Playing the long game

Alumnus Robert Steinfeld turns Daily Texan clips into a five-decade sports media career
Robert Steinfeld photo
Photo courtesy of Robert Steinfeld

When Robert Steinfeld covered his first University of Texas sports story, he hadn’t even attended his first class. A freshman with a string-bound book tucked under his arm, he walked into the newsroom at The Daily Texan and landed an assignment: Earl Campbell’s first scrimmage. The future Heisman winner ran drills. Steinfeld filed his story. A career had begun.

Years later, that once green student journalist would go on to produce the first Major League Baseball game ever televised by ESPN, help shape Olympic broadcasts, win 10 Emmy Awards and oversee professional basketball telecasts in Dallas.

“I always knew I wanted to be in journalism and television,” Steinfeld said. “Even in fourth grade, I was taking the city bus to a studio just to watch sportscasts and pull scripts out of the trash. That was treasure to me.”

Steinfeld, a 1977 graduate of the Moody College of Communication, then known as the School of Communication, and member of the Texas Exes, built a five-decade career in sports media that spans network television, professional leagues and authorship. Now executive producer for the Dallas Wings and a producer for CBS Sports Network and ESPN, he credits his time at UT with giving him the experience, tools and confidence to break into the industry immediately after graduation. His new memoir, “3…2…1…We’re On the Air,” reflects on that path while offering advice to aspiring journalists.

Robert Steinfeld working in the 70s
Photo courtesy of Robert Steinfeld

“Everything I did at Texas gave me a foundation,” Steinfeld said. “If you want to be a journalist, I can’t imagine a better place to pursue that dream.”

Steinfeld arrived in Austin with years of practice under his belt, from high school newspaper layouts to early newsroom visits. At UT, he threw himself into both print and broadcast, working nights at the Texan and interning at local stations.

“You learn when your stories get edited,” Steinfeld said. “People with more experience critique your work and the next time you’re better. That process never stops.”

The Texan functioned like a professional newsroom, he says. Students chased late scores, laid out sections and put the paper to bed most nights of the week. That pace sharpened his instincts and sense of responsibility.

His junior-year column questioning why networks ignored college baseball later felt prophetic. A little more than a decade after writing it, Steinfeld produced college baseball telecasts for ESPN and eventually the network’s first MLB game.

“Pursue what you’re passionate about,” Steinfeld said. “It might not happen, but it definitely won’t happen if you don’t pursue it.”

After graduation, Steinfeld’s string-bound notebook and a physical binder of clips helped him land a job at the Dallas Times Herald. Editors flipped through his Texan stories and hired him on the spot. That momentum carried him into television production, where he built a résumé that includes Olympic coverage, NBA and WNBA broadcasts and historic baseball moments.

Today he oversees Dallas Wings telecasts featuring former Longhorn great, Fran Harris, as analyst, produces college sports and continues mentoring students across the country. His memoir grew out of notes he kept during major events, from championship seasons to perfect games.

Robert Steinfelds book cover

“I wanted it to be a memoir but also a blueprint,” Steinfeld said. “Persistence, passion, preparation, punctuality and professionalism, those matter. And have fun doing it.”

He also urges students to learn every side of the newsroom or studio. Understanding cameras, audio and editing makes a stronger journalist and collaborator.

“The more facets you understand, the more marketable you become,” Steinfeld said. “You’ll understand everyone’s role and you’ll be better at your own.”

Nearly five decades after stepping into the Texan newsroom, Steinfeld still produces games and is traveling on a national book tour. He measures success not only in awards but in longevity and passion.

“UT helped me realize my dreams,” Steinfeld said. “I’m still getting paid to do what I love. That’s what everyone should strive for.”

Jeweleann Garcia
Digital Content Intern