AXS TV Executive Darrell Ewalt Dies At 58

Darrell Ewalt, VP-executive producer of event programming and production at AXS TV, died Dec. 4. He was 58.

The 15-year-veteran of the company was responsible for overseeing all of AXS TV’s sports and live event programming production, and served as executive producer of AXS TV Fights, New Japan Pro Wrestling, and the former weekly live mixed marital arts program Inside MMA, which aired for 10 seasons.

“Armed with a vast knowledge of production and engineering/technology, the award-winning Ewalt was a true standout in the industry,” AXS said in a statement. “His ability to blend the experiences he acquired in both realms not only made him a superb creative producer with a Rolodex full of contacts, but also gave him state-of-the-art skills in engineering and broadcasting technology.”

His most recent project was spearheading the design and engineering for the network’s new live broadcast production truck.

“AXS TV is forever indebted to Darrell’s tireless service,” said Mark Cuban, CEO of AXS TV. “He left his imprint on every aspect of this company, both as a producer, engineer and as a person. We send his family our sincerest condolences during this difficult time.” 

In more than 35 years of producing and directing, Ewalt worked on over 50 different sports, fueled by a tremendous passion for live televised sporting events and an impressive knowledge of a wide variety of sports, in general. He brought this same knowledge and passion to HDNet (former name of AXS TV), where he was one of the original hires when the network began 15 years ago.

With HD technology still in its rudimentary stages in 2001, collaboration and compromise between engineers and producers was key to creating quality productions. Ewalt thrived on this challenge, producing the first HD broadcasts of countless sports ranging from MLB and NHL, to MLS, MMA and the Olympics — crafting programs that were not just historic firsts, but truly compelling television experiences.

Ewalt played an integral role in HDNet’s success as the first HD network in the world to cover television broadcasts in HD. As a result of his efforts, in 2002, during his tenure with HDNet, Ewalt won an Emmy award for the production of the first high-definition Olympics broadcast at the Salt Lake Winter Games. 

A resident of Denver, Ewalt is survived by his wife, Vicky; sons, Kyle and Blair; brother, Steve; and parents, Merritt and Mareda of Storm Lake, Iowa.