Truckloads of gear and the “hardest working crew”: SEC Network talks Columbia setup
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) -
SEC Network made its return to Columbia this week ahead of the University of Missouri Tigers' rekindling of the Border War with the Kansas Jayhawks.
The network's flagship SEC Nation show will air from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. live from the Carnahan Quad on campus on Saturday. The Paul Finebaum Show broadcasted live on Friday from 2 to 6 p.m., with guests like UM System President Mun Choi, AD Laird Veatch, and football coach Eli Drinkwitz.
Coordinating producer Baron Miller talked to ABC 17 chief photographer Jerunek Morris about the dozens of crew members it takes to set the show up. The network brings about 75 people on site to put the shows on and a full staff at the network's headquarters in Charlotte. At least three truckloads of gear get hauled and unloaded on campus.
"One of the things that we pride ourselves on with this show is the culture and that culture starts from every person that works on it," Miller said. "It's an easy word to throw around, and I think a lot of corporate gets put into that. But this is the hardest working crew. We love it when to hear ideas from anyone. It doesn't matter. We always say we kind of have a saying here that there's no hierarchy to ideas."
Miller also said coming to Columbia for the Border War game is a special moment for the network. The SEC Network last broadcast live at MU in 2019.
"When this schedule came out, all of our talent instantly circled this day," Miller said. "We had a pretty good feeling about the first game for Missouri, but this is the one that I think if they can get over the hump, this is a statement game they can really show something in this game to let the SEC know that this team, Coach Drink's got them ready to go, and this is the team to watch out for this year."
