Admission to Sports Production: Sports Link is by competitive application and is not guaranteed. The application process includes the submission of a resume, portfolio and demonstrated examples of experience.
Students will be selected by SP faculty and students, plus Department of Media faculty. In order to provide a personal and quality educational experience, the department must limit undergraduate admission through competitive application.
Admission to the sequence is an entirely separate process from admission to the University. Ball State University does not guarantee admission to Sports Production.
To effectively evaluate the talents and abilities of students interested in Sports Production: Sports Link, students are recruited and accepted by the program’s staff.
To be considered for these programs, you must first be admitted to Ball State, so apply early to the university if you’re interested in Sports Production: Sports Link.
Academic Guidelines
Students in this program are held in the highest regard and are seen as role models in the community, in our department, in our college and at our University. This also includes in the classroom.
Sports Production: Sports Link will continue academic progress monitoring. Students are expected to carry a grade of C (2.0) or better in each MDIA/SP track class and an overall grade-point average of 2.5 in MDIA/SP.
Frequently Asked Questions
● Sports Production: Sports Link is an academic concentration in the Department of Media and NOT an extracurricular club. The program emphasizes storytelling and live production.
● Sports Production: Sports Link is content creation and video/audio production – the behind-the-scenes of conceptualizing, creating, shooting, producing, editing tangible video or audio productions. This includes short and long form storytelling, documentaries, live ESPN broadcasts, feature stories and studio shows.
● While we do have on-air talent opportunities, Sports Production: Sports Link is a holistic program and not just on-air talent and reporting. All students are required to create sports content for multiple platforms, including ESPN broadcasts.
● Acceptance into the concentration is done through a thorough application process, typically started by a student while they are STILL in high school. However, applications are accepted on a rolling basis with a priority deadline of February 1 (effective 2025). To be considered for the Fall semester of each year, applications must be received by April 1 (effective 2025).
● Students who visit campus, shadow the Sports Link students and broadcasts have an advantage because the visit also serves as an opportunity to interview the student and for the student to see what we actually do.
● Students who are generally selected show 1) consistent communication with the Sports Link staff throughout their high school careers; and 2) portfolios include a variety of work that showcase multiple skill sets.
Application Link
** The Fall 2025 class is full. However, you can still apply and applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. **
