With more than two decades of experience at the intersection of sports, entertainment, and storytelling, Jay Schmalholz has carved out a visionary career producing groundbreaking content across some of the most iconic networks and events in the world. From Olympic arenas and Super Bowl stadiums to slime-filled stages and digital screens, Jay’s work has redefined how sports stories are told—blending heart, humor, and high-impact production.

 

Jay’s sports journey began with a groundbreaking achievement: producing and directing for MTV Sports, where he helped create a genre-defining format that fused music, youth culture, and action sports. His work on the series earned him his first-ever Emmy Award, establishing Jay as a rising creative force with a unique ability to tap into emerging fan culture and turn it into compelling television.

 

He went on to produce for NBC and CBS Sports, covering major events for the NBA, MLB, NHL, and two Olympic Games—Atlanta '96 and Nagano '98—where he won a Sports Emmy for his feature coverage of the U.S. Women’s Gymnastics team.

 

Jay later joined Nickelodeon, where he launched the network’s first dedicated sports platform, Nick GAS (Games and Sports for Kids), and produced original programming in collaboration with the NFL, PGA, NHL, and USA Swimming. He continued to innovate at Nick for nearly two decades, developing and executive producing franchise-defining live events including Kids’ Choice Sports, NFL Slimetime, Super Bowl Slime Showdown, and Double Dare at the Super Bowl. His work brought the world’s biggest athletes—like Kobe Bryant, Michael Phelps, Danica Patrick, Serena Williams, and David Beckham—to Nickelodeon’s stage, blending elite competition with kid-first energy and emotion.

 

Jay’s expertise spans live television, social, short-form and long-form storytelling, branded content, and experiential production. Whether producing award shows, directing features, or creating immersive fan experiences, he consistently builds formats and creates moments that resonate across generations and platforms.