CREATIVE • SCRIPT WRITING • FILM DIRECTION | EST. 2000

NFL • NBA • WNBA • MLB • NHL • NCAA WBB • CFB • NASCAR • IndyCar • X Games

Zeh Arndt Creative is populated with serious sports fans and even a former collegiate athlete. So, it's as surprising as the Rice Owls not winning a National Championship that we've written over a thousand scripts, and co-directed multiple shoots for ESPN.

2023 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs Open | writing

The goal is always to write a script that gets everyone fired up for the game ahead. The piece has to excite the casual hockey fan, connect on a visceral level with hockey, and make everyone in the sports bar hold their beers and watch. For me, getting Mark Messier's blessing on the script checked all those boxes.

2021 NFL Super Bowl Countdown Open | writing

Was the final frame of our Super Bowl LV piece prophetic? Maybe. But the championship pegged to be the GOAT vs "the GOAT to be" proved to be much more than a two-man game.

2020 NBA Countdown Season Restart Open | writing

"Most of my heroes don't appear on now stamp." But one of them, read Brian Arndt’s script.

Following the pause for the ultimate cause, the 2019-2020 NBA Season finally tipped off the last week of July. The script Brian wrote for the NBA Restart Countdown show addressed the fact our country was dealing with two pandemics – COVID-19 and racism, specifically the systemic racism fueling police brutality. “I'm proud that ESPN was willing to address these issues and hired one of the most influential writers, activists and MCs in my life, Chuck D., said Zeh Arndt Creative’s co-found and creative director. “Public Enemy created a significant part of my college soundtrack. Chuck's intelligent and insightful lyrics made you want to "Get into it. Get involved."

This piece became part of one of the most important social conversations our country and ESPN have ever had.

2020 X Games Aspen Show One Tease | writing

Returning to the cradle of progression. From 2000-2009, Brian Arndt wrote teases, bumps, features, plus on-air scripts for Sal Masekala, Dana Jacobson, Linda Kohn and others. Following a 10-year hiatus, he was called back to the mountain to write the teases for 2020 X Games Aspen.

2020 X Games Aspen Show Two Tease | writing

2019 NBA Western Conference Finals Game One Tease | writing

This makes the third year in a row Brian Arndt has been hired to write the teases for the NBA Conference Finals and Championship Finals Countdown shows. Each year, every script, he tries to blend storylines with our squad's stylized elements, game footage and wicked graphics in a way that doesn't oversell the games, but makes even non-fans go "Okay, that was cool. Let's stick around and see this game."

2019 NFL Draft Night Opening Night Tease | concept • writing

Our founder, Brian Arndt, has been fortunate enough to write every show open for the NFL Draft on ESPN since 2014. The 2017 open was nominated for an Emmy. This year the draft was held in Nashville, so it was filled with country, rock and hip hop. Maybe this one will receive a grammy nomination.

NBA Countdown Tease - Cleveland vs Lakers | concept • writing

Since Winter X Games 2000, the opens, teases, features and shows we've worked on have featured legends, stars and celebrities on camera or on the mic. In 2017, our scripts for the NFL Draft and Fantasy Football Marathon were nominated for Sports Emmys.