A Behind-the-Scenes Look at SU Basketball Games: Athletic Communications

This season thousands of fans will gather in the Carrier Dome 21 times to cheer on their beloved Syracuse men’s basketball team. While Gerry McNamara is hitting three-pointers and Terrence Roberts is performing high-flying slam dunks, Carrier Dome and Athletic Department staff work behind-the-scenes to make sure that the game goes on flawlessly. Some of these people sit courtside and are directly involved with the game. Others are tucked away in corners of the Dome and don’t see a minute of the action on the court. Regardless of their role, this group works tirelessly to make sure that every fan’s experience in the “Loud House” is a memorable one.

Pete Moore and Athletic Communications

By Caitlin McLaughlin

If you've ever been to a men's basketball game at the Carrier Dome you've
probably seen him somewhere near the Syracuse bench or sitting on press row.
For eight years, Pete Moore has handled the sports information duties for men's basketball at Syracuse University.

For the media at SU basketball games, Moore makes their jobs much easier.
Much of his work is done long before tip-off. Days before the game, Moore is
preparing press passes, seating charts, and extensive information and
statistics about the team in his packet of game notes. The game notes are
available for all the media before the game.

"I like providing information to the media,” Moore said. ”Getting to work with the announcers can be very gratifying. And I enjoy putting the game notes together because I love numbers, especially sport statistics."

During the game, Moore oversees the entire press operation, from passing out
the most updated information to monitoring the statistical operation.

"I work with live radio and television announcers during and prior to the
game,” he said. “Very often, visiting radio will want to know pronunciations and
information. We also track certain statistics during the game. If someone has
a career high or something of note, we're passing that information along, so
it can get on the air."

Long after the stands are cleared and the fans have gone home, Moore and the
rest of the SUAC staff are still hard at work.

"A lot of our work is really after the game,” he said. “Sometimes, we'll still be doing work a good two hours after the game is over."

After the game, both Coach Boeheim and the student-athletes are available to
speak with the media. The order of the press conference is set up in advance
and has been done in the same way for a number of years.

"What I'm actually doing is taking stats to our coaches right after the game,” Moore said. “Coach Boeheim will talk to the team. After he's done, I take him to do the post-game press conference in the media workroom. When he's done with that, I then open up the locker room to the media."

Moore stays in the locker room while the press speaks with the players, primarily just to monitor and to help if there are any questions. Meanwhile, the rest of the Athletic Communications crew is getting quotes and putting together what will go on the website: the game statistics, Coach Boeheim and player quotes, and the game story.

Preparation for the next game starts right away.

Moore is part of the of the Athletic Communications staff that includes director of Sue Edson, assistant directors Kerrin Perniciaro and Mike Morrison, administrative assistant Marlene Ouderkirk and interns Mark Vellek and Matt Lynch.

In his eighth year at SU, Moore has seen many memorable games during his time on the Hill. Which one stands out the most?

"Well, there’s been a lot,” he said. “It's hard to pick one, but winning the National
Championship would be the logical answer. It was a one-of-a-kind experience.
But there's really been a lot of memorable games and a lot of memorable
experiences. I've been fortunate to be with a really successful program."

Syracuse University Athletics

A Behind-the-Scenes Look at SU Basketball Games: Athletic Communications

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