Longtime sports TV producer Geoff Mason caught wind of a television production staffer who attempted suicide in one of the professional league Florida bubbles after being filled with feelings of isolation and depression.
In a recent story, John Ourand of Sports Business Journal, outlined the story of Mason, who is 37 years sober, and his effort to bring relief to those within his field struggling with mental health issues.
Mason noticed an uptick in reports of mental health and substance abuse problems among TV production staffs as sports leagues picked back up and COVID protocols became increasingly strict.
“I deal in rehab,” Mason told SBJ. “I deal in AA. I deal in treatment. I understand that we’re all not very far away from going over the edge. When I hear signals, I know how to recognize them. And this was a signal to me. I thought to myself, ‘I’ve got to pick up the phone, we’ve got to do something about it, this is bullshit.’”
Teaming up with Ken Kerschbaumer, who runs Sports Video Group, the two set up a partnership with the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation, providing a helpline for SVG members struggling and looking for professional help.
“We’re working on a top-down basis,” Mason said of the partnership which has been in operation for about a month, according to SBJ. “Our job is to make the heads of sports departments aware that when they get a call from one of their people, they will have in front of them two things: an 800 number and an email address. We’re encouraging them to pick up the phone and call us. Once we get the information as to how to proceed first-step-wise, then we can begin to be responsive.”
Ourand notes that Mason expects these resources will have a trickle-down effect to the actual production staff who can take advantage of them.
“We’re already working on the Final Four and Indy, looking at integrating ourselves within the framework of all those people that are going to come to Indy for the Final Four,” Mason said. “Our job is to make ourselves known and available. If you’re in a hotel room suffering, or whether you own a company that supplies labor to 130 broadcast pickups per month, you need to know that help is just a phone call or an email away. It does not have to be intimidating.”
