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October 2, 2018) The more people you know, the better your chances in the sportscasting job market. Two well-placed contacts at Western Michigan University have led STAA member Conor Clingen to his new job as the voice of Bronco’s women’s basketball on ESPN3.
Besides calling all WMU women’s home games, Clinger will also broadcast a handful of men’s games on E3.
The seed for this opportunity was planted when Clingen filled-in on a WMU broadcast last season for his friend Mike Monaco. “Mike was on assignment with the NBC Sports Network. He recommended me, but I wasn’t sure it would be anything more than a one-time thing,” says Clingen.
Clingen’s friendship with Monaco goes back to their time together as students at Notre Dame. “Mike and I became friends working together on Fighting Irish Media broadcasts. My freshman and sophomore years I would often do color commentary while Mike would do the play-by-play for ESPN3 streams.”
Monaco has been Clingen’s primary mentor ever since, but he wasn’t Clingen’s only contact at WMU. “Oddly enough, the director of Bronco Productions Thomas Delves went to my high school, Marmion Academy in Aurora, Illinois. He graduated 4 years before me. What are the odds of that from a school of only 500 boys,” Clingen grins.
“[Mid-September], Mike called me and told me he’ll be taking on a much heavier BTN schedule this year,” Clingen recalls. “He had already spoken with Thomas and continued to vouch for me. I can’t thank Mike enough for recommending me to Thomas time and time again.
“The combination of Mike’s persistent recommendation, my high school alumni network, and a strong fill-in appearance all combined to land me the gig. I can’t wait to get started and it really feels like that first break I needed.”
(Visit Conor’s STAA Talent Page).