The creator of Yale's sports network sits down with SIOC

By David Sherfinski

Neil Horowitz, a sophomore at Yale, eats, sleeps, and breathes Yale sports. In addition to working for the Sports Publicity Department and as a sports editor for the Herald, Yale's weekly newspaper, Neil created YSPN, a weekly show on Yale TV with highlights, interviews, and analysis summing up the week in Yale sports. Though he has a bit more help this year, Neil essentially writes, directs, and produces every show after going through hours and hours of game film.  SIOC had a chance to sit down with Neil to ask him what drives the YSPN anchor.

Neil at work as he prepares for another YSPN broadcast. Photo by David Sherfinski

SIOC: How did YSPN come about?

NH: Last year, I was just trying to find something to do with my time, and I saw a message from YTV saying they wanted news anchors. I thought, 'Hey, I like Ron Burgundy -- I could do that.' I pitched an idea to them for a Sportscenter type show, and then I went back to my room and e-mailed every single head coach at Yale telling them about my plans and asking them if they would be on board.

SIOC: What's your background in sports like?

NH: I played sports in high school, and I was a Sportscenter fanatic. That's about it. Everything else started here. I'm so busy now, I don't even have time to do fantasy football this year, which I'm kind of ticked about.

SIOC: What was the first taping like?

NH: I had no camera/video/editing experience whatsoever beforehand. I knew absolutely nothing the first week -- I put together a show, and it wasn't pretty. I did learn a lot, though. I really wasn't even supposed to use the media center, because it's for film and art studies only, but I snuck in. I fixed a camera on a blank wall, and did my voice-overs in a corner while other people were in the room working. It was kind of embarrassing -- there were doors slamming and cars driving by the entire time -- but I guess I just didn't give a crap. I just wanted to put out the show. Afterwards, I went through every single Metallica song ever recorded, found the parts without words, and used those portions for my background music.

SIOC: How much time do you spend in a given week on the show and Yale sports in general?

NH: Last year, the show took about 70 hours per week, plus going to every football and soccer game, plus working out at the gym four days a week. This year on Thursdays, I'll be at the Herald until 2 or 3 a.m., then tape at the media center, get back to my room around 8, sleep for a couple hours, then go to Comp. Law. This past Friday, I actually had to finish a take-home midterm when I got back in the morning. When it comes right down to it, though, the show comes before classes. I just feel like I get more out of it.

SIOC: Have you gotten more feedback this year? What's the show's fan base like?

NH: I've definitely noticed more people talking to me about it this year. Me and my friends will check my hits on youtube, and we got pretty excited when it reached 60. Last year, I think one person recognized me. Now, I'm out on the street and it's, 'Hey, it's the YSPN guy!'

SIOC: What kind of preparation do you do to avoid a "Boom goes the dynamite" debacle?

NH: Well, because those people are better, and actually have teleprompters, that stuff happens. I say to anyone who wants to help, 'If you work with me, you have to know about Yale sports.' That kid messed up because he clearly didn't know enough about the sports he was reporting on. We ad-lib, we go to the games, we analyze. It's not something to put on a resume -- I do it because I love Yale sports and sports in general.

SIOC: If you wanted to cover college sports, why go to Yale over a school where sports are bigger?

NH: I really had no intention of starting something like this when I got here -- it just sort of fell into my lap. Had I really wanted to do it beforehand, I would have gone to a UCLA or Stanford, or Northwestern. Actually, not Northwestern. I didn't get in there. But doing the show was just something I thought would be fun.

SIOC: What's your knowledge of Yale sports like now?

NH: It's so exhaustive, it's really kind of sad. I see every sports game played at Yale that's on tape every single week. Nobody else can say that. I know the jersey numbers and can recognize every single player on every team at Yale just from watching so much tape. I'm sure I know more about Yale sports than anyone else I know.

SIOC: Have you gotten any feedback from professionals on the show?

NH: Professionals have been pretty ambivalent. Last year at Chris Berman's Master's Tea, he didn't have too much to say about it, which was surprising. I feel like Yale was just different because nothing had been previously set up -- other people at bigger sports schools probably have the upper leg on me.

SIOC: What are your future plans for the show and your post-graduate career?

NH: Well, originally, I had planned to major in political science or economics and then go to law school, but now I'm leaning toward broadcasting. A lot of opportunities in the way of internships and summer work have opened up because of the exposure. I would love to leave Yale and still have the show going -- that's my ultimate dream. It's gradually expanding. My interviews and clips are getting on the Yale athletics website, and I've been getting good feedback on them, so that feels good. I always tell people YSPN is my life, and they laugh at me, but it's true.

To view an episode of YSPN, click here.