Povich Center Projects

Creating Camden Yards (2026)

Two dozen students brought this oral history of Camden Yards to life, delivering a comprehensive account of the people and events that contributed to the birth of the Orioles' iconic ballpark.

Project highlights:

• More than 60 interviews with key figures in the Camden Yards story, including Orioles owner David Rubenstein and former Orioles players Rick Sutcliffe, Ben McDonald and Joe Orsulak
• Archival photos and videos contributed by news organizations, state and city collections, the Orioles and private collectors
• Five-part oral history documentary guiding audiences through the pivotal moments that shaped the ballpark's creation

American Soccer Abroad (2026)

The Povich Center traveled with 24 students to the United Kingdom to report on the sporting culture across the pond and the expanding role of Americans on the global game of soccer.

Project highlights:

• Site visits to Premier League and Women's Super League matches, the Premier League's international broadcast hub, The Athletic's London office and more
• In-depth reports, a daily podcast and social media content, with direction from Povich Center Director Mark Hyman, Assistant Director Kate Yanchulis and Broadcast Production Lecturer Nathan Stevens

High School Sports & NIL (2025)

This four-month investigation delved into Name, Image and Likeness and its impact on high school sports. The reporting revealed a patchwork approach, with many states permitting NIL but under differing rules and other states prohibiting or greatly restricting it.

Project highlights

• In-depth state-by-state report comparing how high school athletic associations in all 50 states and the District of Columbia are navigating NIL
• Interviews with athletes, coaches and school principals, as well as business owners who have hired high school athletes as spokespersons

Youth Tackle Football (2024)

In collaboration with Merrill College’s Howard Center for Investigative Journalism, the Povich Center published a four-month investigation on how the risks and rewards of the sport are weighed.

Project highlights:

• Interviews with dozens of parents, coaches, youth players, medical researchers and former pro football players
• National public opinion poll of parents created by the Povich and Howard centers, allowing students to put together a comprehensive illustration of how youth tackle football is viewed
• Partnership with PBS NewsHour, which aired a segment produced by Merrill College student journalists. The six-story project was also distributed nationally by The Associated Press and featured on NPR's "All Things Considered."

NBA Africa (2024)

As part of the Povich Center's first international course, 10 students traveled to Africa to report on the efforts of the National Basketball Association to grow interest in the league and to develop talent across the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent.

Project highlights:

• Site visits to the Basketball Africa League championship in Kigali, Rwanda, to NBA Academy Africa in Saly, Senegal
• Documentary film told through the eyes of NBA Academy Africa’s players and staff, directed and edited by students Jenna Bloom and Alexa Wootten

Gambling on Campus (2023)

College students are in the highest risk group for problem gambling. In collaboration with Merrill College’s Howard Center, the Povich Center published a wide-ranging investigation into universities and sports betting.

Project highlights:

• Showed universities have been slow to create policies, educational programs or restrictions on sports betting, despite the aggressive expansion of sports gambling across the U.S. and abundant advertising at some college campuses
• Partnership with PBS NewsHour, which aired two segments based on the reporting in the project

Unlevel Playing Fields (2022)

Students conducted an in-depth investigation into Title IX and high school sports as the landmark legislation celebrates its 50th anniversary, done in collaboration with Merrill College’s Howard Center.

Title IX, which passed in 1972, is a federal law that prohibits sex-based discrimination at any school that receives funding from the federal government, including in sports programs. 

Project highlights:

• Found that Title IX has fallen short of achieving equity for high school girls in areas such as facilities, equipment, scheduling and publicity, despite the signifiant increase of girls playing scholastic sports
• National public opinion poll of high school parents and their student-athletes to measure awareness of Title IX
• Partnership with PBS NewsHour, which aired a Title IX segment

Pushed Too Far (2021)

This investigation examines 22 Division I college football player deaths from exertion-related illnesses since 2000.

The primary causes of death for these incidents are sudden cardiac arrest, heatstroke and collapse from sickle-cell trait. The story explores the fact that football programs and coaches face few repercussions from institutions or the NCAA, even when they violate recommended safety precautions that might have prevented death. The story also looks at measures taken by the NCAA to address the problem of exertional death.

Project highlights:

• First collaboration with Merrill College’s Howard Center for Investigative Journalism
• Reported by Professor of the Practice Kevin Blackistone’s sports reporting classes, as well as graduate student Dan Novak
• Published by USA Today and by the Howard Center through Capital News Service