Alumni Spotlight - Andy Billman
Andy has been working at ESPN for the past 18 years. Currently he produces documentaries for the sports network.
His recent documentary, Believeland chronicles the relationship between the city of Cleveland and its sports teams. Billman,
a lifelong diehard Cleveland sports fan himself, was interested in untangling how
Clevelanders’ relationship with their sports teams has evolved over the years. He
also hosts the podcast, Cleveland and Beyond, which focuses on all things related
to Cleveland sports.
Andy’s time in the UToledo Communication department helped prepare him for his career with ESPN. As a student he was able to do local play-by-play, which helped him get his first job at ESPN. He also admits that he struggled with writing, but his time at UToledo instilled in him the importance of writing well. “Criticism made me better,” he says, “I really learned how to take something and pair it down to its best. A lot of time you’re relying on yourself to make your product the best.”
When asked what he would tell new students coming into the program, he offers “You got to be willing into learn. You don’t always know what you need to learn. You have to realize you don’t know everything.” He also believes that the department’s focus on teaching students how to learn is valuable. He cites Media History as one of the most important classes he took in his time at UToledo because it helped him put the media landscape in perspective. He explains that “Everyone loves pizza. It’s popular now and always will be. But media won’t be. Cable is not now what it was 20 years ago. And Instagram won’t be the same in 20 years as it is now. I learned that you have to be observant and learn to change. You have to embrace change, not fight it. And the communication department at UToledo helps you learn how to adapt.”
