Joe Faraoni

Photographer@espnphotos

I recall when I first started taking showers daily, maybe fifth grade, that I made it a regimented part of my morning to watch SportsCenter. Since then I’ve always been a part of sport in some capacity, participating, coaching, photographing. I was given the opportunity to represent ESPN’s Communications department visually since 2006 continuing my love of sports by working for the World Wide Leader.

When not at work my wife and I are resident directors of an academic program, meaning we play mom and dad to seven high school boys. I hold education in the highest regard. I’m a Detroit Tigers diehard, a University of Michigan fan and an Eastern Michigan University alum.

Recent Posts

posted by on February 7, 2013 2:34 PM

Versatile home to Mike&Mike, First Take, NFL Live, and NFL 32, Studio E upgraded during Super Bowl ‘break’

Last week, ESPN aired more than 120 hours of television and radio from the site of Super Bowl XLVII in New Orleans, La.

With Studio E staples Mike & Mike In The Morning, NFL Live and NFL 32 producing remote shows from the French Quarter, there was just enough time to give one of ESPN’s most versatile Digital Center 1 workspaces a “refresh.”

In less than 48 hours on Jan. 29 and 30, Studio E was retrofitted with the latest-generation cameras, monitors and set lighting — a task made possible by the Super Bowl road shows and First Take’s flexibility.

“It is rare that we move NFL programming to any other studio, especially since a show like NFL 32 has a specific set built for them in Studio E,” said Sara Nasshan, a senior resource coordinator who handled the request to clear Studio E for two full days to accommodate a full camera replacement.

“The only live show in the studio was First Take, and their team was very flexible,” she said. “They agreed to move the show to Studio A on two dates to accommodate this work in Studio E. Smart timing and flexible show units help make moves like this happen.” continue reading…

Filed in: Behind The Scenes

posted by on December 2, 2012 12:00 PM

Pack your bags for Buenos Aires: Take a tour of ESPN’s Argentina studios

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina — After two days at ESPN’s studios in Sao Paulo, Brazil, I was excited to head to Buenos Aires.

I am a first-generation U.S. born child of Argentine immigrants, so going to my family’s homeland and enjoying fantastic steak and wine is especially cool.

Not only did I get to work with international ESPN colleagues, but I also saw some relatives.

The offices and studios of ESPN for Spanish-speaking Latin America (we call it “SSLA” for short) are located just outside of downtown Buenos Aires in the quiet Tomkinson neighborhood. ESPN in Argentina launched in 1988, one year prior to the Brazil operation. continue reading…

Filed in: Announcements

posted by on November 29, 2012 4:24 PM

Pack your bags for Sao Paulo: Take a tour of ESPN Brazil’s studios

Editor’s note: Recently, ESPN Images photographer Joe Faraoni visited ESPN’s Latin American studios in Brazil and Argentina. In the pictures above and text below, here’s a look at the Brazil portion of his trip; later on Front Row, he’ll take you on a tour of the Buenos Aires facilities.

SAO PAULO, BRAZIL — It was dark when I landed after an 11-hour flight from the United States.

Initially there was not a lot to see from the plane on our approach to the city, just the contour of the earth. Sao Paulo, one of the largest urbanized centers in the world, didn’t seem at first glance that different from a large city in the United States. But once I landed — wow — what a thriving, throbbing beehive of activity this city of 20 million-plus people is! The energy was contagious.

My next few days were jam packed. Car rides, tight schedules, people waiting for me to shoot them and the sets.

When I arrived at the ESPN Brasil offices on Tuesday morning the lobby, with its ESPN-red seating area, multiple TV monitors and ESPN logo made me feel right at home. After Renata Netto, head of the newsroom, met me and showed me around the studios, I felt I was in my element. Studios, cameras, SportsCenter set, all seemed very similar to those found in ESPN’s Bristol, Conn. headquarters. continue reading…

Filed in: Behind The Scenes

posted by on October 26, 2012 1:41 PM

Front & Center: Rob Parker

Commentators (L-R) Cindy Brunson, Skip Bayless and Rob Parker with NBA player Austin Rivers on the set of First Take. (Joe Faraoni/ESPN Images)

Click HERE to listen or visit iTunes to download the podcast and be sure to SUBSCRIBE to the Front & Center podcast. Also, make sure to check out the all new ESPN Radio app, now available for the iPad.

Rob Parker is a frequent contributor to ESPNNewYork.com and ESPN First Take. While he is a New York native, Parker is a longtime resident of Detroit and former Motor City newspaper columnist.

Parker covered the Detroit Tigers’ American League Championship Series sweep of the New York Yankees and is watching their World Series title quest against the San Francisco Giants this weekend with extreme interest.

In this “Front & Center” podcast, Parker discusses what it means to Detroit to have the World Series, some of his favorite guests on First Take and more.

Filed in: Front & Center, Podcast

posted by on August 17, 2012 7:30 AM

Highlights heaven: See where ESPN houses its 2 million tape library

ESPN often explores its vaults to retrieve vintage footage for SportsCenter and myriad other programs and associated networks.

We have to store all that footage somewhere. In the photo gallery below, you can take a tour of the 2 million — that’s right, million — tape library that our Media Technologies group oversees.

The facility’s proper name: the ESPN North Campus Library Warehouse, a 70,000-square foot sports wonderland.

In the photos above, I’ve tried to capture how vast and intricate the tape vault is. Want to see the very first SportsCenter? We’ve got it here. Need a highlight from a Houston Gamblers-Arizona Wranglers USFL game from the 1980s? It’s coming right up.

Our Media Technologies group has all kinds of media, cassettes, VHS, BETA, Digi_BETA, one-inch reels. All are handled carefully by passionate, organized people — with the assist of a few robots.

Ken Boudreau and Jason Guidone of Media Technologies helped me wrangle some fun facts to accompany the photos above of our largest archive.

Your DVR has nothing on this: continue reading…

Filed in: Behind The Scenes

posted by on August 2, 2012 8:00 AM

Style Points: SportsCenter’s Negandhi gets assist from Fitzgerald’s stylist

Editor’s note: Here’s another installment of Style Points, a glimpse inside ESPN fashion. To see a previous episode, click here.

On their recent visit to Bristol, Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald and Arturo Castañeda, his personal stylist, proved to be great at improvising.

As we documented on Front Row two weeks ago, Fitzgerald broke ranks from his ESPN Car Wash schedule to have a surprise reunion with NFL analyst Matt Williamson. Old chums during Fitzgerald’s playing days at the University of Pittsburgh, the pair had not seen each other in more than eight years but were reunited in the ESPN Radio studios.

Well, before a scheduled Fitzgerald SportsCenter interview with Kevin Negandhi, stylist Castañeda noticed something a little astray in the anchor’s look. Check out the video above for a behind-the-scenes look.

Perhaps it was fate: In the spring, Fitzgerald and Castañeda were featured on The NOC YouTube channel. As Fitzgerald is trying on outfits, “the ESPN knot” — as Castañeda calls it — gets an adjustment.

Video produced by Joe Faraoni

Larry Fitzgerald’s stylist Arturo Castañeda fixes SportsCenter anchor Kevin Negandhi’s tie.
(Joe Faraoni/ESPN Images)

Filed in: Behind The Scenes

posted by on July 20, 2012 3:00 PM

Rare reunion for Fitzgerald, ex-Pitt mentor, ESPN analyst Williamson

On any given day, there’s no telling what popular sports figures will visit the ESPN campus in Bristol, Conn., roaming the halls of our buildings.

Occasionally, these visits provide an opportunity for athletes to reconnect with people who knew them before they hit the big time.

Wednesday was one of those days for Arizona Cardinals All-Pro wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald.

While photographing Fitzgerald’s “Car Wash,” I followed him from the First Take set through the halls of the ESPN Radio corridor.

Suddenly, he hesitated. He started waving almost reflexively through a huge glass window before changing direction and marching into a studio that wasn’t on his schedule.

Inside the small room was ESPN Scouts Inc. NFL analyst Matt Williamson, who was recording his Football Today podcast.

Williamson abruptly pushed the mic aside to say hello to an old friend.

Before arriving at ESPN in 2005, Williamson was an assistant football recruiter at the University of Pittsburgh when Fitzgerald starred for the Panthers in the early 2000s.

“I haven’t seen Larry since he was drafted [in 2004] and I did not know he was coming,” said Williamson. continue reading…

Filed in: Behind The Scenes, Today on Campus

posted by on May 10, 2012 10:41 AM

Style Points: NBA analyst Bowen’s fashion statement, step-by-step

As the NBA Playoffs unfold, fans are seeing a lot of ESPN analyst Bruce Bowen.

ESPN NBA analyst Bruce Bowen is dapper.

And they’ve likely noticed he’s a bit of a trendsetter.

The three-time San Antonio Spurs NBA champion sports a trademark bow tie for every ESPN Radio and TV appearance he makes.

In fact, his wardrobe is as consistent as the shut-down man-to-man defense he was known for as a player.

But why is Bowen so infatuated with this particular style of neckwear?

I asked him to explain his love of bow ties — and to demonstrate how to knot one. He was more than willing.

He even allowed me to shoot this. All I had to do was point the camera in his direction, say “go” and he took care of the rest.

Nothing was scripted or rehearsed, and he did everything in one take.

Bowen’s optimism and professionalism are contagious, and he knows his basketball, too.

Enjoy the video above and look for more of him throughout the NBA Playoffs on ESPN.

Filed in: Behind The Scenes, Style Points

posted by on February 1, 2012 4:35 PM

Legend spoofs one of his hits with Extra-Ordinary Tebow on First Take

Singer/songwriter John Legend won three Grammy Awards for his 2004 debut album Get Lifted, a disc which featured the hit single Ordinary People.

A big sports fan, Legend visited Bristol on Wednesday to join debaters Skip Bayless, Stephen A. Smith and host Jay Crawford on First Take.

While Legend jumped into the fray to debate a wide variety of topics, he also treated viewers to a performance spoofing Ordinary Peoplecalled Extra-Ordinary Tebow.

The latter song is about Tim Tebow, the Denver Broncos quarterback who is no stranger to being subject to First Take musical treatment.

How did the idea for Legend’s Tebow song come about?

First Take Coordinating Producer Jamie Horowitz said: “The season of Tim Tebow has led to months of barbershop debate on First Take. And, of course, the debates led to a couple original songs.

“We debuted All He Does Is Win a few months ago and have been trying to find a proper way to button the Tebow season ever since.  When John asked to join the show, we figured it was the perfect match.

“Tebow has been an extraordinary story —  he’s been the most divisive, most compelling, figure in sports — and while John liked parts of his game, he felt the media had overdosed on Tebowmania. It was a fun song to write with John as he both complemented Tebow and mocked the media.”


John Legend on ESPN First Take – Images by ESPN

Filed in: Behind The Scenes

posted by on December 12, 2011 3:00 PM

Venture behind the scenes with MNF: The show in pictures, Tirico narration

While most fans dread Mondays and the start of the new work week, it’s our Monday Night Football crew’s favorite day.

All the hard work, research and planning that goes into getting ready for the telecast finally comes to fruition and millions of viewers across the country are tuned in and ready for some football.

But how exactly does our crew spend its day leading up to kickoff?

Above is a slideshow from my trip to Philadelphia last month for the Bears-Eagles game.

Through these pictures — and with the help of play-by-play voice Mike Tirico — we offer a glimpse of a day in the life of MNF as you sit at your cubicle counting the minutes until tonight’s Rams-Seahawks game (8:30 p.m., ESPN). Enjoy!

To follow the 2011 ESPN’s Monday Night Football season, embed this handy Google calendar.

Filed in: Behind The Scenes