Robb Wilson is a rarity among enthusiasts of Detroit sports teams. How many fans across the state can say they personally witnessed such Detroit-based classics as the last game at Tiger Stadium, the first at Comerica Park, the opening of Ford Field and the 2006 Super Bowl?
Now, how many can say they had one of the best seats in the house and their fingers on the electronic scoreboard the whole time? Such is the one-of-a-kind experience of Wilson, 38, a 1993 EMU alumnus. Today, as scoreboard operations manager for the Detroit Tigers, Wilson oversees a game-day crew of about 25 employees responsible for the lights and sounds fans experience inside the stadium.
His decision to attend EMU after graduating from Novi High School in 1987 was partly familial. His mother, Cheryl (Sewick) Wilson, and father, Robert, each graduated from EMU. (His father, an Air Force captain, died in June 1972 when his plane was shot down near the border of Laos and South Vietnam. Capt. Wilson became one of the last U.S. casualties of the war; Robb was 2 when his father died.)
His first job after graduating from EMU, where he majored in film, telecommunications and media studies, was as a video producer for the Detroit Red Wings at Joe Louis Arena. In that capacity, he saw the Wings make it to the Stanley Cup Finals. Then, he accepted a position with the Detroit Tigers. He first became familiar with Tiger Stadium as a young fan and parking lot attendant, which put him at the corner of Michigan and Trumball for about 60 home games a year. “I can associate a lot of my youth with memories from Tiger baseball,” Wilson said.
By 1997, he had become scoreboard producer and director and was responsible for all elements of the in-stadium fan experience. “I love baseball. Baseball is my game,” he said. The highlight of his career – next to being on the sidelines of Super Bowl XL – was working the Sept. 27, 1999, closing of Tiger Stadium, an event more than a year in the planning. “The gravity of the situation didn’t slip my mind,” he said.
But as much as he loved the Tigers, he couldn’t pass up the chance to open a second Detroit sports venue. From 2002-06, he was the broadcasting and scoreboard manager at Ford Field, which opened in August 2002. Part of his responsibility covered the operations and maintenance of nearly 1,000 TVs in the venue. On home game days, he would arrive at 6 a.m. and literally spend about two hours turning on the TVs.
He assisted in the live broadcast of the Fox Sports Network’s “Lions Post Game Show” originating from the Lions locker room. He also was the liaison between the facility and network television, making sure broadcasts from Detroit went smoothly. He also worked with local and visiting media to get their broadcasts up and running for live TV; provided maintenance on $11 million in video boards; oversaw staffing for in-house broadcasts (25-30 people); and created content for use during NFL and college football games.
He left Ford Field and the Lions for KLA Laboratories, a communications contractor in Dearborn. But he was lured back downtown in July by the chance to work at Comerica Park again, a decision he doesn’t regret. “How many people in the city can watch the game on their own scoreboard?” Wilson said, pointing out to the field and city skyline.
