David Smith’s mantra to successful drone photography
Story by Roxann Edsall
Photos by Richard Rybka
and David Smith
Dave Smith doesn’t believe in chance, in fact, his favorite saying is “Nothing by chance.” A man of faith, he believes there is a far greater purpose for everything that happens. That’s why, when he was laid off from his job this fall, he took it in stride and chose to count his blessings and focus on the “ride of a lifetime” he has been on.
If you watch football, specifically College GameDay on ESPN, you’ve likely seen some of Dave Smith’s drone work. BamaDave, as he is known, tells of getting the call to help the show by setting up satellite equipment at Legion Field for the Alabama versus Tennessee game in 1995.
“That one weekend of work ended up working out so well that they asked me to stay on with them and travel all over doing the show as a videographer,” says Smith. “Lee Corso gave me the name. When we first met before that game, he asked me where I was from and when I told him, he said ‘Nice to meet you, BamaDave.’ It stuck.”
It was over 20 years later that the show started incorporating drone photography. “In March of 2017, I got a call from the network’s senior vice president, asking if I wanted to be a pioneer for ESPN, if I wanted to be their first drone pilot,” tells Smith. “I thought about it for all of five seconds before saying yes!”
Since then, he has spent countless hours traveling to College GameDay host universities, shooting campus footage and adding to the show itself. He was the first crew member to have a child enrolled in the school where the show was being hosted (at Auburn University).
He has also worked on ESPN’s Baseball Tonight on the Road. Between the two shows, he’s been a part of 401 shows and has won several Emmy awards. He’s met hundreds of celebrities, from within the sports world and beyond.
Of all the celebrities he’s met, his most cherished meeting was with former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. “What started as a weekend gig turned into a lifetime of memories,” Smith says with a smile.
During this year’s Alabama vs. Texas game, College GameDay was in Tuscaloosa, and he was invited back to say his farewells to the crew. “They had a cake for me, and we all sat around and shared stories and a few tears,” he said.
Smith is forever grateful for his wife, Renee’s, support and looks forward to spending more time with his family. He grins as he talks about getting to enjoy doing more woodwork and exploring other hobbies, adding, “Now it’s time to ride off into the sunset and make more memories!”
