A career based on attention
Rick Saleeby didn’t go into sports media looking for fame or flash. He entered it because he noticed things that other people missed. Growing up on Long Island, New York, he watched Yankees and Giants games with the same concentration that others gave to homework. He didn’t just watch plays. He watched the reactions. Mass shifts. Swing fluctuations.
“I was always curious about what happened between the pieces,” says Saleeby. “That’s usually the true story.”
That instinct followed him to St. John’s University, where he earned his bachelor’s degree. From there he entered the fast-paced world of sports and broadcast journalism. More than twenty years later, he’s still there, working as a writer and executive producer and shaping the way sports stories are told.
Lessons for starting a career in sports media
Like many young professionals, Saleeby started with structure and rules. There were formats to follow. Timelines to hit. Expectations that are met.
“At first I did what everyone else did,” he says. “Highlights. Results. Quotes about winning and losing.”
But it didn’t take long for him to feel constrained. He noticed that the stories viewers talked about most often were rarely about statistics. It was about moments. A coach pulls a player aside. A family reaction in the stands.
A first lesson came after a feature he believed in failed to catch on. The focus was on a small local wrestling event. The ratings were low. The answer was calm.
“That hurt,” says Saleeby. “But it taught me how important pacing and audience attention really is. Failure is a good teacher if you pay attention.”
Breaking the formula in broadcast journalism
As his career progressed, Saleeby began to try out new ideas. Some were small. Some were risky. One of the biggest risks came during a Yankees playoff series.
Instead of a traditional highlight package, he built a segment around sound. Not a heavy comment. Just the stadium. Call seller. Fans shift back and forth in their seats. The crack of the bat echoes.
“I wanted people to feel like they were there,” he says. “Don’t watch from a distance.”
The piece stood out. It proved that sports storytelling can go beyond formulas without losing clarity. It also shaped his reputation as someone willing to challenge standard approaches.
Leadership through craft and example
Over time, Saleeby moved into senior positions. The leadership followed, but not loudly. He leads by example. He shows teams how to think and not just what to do.
Colleagues often point out how he mentors younger producers. He doesn’t give speeches. He gives feedback.
“I tell people to ask better questions,” Saleeby says. “If you ask lazy questions, you get lazy answers.”
An example occurred at a Giants training camp. While others asked a veteran player about the upcoming season, Saleeby asked what the first night of running again after an injury felt like. The answer shaped the entire piece. The player talked about sneaking onto a high school track at night and fighting his way through a painful round.
“This moment had nothing to do with statistics,” Saleeby says. “But it explained everything about who he was.”
Recognition without distraction
Saleeby’s work earned him an Emmy nomination and an Edward R. Murrow Award. These are significant milestones in broadcast journalism. But he treats them as markers, not targets.
“Awards are nice,” he says. “They tell you you did something right once. They don’t guarantee the next story.”
This mindset keeps him focused on consistency. He treats every task as new. Every story as something to be earned.
Why his approach works in today’s media landscape
The audience’s behavior supports his philosophy. Studies show that fans spend more time on people-centered sports stories than on statistics-heavy recaps. Viewers remember emotions. They share emotions.
Saleeby knows this from experience. He remembers a high school baseball game where the defining moment wasn’t the last pitch. It was the silent embrace between a pitcher and his father who had just returned home from military service.
“That was the story,” he says. “The rest was context.”
This ability to see value where others see background is what defines his leadership in the industry. He doesn’t chase trends. He builds trust with viewers by staying grounded in real moments.
A practical philosophy for long-term success
Saleeby’s career offers a clear lesson for anyone working in media or business. Pay attention. Ask better questions. Take smart risks. Learn from mistakes.
“You don’t have to reinvent everything,” he says. “You just have to notice what others ignore.”
Even after more than two decades, his curiosity has not faded. He still approaches projects with the same attitude he grew up with on Long Island. Look carefully. Listen carefully. Tell the story that matters most.
This consistency has made Rick Saleeby not only a successful producer, but also a quiet leader in sports storytelling.
