My Super Job: John Dedman

Name: John Dedman

Day Job: Vice President of Communications at Indiana Sports Corporation

Super Job: Managing the Media Hub for the Super Bowl Village

What exactly is this Media Hub? To best accommodate our media friends, a media compound has been set up in the St. John’s Catholic Church parking lot on the east end of the Super Bowl Village. This has an area where local TV stations will go live throughout the 10 days and an area that NBC Sports will use for part of their Super Bowl Sunday pre-game show. There will be communications liaisons based there to also assist out-of-town media members who are looking for story ideas on Indianapolis, the Village, and many of the great programs that have been going on for the last few years.

Been doing it since: I’ve been involved with the Super Bowl effort since our first bid. The bid originated out of the Indiana Sports Corp office before Allison Melangton–our Senior VP of Events–then became CEO of the Super Bowl Host Committee and built that talented staff across the street. Early on, I helped with some aspects of the bids, press conferences, the initial ideas on where to place media operational areas, and some other things.

Perks of your Super Job: Getting to hang out in the Super Bowl Village with some like-minded communications individuals who are coming together to represent our community well. And perhaps at some point over the course of the 10 days, I’ll be able to give Bob Costas or Darius Rucker a high-five.

What is–or what do you imagine will be– most satisfying about it? Taking an unprecedented vision for what the Super Bowl could be (Legacy projects, a Super Bowl Village, the most fan-friendly event in history)–the vision that was presented to NFL owners nearly five years ago–and seeing it become a reality.

Anything to add? I can’t say enough about Dianna Boyce’s efforts as the communications director for the Host Committee. Our community has done so much in terms of programming and initiatives, and Dianna has been tremendous in helping to tell those stories.

Are you going to the game? I will not be in Lucas Oil Stadium on the fifth.

Super Bowl winner prediction: Patriots, 31-17.

Dream celebrity encounter: While she’s not a celebrity–yet–my wife and I are expecting our first child, a daughter, on Feb. 11. I’m more excited to meet her than some of the celebs that will roll into town this week. I’ll be pulling a lot of hours over the course of the next 10 days, but that’ll be good practice for life with a newborn.