A state-of-the-art studio, production center & learning/research lab will be located in Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center. UK College of Communication and Information, in partnership with UK Athletics and JMI Sports, will begin using the space in 2023.
Students in the University of Kentucky’s College of Communication and Information will soon have access to a 20,000-square-foot production studio in the heart of Rupp Arena at the Central Bank Center. The state-of-the-art facility — a partnership with the college, UK Athletics and JMI Sports — will create a high-tech collaborative space where students can learn alongside media production and sports marketing and communication professionals. It’s expected to debut by fall 2023.
“We’ve been training students in broadcasting and media production for more than 70 years in various spaces across the campus,” said Jennifer Greer, dean of UK’s College of Communication and Information. “This space represents a significant step forward in providing a collaborative place where our educational programs can be taken to the next level through an innovative partnership with athletics and the university’s media rights partner, JMI Sports.”
The college has created a sports communication path within its Department of Communication and recently launched a sports track within the School of Journalism and Media. The production facility in Rupp will provide opportunities for training and instruction in those areas and opportunities for faculty and graduate students to conduct research, Greer said.
“We believe deeply in the imperative to put students first in everything we do,” said Tim Bernal, executive associate athletics director/ external operations for UK Athletics. “That extends to our students on the field and court and those who are working alongside us in media and sports production. Our goal is to be best in class in every sport and every program. This studio aligns with that goal to provide the best opportunities for all of our students.”
All three partners envision the facility as a collaborative space, allowing students, faculty and sta. to work with UK’s media production and marketing teams.
UK has growing sports opportunities in many of its colleges, including business, education, health sciences, and arts and sciences. Greer said area production companies and sports industry firms should be attracted to working alongside UK’s students, media professionals and researchers in the space.
“JMI Sports is committed to delivering innovative partnerships to advance the academic and athletics mission of the University of Kentucky,” added Kim Shelton, UK Sports and Campus Marketing president. “This studio and production space presents an opportunity for the College of Communication and Information to be more actively involved with the UK Sports Network in a highly visible facility in the heart of downtown Lexington, demonstrating a collaboration between athletics, campus and the downtown community.