Denim Millward
Sports Editor
There is no shortage of interesting tidbits and factoids about Matt Gittins.
Did you know he’s one of 12 children? That he’s worked for two minor-league sports teams? That he’s a BYU grad?
Probably not. But I’m sure you know about his pants.
“The crazy, colorful pants experiment at Channel 6 took off unbelievably well,” recalled Gittins.
Prior to coming to Idaho State, Gittins was the sports anchor for KPVI News Channel 6 and was perpetually attired, on-air at least, in the most flamboyant, bombastic and loud pants imaginable.
Gittins’ idea for the pants experiment all started with a more subdued yet noticeable fashion decision.
“I would try to wear the color of the team I was trying to cover,” said Gittins.
He wouldn’t simply stop at grabbing an appropriately-colored shirt, however. Gittins was meticulous in making sure his shirt, tie and one of approximately 50 pairs of Nike shoes were all color-coordinated for the team being covered.
The recognition garnered from his choice in clothing gave Gittins an idea.
“We were getting a great reaction with the shoes and the shirts, so one day I wore a pair of bright green bowling pants, and we took a picture and posted it to social media,” said Gittins.
Along with the photo was a poll.
Should the bright green pants stay in the wardrobe rotation?
“Overwhelmingly no,” Gittins laughingly recalled. “It was at least 95 percent no, if not higher.”
Still, the attention grabbed by the pants was much bigger than he expected.
With that knowledge in mind, Gittins purchased three pairs of what came to be his trademark wacky pants from Loudmouth Golf, a company that manufactures clothing that is so loud, it makes Björk look like an accountant from Des Moines.
He vetoed any attempt to have them voted out of the wardrobe and the rest is tacky, brightly-colored history.
Today, Gittins has traded his Loudmouth Golf duds for a demure pair of black slacks. While Gittins’ aim at Channel 6 was to garner as much attention as possible, he recognizes that his new role as Assistant Sports Information Director requires the focus to be off him and on the student athletes.
Since graduating from Brigham Young University in 2006, Gittins has worked for the Orem Owls of the Pioneer League minor league baseball division, the Utah Flash, formerly of the NBA Developmental League, at KPVI and now at ISU.
For someone who has been determined from a young age to work in and around athletics, Gittins appears to have achieved his goal.
“I don’t remember this story, but my aunt always tells it,” Gittins remembers of his early-sown fascination with sports in the media. “She was babysitting me one night and says I wouldn’t go to bed until I got to watch the news that night, specifically the sports. I sat there and was naming off the same players as the guy on TV.”
So what brought Gittins to Idaho State?
“Idaho State was a great opportunity for me,” said Gittins. “[As a media member] I had watched from afar how they ran things, [Athletic Director] Jeff Tingey and [Assistant Athletic Director for Media Relations] Steve Shaack specifically. I had great relationships with them and enjoyed watching them work. An opportunity to stay here with my wife [Lindsey], who graduates in May, was something I couldn’t pass up.”
Though the spotlight on him at Idaho State is considerably dimmer than when he was covering local high school and college sports and becoming so infamous for his flamboyant pants, it motivated someone to create a parody twitter feed, @mattgittinspants, for them.
Still, Gittins finds satisfaction in his current job, just in different ways.
“I really like play-by-play because then you’re the one doing the work and putting it out there,” said Gittins. “But when you give a stat to the announcer that you researched or you knew and he puts it on air, that’s a cool moment.”
Being involved in athletics at the high school and collegiate levels, especially in Gittins’ current capacity, is certainly not the most lucrative job in the world. The hours are often far longer than what it would seem to the average fan. Working nights, weekends and holidays is not only possible, it’s usually expected.
Yet, Gittins finds the benefits of working in sports information, and around athletics in general, far outweigh the drawbacks.
“I started working for the Orem Owlz in 2006,” said Gittins, “and I haven’t worked a day in my life since.”
