MISSOULA — If you can't make the Brawl of the Wild in person Saturday, chances are you'll watch on your local CBS affiliate through Scripps Sports. But while you're catching the action on screen, there's incredible work happening behind the camera.
The annual Brawl of the Wild isn't just a game – it's a production masterpiece that requires dozens of skilled professionals working in perfect harmony to deliver the stadium experience directly to viewers' living rooms.
Each year, the Scripps Sports production team has one clear mission when broadcasting Montana's biggest rivalry game: capture every ounce of energy and translate it to the big screen.
"It's tailgating, it's fans, it's runouts, mascots, fans screaming at the camera," said Jason Moon, Scripps Sports Big Sky Director.
MTN News Robyn Iron takes you behind the scenes:
The goal is to produce a show that gives viewers the complete stadium experience from home, Moon explained.
"You try to capture that environment and that's what brings excitement to the show," Moon said.
This massive undertaking requires a talented crew of camera operators, audio producers, engineers and sports commentators. Producer Doug Marino emphasized that every single person's role is critical to the broadcast's success.
"There's a lot of moving parts in a TV truck, everyone has to work together or none of it works," Marino said.
The complexity of the operation means many crew members wear multiple hats during the broadcast.
"I pull double duty, where I am pushing all the buttons and still telling camera operators what to shoot and where to go," Marino said.
James Rafferty, Scripps Sports Production Senior Director, serves as the coordinator who ensures everyone has what they need to execute the broadcast plan.
"I make sure my producers and directors have everything they need for the game," Rafferty said. "My job is to communicate the plan to everybody and it is their job to execute the plan."
The result is a broadcast that draws thousands of viewers from across Montana and beyond – and creates a sense of celebration for the entire production crew.
"You never know what is going to happen and to me that is the beauty of doing this," one crew member said.
The collaborative nature of the production is what makes it all possible, according to the team.
"It definitely is a team effort all the way from the top down," they noted.
Scripps Sports is broadcasting the game with Trey Bender handling play-by-play duties and Ty Gregorak and Jordan Tripp serving as color analysts. Kyle Hansen and Grace Lawrence will be the sideline reporters.
Coverage begins at 11 a.m. with the Saturday Showdown Pregame Show, which will include game analysis, numbers breakdowns, live interviews and remote coverage. How to watch here.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
