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Q&A; with Seth Fader, Coordinating Producer

PGA Tour Entertainment

An Inside Look at Producing Content for PGA Tour Entertainment

Sometimes Seth Fader has to pinch himself, "I started out as an intern making $10/hour at CNN in Atlanta and now am a Coordinating Producer at PGA TOUR Entertainment running an entire creative division.

"Working in TV has totally exceeded my expectations," says the affable Fader, "working for a sports league and getting to travel around the world telling compelling stories, getting paid well for something I love to do…so satisfying."

As Confucius says, choose a job you love and you’ll never have to work a day in your life.

When did you decide to pursue a career in Sports TV?

I decided Sports TV was what I wanted to do when I was in High School. I took a Television Production class and it sparked something creative in me. I always thought I would be on-air as a Sportscaster or Sports Reporter, but loved putting features/shows together instead of just reading prompter.

What was it about a career in Sports TV that originally lured you?

I was first lured to TV by sports. Loved sports, always played and wanted to continue working with sports. I guess once I got into sports TV work, I realized that the entire creative process was actually what I loved the most.

Seth Fader’s Sports TV “Stats”

Education: University of Miami

Production Jobs held: Video Editor, Associate Producer, Coodinating Producer

Stations: CNN/Sports Illustrated (Atlanta, GA), PGA Tour Entertainment (St. Augustine, FL)

Most memorable moment working in Sports TV: Going to Fiji with Vijay Singh. He hadn’t been back to his home land in nearly 20 years, and for him to invite me and my crew and see him there was amazing.

Best Piece of Advice: Never say "No" at the beginning of your Sports TV career, and take every new job as a chance to learn and meet people.

You went to the University of Miami, how much did it help you in your Sports TV career?

The skills I learned certainly helped me in my professional career, but really I have learned that there is no experience in television like practical experience. The quicker you start to work the better. My education was both technical and theory, and my creative writing is something that has been developed over the years. I had a English teacher in college tell me I would never amount to anything with the way I wrote, but considering what I have accomplished, I’m glad I didn’t listen very well.

Where did you land your first job in Sports TV?

I had many internships/first jobs while in college, but my real first job was at CNN/SI in Atlanta. I was sort of floundering unsure of if I was going to continue to work in TV, when a friend from college passed my resume along. I received a call from HR at CNN, took a sports quiz, and was in Atlanta in 4 days. I saw the chance and jumped at it! I knew I made the right choice immediately; I loved the excitement, the grind, the adventure of the entire thing. I certainly wasn’t in it for the money at that point, but I learned more in my first year, that I probably have in the rest of my career.

Would you do anything differently if you could go back to the early stages of your career?

If I were to go back to the early stages in my career, I would have tried to find a sports TV job directly after college. I floundered a bit deciding what I wanted to do, and missed a couple years of experience that I would have now.

What is the most difficult thing about working in Television?

The most difficult aspects of starting in sports TV were the crazy hours/schedule and the stress level of the work. The most difficult thing about working in sports TV now, is learning that everyone has an editor. You may love your words or ideas, but you don’t always have final say it the final product, and that’s tough to handle sometimes. Also, managing people is way more difficult than it appears..

How has your career developed in titles, responsibilities and locations?

I started out as an intern making 10 dollars/hour at CNN in Atlanta and now am a Coordinating Producer at PGA TOUR Entertainment running an entire creative division. All in 12 years; I have worked the overnights, have Video Edited, logged, pretty much held every job you can in TV.

Do you have any advice for someone considering a career in Sports TV?

The best advice that I could give would be to get your foot in the door in any capacity as quickly as you can, and then learn everything within the company. Never say no at the beginning especially, and take every new job as a chance to learn and meet people. Then as you move forward in your career, find one of these things you really like to do and excel.

Do you have a memorable story – whether funny, sad or just interesting – that you’d like to share?

I don’t have a specific story, but rather a memory. I used to love the fact that we were working with about 20 to 30 people in a crazy newsroom, working crazy hours, in a job that literally 1000’s would love to do, under immense pressures, yet loving every minute of it. The camaraderie under these situations in second to none. My favorite shoot I have ever produced was going to Fiji with Vijay Singh. He hadn’t been back to his home land in nearly 20 years, and for him to invite me and my crew and see him there was amazing.

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