Olympic medalists Bart Conner (left) and Kathy Johnson-Clarke are set to call the action Sunday afternoon when collegiate gymnastics regular-season action debuts on ABC.
Gators Gymnastics Team Set To Make TV History
Thursday, January 13, 2022 | Gymnastics, Scott Carter
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — College gymnastics received a huge lift when the SEC Network launched in 2014. As the network developed content, it showcased the made-for-TV sport live on "Friday Night Heights."
On Sunday, the sport reaches new heights when the No. 2-ranked Gators host SEC rival Alabama. The Florida-Alabama matchup at Exactech Arena/O'C0nnell Center is the first NCAA regular-season dual meet to be broadcast live (3 p.m., ABC) on one of the three major networks.
For those involved, it's a milestone moment for a sport that has grown as an afterthought at the college level in its early days to one that packs campus arenas regularly around the Southeastern Conference and other parts of the country.
When the proposal first surfaced on her radar, Gators coach Jenny Rowland didn't hesitate in trying to make it happen, shifting the meet from the usual Friday night slot to Sunday afternoon.
"For me, it was a no-brainer,'' she said. "An amazing opportunity to showcase and highlight the best sport ever, in my opinion, on a national broadcast. Really grateful to be a part of this opportunity."
Former Olympians Bart Conner and Kathy Johnson-Clarke, two of the most famous names in U.S. gymnastics, will call the action on the O'Dome floor Sunday. Conner and Johnson-Clarke are veteran gymnastics announcers who joined the SEC Network in 2015 as its top broadcast team.
A two-time Olympic medalist and one of the stars of the 1984 Summer Games in Los Angeles, Conner recalled this week how when the SEC Network began to emphasize its coverage of the sport, some coaches voiced concerns whether it would benefit or damage the sport.
Former LSU coach D-D Breaux, who retired before the 2020 season after 43 seasons, was one of those who revealed doubts to Conner.
"There was fear when we came in to create this television event: 'You are going to ruin our in-house gymnastics meet. We're not going to pack the stands. They'll just stay home and watch it on TV,' " Conner said. "It increased it. We are growing a TV audience, but at the same time, we're packing arenas."
A few years later, Conner remembered Breaux thanking ESPN senior coordinating producer Meg Aronowitz for her vision in turning the sport into must-watch TV for casual and knowledgeable fans. Aronowitz helped grow women's college softball coverage into a big winner for the network before turning her attention to gymnastics.
Increased TV ratings followed.
"There are two sports I have come across in my career at ESPN that I believe have unlimited potential: gymnastics and softball,'' Aronowitz said in a press release last summer about the network's softball coverage. "I say it all the time, 'you have to show it to grow it.' "
While gymnastics has been a staple during live coverage of the Olympics for decades, the sport on the collegiate level has experienced a viewership boom in recent years thanks to the SEC Network and other conference networks. This season, the Gators have benefited, signing the nation's top recruiting class by adding elite-level gymnasts such as Morgan Hurd, Riley McCusker and Leanne Wong.
The Name, Image and Likeness rules enacted in 2021 allow world-class gymnasts to compete on the collegiate level and pursue financial opportunities outside of their scholarship or cost-of-attendance stipend. Meanwhile, Olympic gold medalists like Suni Lee (Auburn) and Jade Carey (Oregon State) opted to attend college. In contrast, in years past, many at their level pursued other opportunities or retired from the sport.
That has opened the door to possibilities that didn't exist two years ago.
"You may see elite gymnasts wanting to do both [Olympics and college] simultaneously,'' Johnson-Clarke said. "That is exciting. It's a big deal. To see a dual-college meet on ABC is just a chef's kiss.
"What we're really proud of, to be part of this product, is to be able to bring live gymnastics. We are growing an audience for a sport that even if you know nothing about the sport, about the judging, you can enjoy it. It's entertaining."
College gymnastics differs from Olympics in several ways, most notably in the team aspect, raucous crowds, and more emphasis on performance and artistry over trying to pull off the most difficult moves.
The Gators are aware of the significance of Sunday's meet. A week ago, they opened the season by winning a quad meet at home. Sunday's atmosphere and intensity will be different.
"It's something huge, something major,'' Gators senior Nya Reed said. "It's always great for us to make history, especially being in a women's sport."
Conner has a good grasp of the sport's history. He flourished in the Olympics and while in college at Oklahoma. Conner later married Nadia Comaneci, the darling of the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal. As a 14-year-old, she won three gold medals and earned seven perfect 10s.
The sport has been at the center of his life. For Conner, to see TV coverage of college gymnastics receive the same treatment as football, basketball and other mainstream sports, it's a rewarding experience as a broadcaster, fan and ambassador of the sport.
"The powers-that-be see the value in this product and what it's delivering and the audience it is bringing in,'' Conner said. "If you are a real sport, you need to be live. If you are a real sport, you need to have your score on the screen constantly. It's getting the real sports treatment."
Tune in to ABC on Sunday afternoon to see for yourself.
On Sunday, the sport reaches new heights when the No. 2-ranked Gators host SEC rival Alabama. The Florida-Alabama matchup at Exactech Arena/O'C0nnell Center is the first NCAA regular-season dual meet to be broadcast live (3 p.m., ABC) on one of the three major networks.
For those involved, it's a milestone moment for a sport that has grown as an afterthought at the college level in its early days to one that packs campus arenas regularly around the Southeastern Conference and other parts of the country.
When the proposal first surfaced on her radar, Gators coach Jenny Rowland didn't hesitate in trying to make it happen, shifting the meet from the usual Friday night slot to Sunday afternoon.
"For me, it was a no-brainer,'' she said. "An amazing opportunity to showcase and highlight the best sport ever, in my opinion, on a national broadcast. Really grateful to be a part of this opportunity."
Former Olympians Bart Conner and Kathy Johnson-Clarke, two of the most famous names in U.S. gymnastics, will call the action on the O'Dome floor Sunday. Conner and Johnson-Clarke are veteran gymnastics announcers who joined the SEC Network in 2015 as its top broadcast team.
A two-time Olympic medalist and one of the stars of the 1984 Summer Games in Los Angeles, Conner recalled this week how when the SEC Network began to emphasize its coverage of the sport, some coaches voiced concerns whether it would benefit or damage the sport.
Former LSU coach D-D Breaux, who retired before the 2020 season after 43 seasons, was one of those who revealed doubts to Conner.
"There was fear when we came in to create this television event: 'You are going to ruin our in-house gymnastics meet. We're not going to pack the stands. They'll just stay home and watch it on TV,' " Conner said. "It increased it. We are growing a TV audience, but at the same time, we're packing arenas."
A few years later, Conner remembered Breaux thanking ESPN senior coordinating producer Meg Aronowitz for her vision in turning the sport into must-watch TV for casual and knowledgeable fans. Aronowitz helped grow women's college softball coverage into a big winner for the network before turning her attention to gymnastics.
Increased TV ratings followed.
"There are two sports I have come across in my career at ESPN that I believe have unlimited potential: gymnastics and softball,'' Aronowitz said in a press release last summer about the network's softball coverage. "I say it all the time, 'you have to show it to grow it.' "
While gymnastics has been a staple during live coverage of the Olympics for decades, the sport on the collegiate level has experienced a viewership boom in recent years thanks to the SEC Network and other conference networks. This season, the Gators have benefited, signing the nation's top recruiting class by adding elite-level gymnasts such as Morgan Hurd, Riley McCusker and Leanne Wong.
The Name, Image and Likeness rules enacted in 2021 allow world-class gymnasts to compete on the collegiate level and pursue financial opportunities outside of their scholarship or cost-of-attendance stipend. Meanwhile, Olympic gold medalists like Suni Lee (Auburn) and Jade Carey (Oregon State) opted to attend college. In contrast, in years past, many at their level pursued other opportunities or retired from the sport.
That has opened the door to possibilities that didn't exist two years ago.
"You may see elite gymnasts wanting to do both [Olympics and college] simultaneously,'' Johnson-Clarke said. "That is exciting. It's a big deal. To see a dual-college meet on ABC is just a chef's kiss.
"What we're really proud of, to be part of this product, is to be able to bring live gymnastics. We are growing an audience for a sport that even if you know nothing about the sport, about the judging, you can enjoy it. It's entertaining."
College gymnastics differs from Olympics in several ways, most notably in the team aspect, raucous crowds, and more emphasis on performance and artistry over trying to pull off the most difficult moves.
The Gators are aware of the significance of Sunday's meet. A week ago, they opened the season by winning a quad meet at home. Sunday's atmosphere and intensity will be different.
"It's something huge, something major,'' Gators senior Nya Reed said. "It's always great for us to make history, especially being in a women's sport."
Conner has a good grasp of the sport's history. He flourished in the Olympics and while in college at Oklahoma. Conner later married Nadia Comaneci, the darling of the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal. As a 14-year-old, she won three gold medals and earned seven perfect 10s.
The sport has been at the center of his life. For Conner, to see TV coverage of college gymnastics receive the same treatment as football, basketball and other mainstream sports, it's a rewarding experience as a broadcaster, fan and ambassador of the sport.
"The powers-that-be see the value in this product and what it's delivering and the audience it is bringing in,'' Conner said. "If you are a real sport, you need to be live. If you are a real sport, you need to have your score on the screen constantly. It's getting the real sports treatment."
Tune in to ABC on Sunday afternoon to see for yourself.
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