SYRACUSE, N.Y. – The Worldwide Leader in Sports didn't always seem like a possibility for Brandy Tate, but now here the former foster-care child is in control rooms as an associate director at ESPN.
The 37-year-old, Memphis native, attended the University
of Memphis, before transferring to Tennessee
State University, with a scholarship. Tate says she was excited to experience a historically black university and eager to earn her bachelor's degree in communications.
While she didn't have the most conventional career path, Tate says she was always a go-getter who knew she wanted to work in sports media.
She began her experience as an intern at the only urban station in Nashville at that time, QTK Radio. After spending much of her undergraduate time at the station, Tate began her professional career as a radio DJ.
In an effort to be closer to family, Brandy Tate decided to move back home to Memphis, where she got into TV. It was then, she realized hard news wasn't for her.
"I worked in news for a while and it just didn't sit with me well because there is always some scandal or crime or killing and it just really depressed me," Tate said.
Her transition to sports was inevitable, she says.
"It’s so funny, when I first started, I played basketball through high school but not really in college, but I loved NBA basketball," Tate explains. "This is back in the '90s when to me, it was different. I feel like it was vastly different. This was back when Jordan was King and Charles Barkley... I feel like the industry has changed so much, but I feel like the '90s was just the decade. I fell in love with basketball."
Tate continues to carry this same passion because, she says, sports matters.
"It doesn't matter creed or color, what your status is, who you work for, what you do, Sports are the one thing that always seems to unite people," she said. "I love that I'm involved in something that can do that."
After working her way up to director at WREG Channel 3, Memphis' CBS affiliate, she met an ESPN director at a National Association of Black Journalists conference.
"I bugged him for two years. It took two years and two interviews to get up here," Tate said. In 2011, she made her move to Bristol, Conn.
Her thoughts on women in sports journalism: there is no room for mess ups.
The 37-year-old, Memphis native, attended the University
of Memphis, before transferring to Tennessee
State University, with a scholarship. Tate says she was excited to experience a historically black university and eager to earn her bachelor's degree in communications.While she didn't have the most conventional career path, Tate says she was always a go-getter who knew she wanted to work in sports media.
She began her experience as an intern at the only urban station in Nashville at that time, QTK Radio. After spending much of her undergraduate time at the station, Tate began her professional career as a radio DJ.
In an effort to be closer to family, Brandy Tate decided to move back home to Memphis, where she got into TV. It was then, she realized hard news wasn't for her.
"I worked in news for a while and it just didn't sit with me well because there is always some scandal or crime or killing and it just really depressed me," Tate said.
Her transition to sports was inevitable, she says.
"It’s so funny, when I first started, I played basketball through high school but not really in college, but I loved NBA basketball," Tate explains. "This is back in the '90s when to me, it was different. I feel like it was vastly different. This was back when Jordan was King and Charles Barkley... I feel like the industry has changed so much, but I feel like the '90s was just the decade. I fell in love with basketball."
Tate continues to carry this same passion because, she says, sports matters.
"It doesn't matter creed or color, what your status is, who you work for, what you do, Sports are the one thing that always seems to unite people," she said. "I love that I'm involved in something that can do that."
After working her way up to director at WREG Channel 3, Memphis' CBS affiliate, she met an ESPN director at a National Association of Black Journalists conference.
"I bugged him for two years. It took two years and two interviews to get up here," Tate said. In 2011, she made her move to Bristol, Conn.
Her thoughts on women in sports journalism: there is no room for mess ups.
"We
have to come in there burning gas," she explained. "Like you have to come in there and you have
to know because what happens is, if you come in there and you don’t know
your stuff, and you don’t make an impression, you close another door for a woman
to come through then."
Throughout her career, Tate says she has lived by the "golden rule" philosophy because while at ESPN, her greatest lesson has been the importance of maintaining good relationships.
She says ESPN has afforded her amazing opportunities. At Tate's level at the network, she is most proud of simply making it there.
"You
know, sometimes you work so hard that when you’re on that field watching
Alabama and Clemson go together at a championship game, and you realize that
people are at home watching it, but you’re standing right there in the end zone
and you can see it, you can feel the pressure, you can feel the energy,
sometimes it takes you back," Tate said.
At seven months pregnant, preparing for maternity leave and a difficult year away from control rooms, Tate reminds herself to "take
it all in, because everybody doesn't get here."
A transcription of my conversation with Brandy is below, but you can catch the audio version here as well.
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Interview: Q&A with Brandy Tate
AS: Okay, so Ms.
Brandy, may you please inform me of when and where you were born?
BT: Memphis, TN
AS: Who was the most
influential person to you as a child, who inspired you?
BT: Hmm, That's a hard
one. I would have to say my cousin, Denise. I had an unusual childhood. I
didn't grow up with a traditional family; I grew up in foster care, kinda moved
around within my own family, so just kind of a mixture of a weird childhood.
Through it all, my cousin, Denise who was maybe about 12- 14 years older than me. She had always found me no matter where I went or where I was, she always found me and what she could do she did. Eventually she went to Jackson State and I remember being a part of her college life, because she wanted to make sure that I was okay. Even when she went to PT school, she made sure that I was taken care of. And so, she's always been the most stable person I remember in my life.
Through it all, my cousin, Denise who was maybe about 12- 14 years older than me. She had always found me no matter where I went or where I was, she always found me and what she could do she did. Eventually she went to Jackson State and I remember being a part of her college life, because she wanted to make sure that I was okay. Even when she went to PT school, she made sure that I was taken care of. And so, she's always been the most stable person I remember in my life.
AS: With you working in
the sports industry, specifically for ESPN, what is your favorite sport and when
and where did you find your love or passion for sports?
BT: It’s so funny, when I
first started, I played basketball in high school but not really in college,
but I loved NBA basketball. This is back in the 90s when to me, it was different; vastly different. This was back
when Jordan was king and Charles Barkley. I feel like the industry has changed
so much, but I feel like the 90s was just the decade. I fell in love with
basketball. I would run in the house to watch the game with the guys. That's
what I did. I loved basketball.
And it's so funny, now I think college football has taken a bit more priority over NBA, so college football is really my first love. But the 90s, there's nothing like it. I was a basketball, NBA fein . Even when the WNBA started, those first group of women like Sheryl Swoop, Rebecca Lobo, Lisa Leslie, Dawn Stanley, those that was so huge for us, as for as girls, in the industry. To see that, women are really great at basketball. That was huge for me. I'd have to say the 90s for me, but now its college football. I don't know why; maybe because I've started working on the sport and I've really fell in love with it. It's something about it, it's not in a field where players are getting paid for a paycheck, I feel like in college it's more about teams.
And I think that's why I fell in love with sports, I worked in news for a while and just didn't sit with me well because there is some scandal or crime or killing and it just really depressed me. But, I feel like every time something goes crazy in the world, sports are the one thing that can unite us. It’s amazing, if you go back and look at history sports is the one thing that unites people. It doesn't matter creed or color, what your status is, who you work for, what you do, Sports is the one thing that always seems to unite people. So, that's what I love about it; I love that at the craziest time in the world, I don't care if it’s the bombing in Boston, that you have the Red Sox, it’s just always something that brings people together and I love that. I love that I'm involved in something that can do that.
And it's so funny, now I think college football has taken a bit more priority over NBA, so college football is really my first love. But the 90s, there's nothing like it. I was a basketball, NBA fein . Even when the WNBA started, those first group of women like Sheryl Swoop, Rebecca Lobo, Lisa Leslie, Dawn Stanley, those that was so huge for us, as for as girls, in the industry. To see that, women are really great at basketball. That was huge for me. I'd have to say the 90s for me, but now its college football. I don't know why; maybe because I've started working on the sport and I've really fell in love with it. It's something about it, it's not in a field where players are getting paid for a paycheck, I feel like in college it's more about teams.
And I think that's why I fell in love with sports, I worked in news for a while and just didn't sit with me well because there is some scandal or crime or killing and it just really depressed me. But, I feel like every time something goes crazy in the world, sports are the one thing that can unite us. It’s amazing, if you go back and look at history sports is the one thing that unites people. It doesn't matter creed or color, what your status is, who you work for, what you do, Sports is the one thing that always seems to unite people. So, that's what I love about it; I love that at the craziest time in the world, I don't care if it’s the bombing in Boston, that you have the Red Sox, it’s just always something that brings people together and I love that. I love that I'm involved in something that can do that.
AS: Speaking of college
football taking precedence in your life right now, what college did you attend?
BT: I attended University
of Memphis and Tennessee State University and graduated from Tennessee State. I
did start at UofM, I just moved over to Tennessee State, but UofM did have a
better program, for me it was a financial situation. Tennessee State offered a
lot more money, I had to take out less loans, and I loved it. I would never
regret having that HBCU experience.
It was so funny I was doing an interview earlier for some NABJ stuff and I was talking about the one thing we’ve done for the culture and I just remember growing up, it was huge to watch A Different World. I never thought of that college, but once you watched the show I was like “college is fun” it looks like fun… so, that really did enlighten me to an HBCU, and so I'm glad I did that. I had both experiences, so I’m glad I went on to an HBCU.
It was so funny I was doing an interview earlier for some NABJ stuff and I was talking about the one thing we’ve done for the culture and I just remember growing up, it was huge to watch A Different World. I never thought of that college, but once you watched the show I was like “college is fun” it looks like fun… so, that really did enlighten me to an HBCU, and so I'm glad I did that. I had both experiences, so I’m glad I went on to an HBCU.
AS: How have you used
your affiliation with Delta Sigma Theta in your professional world throughout
your career?
BT: It's always a good
background to make connections with people. What I've learned is as you get
older you get into the network level of TV, you find that sorority women,
period, stand out. Because it's a total different comradery period it stands
out anyway. Actually, to be honest with you, there are not a lot of women who
are Deltas who are into sport. You have to realize, there's not a lot of women
period. Right now, there are more women than ever, but on my level, there’s
only…wow! There's probably less than 25 women who are directors on the national
level, that includes FOX, CBS, NFL Network, Golf, NBA TV, all of that.
AS: As a woman in such
a male dominated field, and of course it's becoming more diverse and like your
saying doors are starting to open for more opportunity, what
are your thoughts and feelings about being a woman in sports?
BT: You know, you see it.
You can't act like you don't see it in Sports. Especially, I have another
director who I team up with because I'm AD, associate director, I work with
this young lady, Christie Higgins. She is… when I tell you good, I love working
with her because every time I learn so much. Her preparation is so strong. But
when we come in that door and they're like oh my god we have a team of women,
first thing they do is they’re skeptical, unless they know us, but once we come
through that door, the first thing they’ll be like, “damn, y’all have your shit
together,” well hell yeah, we have to.
There's no room for mess ups, I'm just going to be honest with you, there is no room for mess ups. Right now, I'm seven months pregnant, I'm about to go out, so I’m about to miss a whole college football season. I was supposed to actually start traveling in January for game day basketball and I had to get pulled because I'm pregnant, I’m going to be home, you know? My boss is understanding, it’s like that first year we’re going to give you a break. And I’m like, listen, I know I just had a child, my family’s willing to come up here and stay the season, but he was like “no, we can’t do that, we can’t do that to you, we need you to stay home for the first year.” And it kinda hurts because you work so hard to get to that point, but I guess it’s one of the things that come out of it. Well you know your child is a blessing and I’m gonna love him regardless, but man, I worked hard to get to that point and to know that I can’t, you know for another year, that’s fine.
But, for women, we have to come in there burning gas. Like you have to come in there and you have to know because what happens is if you don’t come in there and you don’t know your stuff and you don’t make an impression, you close another door for a woman to come through then.
There's no room for mess ups, I'm just going to be honest with you, there is no room for mess ups. Right now, I'm seven months pregnant, I'm about to go out, so I’m about to miss a whole college football season. I was supposed to actually start traveling in January for game day basketball and I had to get pulled because I'm pregnant, I’m going to be home, you know? My boss is understanding, it’s like that first year we’re going to give you a break. And I’m like, listen, I know I just had a child, my family’s willing to come up here and stay the season, but he was like “no, we can’t do that, we can’t do that to you, we need you to stay home for the first year.” And it kinda hurts because you work so hard to get to that point, but I guess it’s one of the things that come out of it. Well you know your child is a blessing and I’m gonna love him regardless, but man, I worked hard to get to that point and to know that I can’t, you know for another year, that’s fine.
But, for women, we have to come in there burning gas. Like you have to come in there and you have to know because what happens is if you don’t come in there and you don’t know your stuff and you don’t make an impression, you close another door for a woman to come through then.
AS: Being as successful
as you are now, what was your first job? Talk to me about your career journey.
BT: [chuckles] I had an
unconventional path. I actually, when I graduated, my first job was in radio. I
actually was a DJ first. Yes, I was a DJ in Louisiana - Shreveport, Louisiana.
Then I moved over to Tyler, Texas and the only thing Tyler Texas was known for
is I think that’s where Jamie Foxx is from. Then I moved back to Memphis as a
DJ, I started in Nashville, let me not get it wrong. When I was still in
college, I had the opportunity to intern and work at QTK, which was like the
only urban station in Nashville at that time. And I really impressed a lot of
people, they were like we’re gonna send you down to build you back up. And I
end up just not working out in those smaller towns.
At the time, my real grandparents were sick, I wanted to be closer to family, wasn’t making any money, you’re making about $22,000 a year, I was struggling, I’m in Tyler, Texas, I don’t know nobody! And I was like yeah, I can go home and start over and that’s what I did. I always had a background in TV, I’ve always been a hustler, I’ve always been a go-getter, I had internships in high-school - that was unheard of. I was doing stuff in high-school, and my whole thing was you weren’t gonna out-hustle me. When I graduated from Tennessee State, we had a graduating class of about 200 people in Communications, I think I was the only one to graduate with a job, but for me, I knew that this was what I wanted to do.
So, when I got back into Memphis, I got back into TV, I worked my way up to Director, and then I went to NABJ and I met Director for ESPN, Todd Prison, and I bugged him for two years. It took two years and two interviews to get up here, you know? So nobody really gets hired on their first time, I tell people all the time. Most people don’t get hired at ESPN on their first time. You have to understand where you’re coming from, you’re coming to network, they’re trying to take the best of the best.
At the time, my real grandparents were sick, I wanted to be closer to family, wasn’t making any money, you’re making about $22,000 a year, I was struggling, I’m in Tyler, Texas, I don’t know nobody! And I was like yeah, I can go home and start over and that’s what I did. I always had a background in TV, I’ve always been a hustler, I’ve always been a go-getter, I had internships in high-school - that was unheard of. I was doing stuff in high-school, and my whole thing was you weren’t gonna out-hustle me. When I graduated from Tennessee State, we had a graduating class of about 200 people in Communications, I think I was the only one to graduate with a job, but for me, I knew that this was what I wanted to do.
So, when I got back into Memphis, I got back into TV, I worked my way up to Director, and then I went to NABJ and I met Director for ESPN, Todd Prison, and I bugged him for two years. It took two years and two interviews to get up here, you know? So nobody really gets hired on their first time, I tell people all the time. Most people don’t get hired at ESPN on their first time. You have to understand where you’re coming from, you’re coming to network, they’re trying to take the best of the best.
AS: How else has your
career added value in your life?
BT: Hmm, it created value
in a sense of… it gave me opportunities. It gave me the opportunities to meet
people , to learn. It gave me the opportunity to do things I never would've
done if I wasn’t in this business. You know, sometimes you work so hard that
when you’re on that field watching Alabama and Clemson go together at a
championship game, and you realize that people are at home watching it, but
you’re standing right there in the end zone and you can see it, you can feel
the pressure, you can feel the energy, sometimes it takes you back and you'll
be like, “wow.” And I remember somebody told me, “Brandy don’t forget just to
stand there and take it all in, because everybody doesn't get here.” And
they’re right.
It’s
added value in a sense of… one thing about ESPN, it’s very international, so
you get to meet people from all over. Only about 20 percent of people born in
Connecticut actually work at ESPN, so you get a good 80 percent from all over
the place. And it has opened my mind to travel. When I was young, I was poor,
so we couldn’t travel. But, I mean, to be grown and to do it on a different
level, you know not even a couple months I was in spain, barcelona, madrid… a
little girl from Orange Mound, Tennessee, to make it over there and to
understand it and live it and enjoy it, it’s afforded me opportunities that I
would've never… World Cup, Brazil, are you serious? Some of the opportunities
it affords you, it’s unspeakable. I have to be honest with you, its
unspeakable… NBA Finals.
AS: What are you most
proud of?
BT: Umm… I don’t know I
never thought about that. I guess making it here, you know? Making it here. I
never, I don’t realize how far I’ve come or what I’ve done or what I’ve
accomplished until you go home. When I go home to where I lived and grew up,
wow… you just realize and like parents say sometimes you outgrow your friends
and you do. The people I went to school with, people I grew up with, some of
them never left Memphis, some of them never left out neighborhood. Some of them
are like five kids deep, never been anywhere. So, our conversations were
different.
Even in college, I’m like, “oh yeah, I’m trying to do this and this and this,” and they don’t understand what I’m talking about, so when I come back I’m like, “wow, you’re still here? Have you left here? Have you done anything?” And then you have those friends that tell you, “B, you made it… you left here and you didn’t look back, you kept pressing on.” So, for me I think that’s, I guess that’s when it really hits you and sometimes you’re so busy pressing, that you don’t take time and stop. And that’s something I have to get better at - I’m so busy pressing to the next thing, the next hurdle, to break the next lap, that I don’t take time to stop. When was I gonna take time to look back. And giving back is not the issue, but looking back sometimes on what you’ve done, on what God has brought you from, that sometimes takes a second for me.
Even in college, I’m like, “oh yeah, I’m trying to do this and this and this,” and they don’t understand what I’m talking about, so when I come back I’m like, “wow, you’re still here? Have you left here? Have you done anything?” And then you have those friends that tell you, “B, you made it… you left here and you didn’t look back, you kept pressing on.” So, for me I think that’s, I guess that’s when it really hits you and sometimes you’re so busy pressing, that you don’t take time and stop. And that’s something I have to get better at - I’m so busy pressing to the next thing, the next hurdle, to break the next lap, that I don’t take time to stop. When was I gonna take time to look back. And giving back is not the issue, but looking back sometimes on what you’ve done, on what God has brought you from, that sometimes takes a second for me.
AS: What philosophies
do you live by?
BT: Ooo, Jesus! Jesus
Christ, I’m gonna be honest with you, Jesus Christ. One philosophy I do [live by]
... the biggest thing I’ve learned in this business is relationships. At ESPN,
you gotta have good relationships with people. So, I treat people the way they
want to be treated, I don’t look down on nobody. If I can walk through and I
can speak to the CEO, I can speak to the person that’s sweeping the floors,
too. And it let me realize how valuable everybody’s job is, you know? So, I try
to take the time to say thank you, or I appreciate it, or good job. And that
goes a long way in the industry, especially for ESPN. Just listening to people,
that is huge. People just want somebody to take the time to get to know their
name, or take a second to even try to act like you care about them, show them
their individual attention. In this industry, it’s huge.
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