From Brantford to the broadcast centre: Kevin Michie’s (BA '11) Olympic journey

For Kevin Michie (BA '11), the Olympic Games are as demanding as they are rewarding.

The Laurier Brantford alum and sports broadcaster recently returned from working the Winter Games in Milan, where long days and very little time off were part of the routine.

“It was a lot of fun,” Michie said. “Very busy, no days off. It’s a long time to be away from home, but it’s worth it.”

Michie worked with Olympic Broadcasting Services as a reporter and associate producer, helping create highlight packages distributed to broadcasters around the world.

Based at the International Broadcast Centre, Michie collaborated with editors to assemble highlight packages for global distribution.

“It’s kind of like a wire service,” he said. “Any rights-holding broadcaster can take what we produce and run it on their network.”

The model allows countries without large production teams to access ready-made content. While Canadian outlets such as CBC and Sportsnet often produce their own coverage, Michie’s work can appear in markets across Europe, Asia and beyond.

That global reach became clear during the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics.

“A friend texted me from Indonesia,” Michie said. “He was watching a feed and heard my voice doing judo highlights.”

By the time Michie arrived at the Milan 2026 Winter Olympics, the workflow had evolved.

Artificial intelligence (A.I.) played a larger role, particularly in transcription.

“In Paris, we scripted and voiced everything ourselves,” he said. “This time, A.I. handled a lot of the transcription and we cleaned it up.”

Michie still contributed to scripting and voicing recap segments, particularly in hockey, one of his primary assignments. He also worked on curling, short track speed skating, figure skating and snowboard events.

For all the scale and intensity of the Olympics, Michie said his most meaningful memory came away from the competition.

On a rare stretch of free time, he took the train to San Siro Stadium, home of AC Milan, and spent the day walking through the city.

He eventually found a small café tucked along a quiet side street.

“I just sat there in the sun with a coffee and a pastry,” he said. “And I thought about how lucky I was to be there.”

The moment gave him time to reflect on the path that led him to the Olympics, including the people who supported him and the work required to reach that level.

For Michie, the memory stands out not because of spectacle but because of perspective.

“It wasn’t one big event,” he said. “It was just sitting there and appreciating everything that went into getting me to that point.”

“To be flown across the world to work an event like that,” he said. “You don’t take that for granted.”

Michie’s path to the Olympics began with a recommendation from a colleague at Sportsnet. His experience and on-air presence made him a strong fit for a team looking to diversify its voices.

He credits his willingness to accept opportunities along the way.

“I’ve always tried to put my hand up when something comes up,” he said. “Saying yes is what led me here.”

Now with two Olympic Games on his resumé, Michie hopes to return for Los Angeles 2028.

“When I was younger, I wanted to work in sports,” he said. “I never imagined I’d be flown across the world to help cover the Olympics.”

In the meantime, he will take on a different role closer to home as emcee of Laurier’s Awards of Excellence on May 28, bringing international experience back to a local stage.

For Michie, the setting may change but the meaning remains the same. Recognize the moment and appreciate how you got there.

Kevin Michie was recognized as one of Laurier Brantford’s 25 Alumni of Impact as part of the Laurier Brantford 25^th anniversary celebrations. Read Kevin’s feature profile here.