Mark R. Condron, a 1991 Telecommunications graduate and Outstanding Alumni recipient, has won a total of three Emmys for his work in sports across the world. Condron graduated with his B.A. in Telecommunications and has used it to shape his passion for the sports industry, especially in his current roles as a freelance producer and course director and adjunct instructor for the Dan Patrick School of Sportscasting at Full Sail University.
Questioning how his talents and dedication would be a match in the field immediately after graduating, Condron quickly began to set himself up for his career. Little did he know, his hard work would get him to the point where he is today.
Now, with over 30 years of experience working in the industry— he began working in media one month after graduating with his first contract role with TNT— Condron hit the ground running in covering his first Winter Olympics Games in January 1992. As a young researcher for the on-air talent for the Games, he was certain this field was right for him and was pleased with the knowledge he gained on the job.
“I entered Texas Tech and I always knew I wanted to work in the television world,” said Condron. “I was not sure how I would fit into that world, so I began using writing as much as possible— I would write and script everywhere I could. After graduation, I began to start talking with NBC, which got me my second big gig with working the Summer Olympics of 1992 as a studio writer. I started right off the bat with two Olympic games.”
Having a solid starting point is what showed Condron he was doing the right thing and eager to succeed in the sports industry. He worked tirelessly to prove he belonged in the sports media world and became an inspiration for others much like himself.
He calls himself fortunate to be doing what he has always dreamed of on a day-to-day basis and is even more appreciative that his work has been recognized during his time as a professional.
“I was up for two Emmys this year,” said Condron. “The first was for Outstanding Interactive Experience and that was specific to the digital team. The second Emmy I was up for was Outstanding Live Special— this was for the 24th Olympic Winter Games. There were a lot of great candidates for these categories, and I was lucky to be part of the Outstanding Live Special Emmy, which is what NBC ended up winning for its coverage of the Winter Olympic Games in Beijing. This makes the third Emmy I've won overall.”
Condron's first Emmys date back to many years ago when he was an associate producer. His second Emmy came from when he worked for HBO Sports from 2001 to 2004. During this time, he worked on ‘Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel' and that's where his real passion for wanting to tell stories originated from.
Condron is thankful for his decision to choose Texas Tech to study and prepare him for the professional world. He is delighted with the degree program that brought him where he wanted to be in sports media and hopes to motivate others to be inspired in the field.
“This industry is a very self-driven industry,” said Condron. “Success is found by people who are resourceful and adaptable— those who figure out how to do something. The further you are willing to push for this, the further your career will go. Some things will be easier, but for the things that are not, you will be tasked with finding the solution yourself.”