He’s also worked with TBS and TNT with both regular season and NHL playoff games. In 1991, he joined MSG Networks working as the director of studio broadcasts for both the New York Rangers Hockey and New York Knicks Basketball teams. In 2017, he took over as the director for MSG’s broadcast coverage for the New York Islanders and has been with them ever since.
Mandelbaum touched on a key aspect of a competitive sports industry; that there’s no cookie cutter route to the top. “In this field it doesn’t work that way. You’ve got to scratch and claw for every piece of experience you can get…” He goes on to say, “…hear everything people are trying to advise you on, and listen to what you think is important and take that with you.”
Mandelbaum shared a story of a conversation with his dad that resonated with him and said, “Never give up your dream.” He urged students to stay patient in this industry and give yourself time to get to where you want to be.