Tampa, Fla. – If you’re attending a sporting event in Florida’s Tampa Bay area, odds are that Matt Dodge is behind the decks.
In fact, over the years, Dodge has worked all types of contests – collegiate, high-school, and professional, including gigs for University of South Florida teams, IMG Academy teams, NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning, and MLB’s Tampa Bay Rays and Atlanta Braves. Booked through Street Laced Marketing & Promotions, Dodge’s sports gigs keep him plenty busy, but he also handles more typical mobile gigs, from bar work to weddings.
At DJX ’25 this Aug. 12, Dodge will join a panel of sports jocks for “Stadium Jocks: Spinning for the Team,” a seminar that will discuss all aspects of the gig. We caught up with the busy sports spinner to find out how he does it.
DJ LIFE: Where did you grow up and what got you first interested in music?
Dodge: I was born in Maine, but essentially grew up in Venice, Fla., about an hour south of Tampa. Music was always playing around the house growing up. We’d have the radio on during dinner, for example, so I naturally absorbed a lot of music. Even today, I’ll have older people ask me how I know certain classic songs when I play them – it’s because they were part of my upbringing.
DJ LIFE: How did you get into DJing?
Dodge: In high school, I was really into TV production. I went on to college and earned a degree in film production. My friends and I would create parody videos of MTV shows like “Cribs,” but what I loved most was editing. I used a program called Sony Vegas to edit videos – and I eventually started mixing a cappellas and instrumentals to build “mega-mashups.” This was over 20 years ago, but DJing remained a hobby until about 10 years ago, and I’ve been full-time for the past five years. Back then, I only made mixes at home – never live.
DJ LIFE: How many events do you do each year?
Dodge: I average between 150 and 175 gigs a year. These range from in-game sports to local bars, family-friendly events, and a handful of weddings.
DJ LIFE: What’s your percentage breakdown of events?
Dodge: Sports, 40-percent; bars, 30-percent; all-ages/family events, 25-percent; weddings, 5-percent.
DJ LIFE: You work with Street Laced, a marketing, promotion, and event company in Tampa. How has that relationship benefited you?
Dodge: Street Laced Marketing & Promotions is unique in Tampa because they have a presence with nearly every major pro and college team in the area. Any time there’s a big sporting event in town, organizers consistently reach out to them for professional DJ talent. Street Laced is where I would say I get 80-percent of my gigs from, including all my sports gigs. The rest – like city events, Florida Aquarium USF non-athletic events – I get on my own through word-of-mouth or people hear me at an event and inquire.
DJ LIFE: How do you and Street Laced get the word out and market events and services?
Dodge: I use Instagram and Facebook mostly. Street Laced promotes through the same and their official website.
DJ LIFE: As it relates to spinning for sporting events, what are your responsibilities?
Dodge: For each game, I handle live mixing during pregame using player requests or similar tracks to set the vibe. Once the game begins, I use Serato and 7 Point Audio to manage music for crowd prompts, hype moments, games during breaks, and background beds as needed.
DJ LIFE: For which teams do you spin?
Dodge: I’m currently the in-game DJ for the University of South Florida, handling football, men’s and women’s basketball, and volleyball. I’ve also filled in for USF baseball and lacrosse. Outside of USF, I’ve filled in for the Tampa Bay Rays and performed both inside and outside of Amalie Arena for the Tampa Bay Lightning. I started my sports DJ career with the Atlanta Braves at their spring training facility. I also do in-game for IMG Academy’s high school team in Bradenton.
DJ LIFE: For a DJ, how does working the sporting events differ from each other?
Dodge: While background beds of music can often be universal, each sport has its quirks. Women’s basketball allows music during any dead ball; men’s hoops does not. Volleyball demands a hype sound every single time they score — you have to be ready instantly. A Tuesday 1 p.m. baseball game feels chill, whereas a Friday night throwback game needs energy. And there’s one thing that’s always consistent: Clean music only.
DJ LIFE: For a DJ, what are the differences between playing a football stadium, a hockey arena, and a baseball park?
Dodge: For me, the biggest difference is where I’m physically located during the event, which varies depending on the stadium or arena. If the space is available, I prefer to bring my full DJ setup so I can mix live as often as I’d like. However, some venues place you in a control room with limited space, where I can only use a laptop. In those situations, I feel more restricted in terms of creativity and flexibility.
DJ LIFE: What was the biggest learning curve for you doing these events?
Dodge: One of the biggest challenges was figuring out what to play when the opposing team goes on a run or takes the lead – and I have to play something. You don’t want to hype up the other team, but you also can’t play something too downbeat or depressing. Striking that balance – keeping the energy up while reading the room and the moment – definitely took some time to master.
DJ LIFE: What DJ gear set-up do you usually use?
Dodge: I currently use the Rane Performer 4-channel controller, which gives me the flexibility to constantly mix live using Serato on one computer. I also run 7 Point Audio through a third channel and control it with a fader for quick transitions between custom triggers and live mixing. A monitor speaker is a must in my setup. I crank it up because there’s always a delay between what I’m playing and what echoes back in arenas or stadiums.
DJ LIFE: What are the considerations that your teams have for the fans? What do they expect from you?
Dodge: With USF, I’m very fortunate that they allow me a lot of creative freedom when I DJ. For example, they recently moved me and my full set-up to the student section at basketball games – that shift alone helped me connect with the students more directly and gave the overall energy in the arena a noticeable boost. I’m always mindful of the variety in the crowd – from college students to longtime season-ticket holders. I try to strike a balance between newer and older music, when appropriate, so that everyone in the venue hears something they enjoy.
DJ LIFE: When you’re spinning Major League Baseball games with the Rays, what’s the process for each batter’s walk-up song?
Dodge: I’ve only filled in for the Rays on occasion, so I don’t have a definitive list of all-time walk-up favorites. But I can share one challenge I’ve encountered with baseball: You’re at the mercy of the players’ walk-up song choices. For example, a player might choose a slow or low-energy track – and if the player before them just hit a triple and I’m coming off a big hype moment, it can really kill the momentum. To manage that, I try to keep track of which players have slower walk-ups and, if possible, let the hype track ride until the last moment before they step into the box.
DJ LIFE: What songs have been the big for you so far in 2025?
Dodge: I would say in 2025 that the three songs that work the best right now are “Nokia” by Drake, “Pump It Up” remix with Endor and Black Eyed Peas, and “Sunshine (My Girl)” by Wuki. All of these songs are very upbeat and familiar, so they work at almost any event.
DJ LIFE: What’s the most fun part of spinning for sporting events?
Dodge: It never gets old taking a relatively quiet crowd and turning it up to 11 with just the right song. Another favorite moment is playing a big sing-along track, cutting the volume, and hearing the crowd keep it going a cappella. Those moments give you chills – it’s when you really feel the connection between the music and the fans.
DJ LIFE: How has the gig changed in recent years?
Dodge: In the sports DJing space, I haven’t noticed a dramatic shift – it’s remained fairly consistent. However, with DJ technology becoming more accessible and easier to learn, a lot more people are trying to break into the scene. In my opinion, it’s the DJs who are truly creative – the ones who bring something unique to the table – that will stand out and go the furthest. If someone’s only motivation is to get famous, this probably isn’t the right path for them.
DJ LIFE: Aside from sports, what events do you most enjoy and why?
Dodge: I really enjoy doing DJ battles. I’ve entered into seven total. I took first place five times and runner-up the other two. I love doing college bar gigs – they give me room to get creative with live wordplay and crowd-driven sing-alongs, which are some of my favorite moments. Beach gigs are always a good time, too, with the laid-back energy and fun vibes. I also really enjoy niche sets, like yacht-rock events, where I get to dig a little deeper into my library and play tracks you don’t normally hear out. Those specialty gigs let me tap into different styles and moods that keep things fresh.
DJ LIFE: Where do you see yourself in five years?
Dodge: I’d love to travel more, and I’m excited to do that through opportunities with The Marker Agency – a company related to Street Laced. In five years, I hope I can look back and say I’ve DJed in a long list of cities and states I haven’t been to yet. Another goal of mine is to play a festival-type event – at any level. That experience, being part of a larger production and energy, is something I definitely want to check off. Also, in just a few years, USF will have its first on-campus football stadium – and I absolutely can’t wait for the opportunity to DJ there.
