The 2024 Paris Summer Olympic Games may be over, but for those involved, from the athletes to all of the professionals who brought the games to televisions, radios, and other devices around the world, the memories will last forever.
And that goes for 29-year-old Conservatory of Recording Arts & Sciences (CRAS) graduate Chad Henderson who, as an A1 audio mixer for NBC Sports’ coverage, helped broadcast the games’ Beach Volleyball events via the studio’s home base in Stamford, CT.
“We had a full set of talent on location at Eiffel Tower Stadium in Paris, and I was able to work with them back in Connecticut,” says Henderson, who graduated CRAS in 2019. “It was an incredible experience. I’ve been freelancing with NBC since January 2024 as an A1 audio mixer for Big 10 Basketball, and PGA Tour and LPGA Tour tournaments on Golf Channel. I was given the opportunity to work the 2024 Paris Olympics after working many successful shows at the Stamford studio.”
Henderson currently freelances as an A1 in New York City as a member of IATSE Local 100, mixing for MSG Networks and Apple TV MLS. Prior to freelancing, he was an Audio Guarantee at Game Creek Video. While finishing his education at CRAS, Henderson interned as the technical director/sound designer for a play at the 2019 Edinburgh Fringe Festival, as well as interning as a studio technician at SAE New York.
“We are so very proud of our graduates, and knowing that some are playing a part in bringing the Olympics to the world is of immense pride and satisfaction for all of us at CRAS,” says Kirt Hamm, CRAS administrator. “Chad is an inspiration to all of our past and current students who know if you work hard at your craft, you can accomplish your goals.”
During the recent Summer Olympic coverage, Henderson had some exciting and interesting non-sports moments, as well.
“One day, we had Snoop Dogg attend a match at our venue,” he explains. “It was a very surreal moment to have a fader on my desk that was for a lav mic on Snoop for the entire match. I also found out through my A2 on site in Paris that someone on a crew there said that they knew me, who was also a CRAS graduate with whom I also worked with at a previous job. Jenna Velasquez was the engineer for all of the equipment, sending the audio/video/data signals from Eiffel Tower Stadium to NBC Sports HQ. It was great to hear a familiar voice and to share the experience of working at the most unique Olympic venue with another CRAS Grad and friend. Small world!”
Velasquez graduated from CRAS in 2022 and interned at Game Creek Video as an engineering apprenticeship. She then moved forward to work for them as an EIC.
Henderson added that CRAS was perfect for him to learn as many skills, concepts, and techniques in an easily understood manner.
“While I only spent a short time of the program focusing on broadcast audio, I use skills from all disciplines of the courses we were taught on every single show I mix,” he says. “The hands-on training and real life examples we went over in our sessions helps me calmly and quickly work through issues I encounter in a live broadcast. Most importantly, CRAS taught me how to be the kind of person that people want to have on their team, and how to lead a team of others to success.”
Henderson concludes, “I would like to thank Mike DiCrescenzo for being a great mentor and friend to me, and for having me as a part of the NBC Sports Audio team.”
Article originally posted on Sportsvideo.org.
