Dick Ebersol '69 Speaks Of Passion For Sports At 2008 Kiphuth Fellowship Public Lecture
Dec. 5, 2008
NEW HAVEN, Conn. - Dick Ebersol '69 arrived at Yale in the mid 1960s with a passion for sports. However, as he succinctly admits, "I had the hand-eye coordination of a giraffe." So he had to find another way to pursue his dream. He went to then Yale Sports Information Director Charley Loftus and was soon reporting the results of Yale events to the New York Times and Boston Globe. After his sophomore year, he took a leave of absence to work as an Olympic researcher for ABC. More than 40 years later, Ebersol is one of the most powerful men in sports as Chairman of NBC Universal Sports & Olympics. He conveyed his passion while delivering the 2008 Kiphuth Fellowship Public Lecture on Thursday at Sheffield-Sterling-Strathcona Hall.
In his introduction, long-time television newsman Jack Ford '72 said Ebersol has "transformed the landscape of what we see on television."
It all started when Ebersol went to work for ABC Sports under the tutelage of broadcasting pioneer Roone Arledge. Arledge was the first producer to offer viewers an "up close and personal" look at athletes, so Ebersol traveled the world gathering background information on Olympic medal hopefuls. Even when he returned to Yale to complete his junior and senior years, which he did in one year, he continued to fly to Europe on weekends.
"I was touched by an angel," he said of the opportunity.
Ebersol spoke of the challenge that the 12-hour time difference presented in the production of the 2008 Beijing Olympic. One of the early decisions he made was to show the swimming finals, featuring Michael Phelps, in prime time. In a meeting with Ebersol prior to the Games, Phelps had told him, "Mr. Ebersol, I want to leave the sport of swimming better than I found it."
Nevertheless, Ebersol was concerned that having the finals in the morning would disrupt the swimmers' routine. Phelps was unfazed. When he learned that the finals would be televised live in prime time, Phelps told Ebersol his goal had been achieved. Phelps then went out and won eight gold medals.
"Michael Phelps was the magnet that brought people back to the Olympics," Ebersol said.
In addition to the Olympics, Ebersol also oversees NBC's Sunday Football Night In America telecast where he works with legendary coach and analyst John Madden.
"John is like everybody's favorite uncle or favorite teacher," Ebersol said. "If I had to pick the best story teller, it would be John."
The two have dinner on the Madden Cruiser every Thursday during the season.
Ebersol also spoke of three of the greatest athletes he has come in contact with during his time with NBC - Muhammad Ali, Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods.
"Muhammad Ali is the most charismatic figure I've ever come across," Ebersol said.
In fact, it was Ebersol who spearheaded the effort to have Ali light the Olympic torch at the 1996 Games in Atlanta. The organizers originally selected Evander Holyfield, but Ebersol helped convince them it should be Ali.
Ebersol talked about the fervor he saw from Jordan, even in practice.
"Jordan is as driven as anyone I've ever been around," he said.
Last summer at the 2008 U.S. Open Golf championship, Ebersol had a first-hand look as Woods captured the title despite needing reconstructive Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) surgery on his left knee.
Ironically, it wasn't sports that lured Ebersol to NBC. Knowing it would be difficult to compete with Arledge in sports broadcasting, he was hired by NBC to develop a comedy show to replace repeats of Johnny Carson's Tonight Show at 11:30 p.m. on Saturday nights. He worked with Lorne Michaels, and the two came up with Saturday Night Live, which debuted on Oct. 11, 1975, and has been on the air ever since.
There was one other benefit for Ebersol with the creation Saturday Night Live. He met his wife, actress Susan St. James, who guest-hosted the show in 1981.
The Kiphuth Fellowship Fund was established in 1970 in the memory of Yale University's legendary swimming coach and Athletic Director, the late Robert J.H. Kiphuth. The Fund provides the opportunity for men and women distinguished in the fields of physical training, sport, sports writing, physiology, literature and the arts to visit the Yale campus.
Report filed by Tim Bennett, Yale Sports Publicity
Video by Neil Horowitz '09, Yale Sports Publicity
