Penn State’s 2021 Sports Business Conference got the ball rolling Monday night with a virtual lecture headlined by two legendary sportscasters.

Hosted by Penn State professor and the Knight Chair in Sports Journalism and Society John Affleck, Bob Costas and Tom Verducci took the virtual stage to discuss their careers and the field as a whole.

Costas worked at NBC for almost 30 years and is best known for his broadcasting of sporting events across the board, as well as his coverage of 11 Olympic Games. Verducci, meanwhile, is a Penn State graduate who went on to write for Sports Illustrated and has his share of success on television across different channels, including FOX and MLB Network.

The pair had loads of knowledge to share regarding their profession and experiences, the sports industry, the media, the state of baseball, and much more.

Affleck opened the session by asking the two about the newest endeavor that they’ve taken on together: “The Sounds of Baseball.”

Hosted by Costas and Verducci, the television series serves as a way to reminisce on some of the sport’s most memorable moments as well as the unknown surrounding some of baseball’s most iconic voices.

“It allows people to relive some of the great moments they called. But it’s not the same thing as a highlight show or a flashback show, because we’re seeing it through the prism of their work,” Costas said.

“It’s not just this nostalgic sweet spot. It’s illuminating the unknown of subject matters that are very well known. And the stories behind the stories, if you will,” Verducci added.

Before Costas and Verducci dove into much about themselves from an individualistic standpoint, being the baseball gurus that they are, they spoke on the state of the game and the popularity crisis it’s currently facing and suggested some potential solutions to get it back on track.

Affleck concluded his round of questions by asking each about specific tidbits of their own professional journey.

Costas provided an account of his time covering the Olympics, his takeaways, how grand of an event the Olympics actually are, and how that has an influence on the coverage that even the most celebrated athletes receive. Verducci spoke a bit about his time with Sports Illustrated, the future of sports journalism in his eyes, and the direction the world is moving toward in that regard.

After a brief, fun lightning round, it was the students’ turn. Considering that two of the best at what they do were at students’ immediate disposal, it’s only appropriate that they seek out some advice and pick the brains of two esteemed legends.

Affleck fielded questions from the audience for Costas and Verducci regarding what they did to stand out early on in their careers, what it takes to succeed in the sports broadcasting industry, and each broadcaster’s prime piece of advice for students.

“I would say beyond the advice about quality of preparation…At the outset, do not be discouraged,” Costas said.

“It’s a very competitive field,” Verducci said. “People want to get into it for the same reasons that you do. It’s fun, it’s exciting, it’s rewarding, but it’s [also] challenging…Be prepared that there’s doors that are going to close. And if you’re not passionate about it, they’ll stay closed. But as long as you’re passionate about it, [you’ll reach your goals].”