Interview with Grant Best, Director of ESPN's Soccer Coverage

EPL Talk Podcast host Richard Farley recently conducted a brilliant interview with ESPN director Grant Best on our sister podcast, Major League Soccer. The interview was so good that I wanted to be sure to share it with you here on EPL Talk. The topics that Best and Farley cover are perfect for the EPL Talk audience. Grant Best has the enviable position of being director of soccer coverage for ESPN, which means he’s one of the main blokes who picks and chooses which camera shots in a live game to show to the viewers.

Sounds easy enough but there’s a lot more to his role than that. And even when he’s in the production booth and has the role of picking and choosing which camera shots to put on television, his decisions have a massive influence in how the game itself is perceived by the viewer — everything from offside calls, to how the pace of the game is perceived to the atmosphere in the crowd and much more.

If you’ve ever wondered what goes on behind the scenes into putting together a soccer broadcast, this is a must listen interview for you. Best accounts his memories of exciting World Cup games, discusses the plans for this summer’s World Cup and talks about his role in helping out the launch of the ESPN UK network with the help of the entire ESPN team.