Zach Woodford ’28 Sees Broadcast Problem-Solving in Action Hands-on experience with the Chapman Sports Broadcast Network and faculty mentorship prepared him for the FIFA Host Broadcast (HB) Intern Programme at SoFi Stadium.

About 10 minutes before a FIFA World Cup match went live at SoFi Stadium, half the routes carrying video from commentators’ cameras suddenly failed. 

Zach Woodford ’28 watched as the engineering team quickly determined which broadcasters were scheduled to go live first. Within about five minutes, they had rerouted about 20 camera feeds through backup connections. 

“I don’t think you can learn troubleshooting in a classroom,” said Woodford, a broadcast journalism and documentary major at Chapman. “You have to be somewhere when problems happen and be with someone experienced who can show you their process of finding the solution.” 

Woodford worked in the technical operations center through the FIFA Host Broadcast (HB) Intern Programme. His team monitored video feeds, checked their quality and delivered them to broadcasters, giving Woodford a close look at professional video engineering. 

The role was a natural next step in a career path Woodford had discovered almost by accident. 

When he arrived at Chapman, the Seattle native was more interested in documentaries than sports broadcasting. An Orientation Leader encouraged him to attend a meeting of the student-run Chapman Sports Broadcast Network (CSBN). Woodford went to a few games, tried the professional equipment, and was hooked. 

He now serves on CSBN’s board, overseeing its branding and creating graphics for game broadcasts. He has also gained technical experience by working with CSBN faculty adviser David Goedhart to maintain and upgrade Chapman’s studio and control room. 

“I learned a lot naturally just helping him with stuff, whether that’s upgrades, things that are broken or finding an easier, more efficient way of doing things,” Woodford said. 

Woodford credits the skills he learned at Chapman with helping him land production work beyond campus. That experience stood out during his interview for the internship, he said. 

At SoFi Stadium, Woodford built on that foundation while working with broadcast professionals from several countries. The experience showed him how crews communicate and solve problems across languages and cultures, and strengthened his interest in working internationally. 

His advice for students curious about sports broadcasting is simple: Show up and try it. 

“The faculty really do care about their students, and I think that’s something that makes Chapman very special,” Woodford said. “If you’re interested in sports broadcasting, definitely check out CSBN.”