Today we’d like to introduce you to Ben Denton.
Hi Ben, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
In 2019 I began as a Motion Pictures major at Belmont University. I had built up a passion for film during high school and really enjoyed it. My second week into College the Women’s Basketball team was looking for male practice squad players and I wanted to get involved as I was very passionate about sports as well. During the Bruin Link fair which is an event every fall where all the clubs and organizations set up booths around the lawn, I went up to the Basketball booth and asked if I could be a practice squad player. Prior to that interaction I had never played real organized basketball in my life. Instead the coach at the booth pointed me in the direction of a student manager. At the time I had no idea what that ment, I just wanted to be involved in some capacity. It was the best thing I did during my time at Belmont. I helped set up and break down practices, rebounded, did water bottles and towels. To most it sounds like dirty work but I enjoyed being able to give my all to a program with great people who all cared for each other. Just being a small part of the teams success was all I wanted and I got more than just a little. I was able to be apart of 2 historic NCAA Tournament runs. In 2021, with COVID-19 rules in place, I was given the opportunity to travel with the team to San Antonio after winning the Ohio Valley Conference championship and securing an automatic bid. The first round matchup was against the #5 seeded Gonzaga Bulldogs. In miraculous fashion, Belmont pulled off not only an amazing upset as a 12 seed, but also secure the Bruins first ever NCAA Tournament win in program history. While there were very few people in attendance, I was able to capture it all as the acting team videographer. After the amazing win the Bruins fell to a top seeded Indiana team to end the historic run, but the win over Gonzaga will always be one of my favorite Belmont memories for the rest of my life. The following season Belmont routed Tennessee Tech in the Ohio Valley Conference Championship game from the jump to secure their second consecutive bid to the NCAA Tournament. This time the Bruins stayed closer to home and headed to Knoxville to once again be given a #12 seed. The opponent was #5 seeded Oregon (Then out of the Pac-12 Conference). During the time in Knoxville I was one of 4 student managers and it was yet another amazing experience. Belmont in epic fashion defeated Oregon 73-70 in double overtime in Thompson Boiling Arena and I was on cloud 9. The biggest win in Belmont Women’s Basketball history.
With the win the Bruins were put up against the host Tennessee Lady Vols. The Bruins mounted a comeback late, but fell short to Tennessee and it was crushing. Not only to the players, but it hit me hard. From the first NCAA Tournament run to the loss to the Lady Vols I had been on the fence of weather or not I wanted to drop Motion Pictures as my major, as my real passion for sports, which had always been there, was were my heart was. I took 2 weeks after the Tennessee loss to really think about my career path. Then, it was decided. I was all in on switching my major late in my Junior year to Sport Administration. I remember it clearly. I was at a Belmont Baseball game, I sent my advisor the email to switch. After I sent it I never looked back.
Fast forward to the Fall of 2023 where I completed my Bachelors Degree in Sport Administration.
The story doesn’t need there. During the summer of 2021-2022 I was able to secure an apprenticeship back home in Asheville, NC working with the MLB’s Houston Astros. I worked in Asheville at the Astros High-A minor league club known as the Asheville Tourists. The Tourists have been rooted in Asheville for decades and with it being a very quick drive from home it was not only my first summer job in sports, but the start of my career. I worked with the Astros as a Hawk-Eye Operator. You might be familiar with the review system in tennis, where a player challenges a in or out call. Famously you see a recreation of the balls path showing if the ball was in or out. That is Hawk-Eye. In the Baseball context it’s a system of meticulously placed high speed cameras throughout the ball park that capture ample amounts of data. From pitch speed, to player skeletal data, home run distances, an many many other statistics that help the Astros evaluate talent.
The experience with the Astros was the beginning of my journey into full time work in the sports industry.
In the Summer of 2023 I moved out to Indianapolis and worked as a part time Team Attendant with the WNBA’s Indiana Fever. The Fever were just introducing their newest member Aliyah Boston who was fresh off a National Championship with the South Carolina Gamecocks. This position with the Fever was a one up to my student manager experience at Belmont with the Women’s Basketball team. I carried over everything I learned at Belmont right into this role. It was an amazing experience working now in professional basketball. Seeing so many big names like Diana Taurasi, Brianna Stewart, Sabrina Ionescu, and so many more amazing players you see on tv now just feet away. Unfortunately this was the season prior to Caitlin Clark’s arrival in Indy but I loved every second. I was thankful for the opportunity, but what stuck much longer was the people I met throughout the summer in Indy. We all still keep in touch and it was truly like a family. We all love the game of basketball and all work in sports to some capacity, but everyone just instantly clicked and I couldn’t be more thankful for my Fever Family I met in my short summer in Indy.
During the summer of 2023, I was debating whether or not to pursue grad school at Belmont. I had a short run with Sport Administration with changing to it so late that I wanted more out of it. Thankfully some stars aligned and I not only got into the graduate program, but also paired it with a Graduate Assistant position. The position was as a Content Creator for Belmont Men’s Basketball, focused on capturing photo and video for the Men’s Basketball social media accounts.
It was an awesome 2 years with Belmont Men’s Basketball and I truly found what I loved doing. It was telling athletes stories through photo and video that I really felt I was finally in the right place and even better I was passionate about it. Every game had a mind of its own but that was the fun part about it.
I added onto the experience with Men’s Basketball in my first year when I began streaming Manager Games.
It was a cold January night when the team traveled to Terre Haute, Indiana to face conference opponent Indiana State.
I like to call it the game before the game. Managers who work for college basketball teams across the country set up organized basketball games typically the day or night before the actual teams play. This is the managers time to shine. They are called the Manager Games. When we finally started our game versus Indiana State (the manager game) at midnight, I realized one of their managers was streaming the game via Twitch. I thought to myself, I could bring that to Belmont. So I did. With my former education in Motion Pictures and an undoubted passion for sports I began the Manager Games streams at Belmont. Me, my MacBook, iPhone, and a Mic. I would call and stream the games live on Twitch for players and coaches to watch from afar. It was not apart of the job description at all, it was a passion I had to put my education to use in a fun way. Thinking about it now, it was a complete full circle moment. Fall of 2019 I was a scared freshman just wanting to get involved with Belmont Athletics. I did as a student manager. Now, I was giving back to give the Men’s Basketball managers a platform to show their passion and love for the game of basketball. I produced and streamed the manager games at Belmont from 2023-2025. I graduated from Belmont with my Masters in December 2025. My Graduate Assistant position with Men’s Basketball had officially ended in Spring of 2025 as it was only a 2 year position. However I continued to stay involved, stream manager games to the best of my ability and continue to grow in capturing Belmont sporting events .
Belmont gave me all the tools to be successful, and not only that but it gave me some great friendships and relationships I will cherish for life.
I officially moved out of Nashville, TN days after graduation and moved back home to Asheville, NC.
During this time I had already been applying to social media/content creation roles in pro and college sports. It was a grind and consisted of weeks of waiting, rejections, days where I wondered if I would ever secure a job.
Eventually in mid February I secured a full time role at the University of Arkansas where I am now. I work as an Assistant Director of Content Creation overlooking a handful of sports and creating content for a Power 4 SEC program. If you had told me back in 2019 I would be working for a power conference program I would not have believed you. Being 5 months in it has been a lot of learning, but I can’t wait to see where this amazing opportunity continues to take me. There are times I look back and remind myself of my time at Belmont. It got me to where I am today and I couldn’t be any more thankful for everyone that poured their time into me at Belmont.
As my full time journey in sports is just now starting, I can’t wait to see where it takes me
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
College was not a smooth road. In 2021 I was beginning to feel burnt out from my original major of Motion Pictures. It was a constant battle of passions for me. Did I want to put my whole heart into being a student manager with Belmont Women’s Basketball or a career in film. From a very early stage I had picked Basketball and film took a back seat. I didn’t realize at the time, but it slowly became evident film was not a sustainable path for me as the passion wore off and the fun of working in the film industry as a career path was not what I wanted.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
Currently, I work for the University of Arkansas Athletics Department as an Assistant Director of Content Creation. I overlook content for a handful of athletic programs and I focus mainly on video content with the Women’s Basketball program here at Arkansas.
As I am still only a handful of months in I’m still very proud of my work at Belmont that I did with the Men’s Basketball program as apart of my GA position with the team.
I am known for my passion for sports. I gained it at an early age. Most recently I played Baseball for all 4 years of high school. I wasn’t that great, but it was much more about the people I was with than pure skill. I still cherish those moments playing HS baseball.
How can people work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
You can support my creative page on Instagram with the handle @bendentoncreative where I post my work!
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @bdnetwork23
