CJ Pukala

*Something I plan on doing in each article is drawing each title from some of my favorite song titles. Today’s Song: Who I Am by The Diplomats (2003)

CJ Pukala was born and raised on Staten Island, New York, a place where loyalty to the city’s sports teams runs deep and every game feels larger than life. Growing up in the heart of New York’s passionate sports culture, CJ’s life has been shaped by his devotion to the Yankees, Knicks, Jets, and Devils. His earliest memories are filled with the sounds and excitement (and frustration) of watching games with his father, who passed down his own love for the Yankees and Jets the moment CJ was born, and the loud sounds of MetLife Stadium in its early days.

Over the years, CJ’s connection to sports evolved from being just a fan to seeing them as a career path. For the past four years, he has attended more than 50 Yankees games each season with the Bleacher Creatures. This life-changing experience has not only taught him valuable life lessons but has also deepened his understanding of how sports connect people across backgrounds and generations. 

The world-famous Creatures totally transformed his teenage years, and now beyond into his twenties. It was a whirlwind he never expected to end up in, and he swears he was put in that spot for a reason. The amount of baseball stories he can tell from his own experiences and the ones from others that have been recalled is off the charts. So many amazing stories —he can go on for hours.

Whether it’s celebrating a walk-off home run in The Bronx by jumping from the bleachers or sitting in ten degrees at MetLife Stadium, cheering for the Jets, CJ has experienced firsthand the emotional power of sports and the storytelling that surrounds them through multiple group settings and individual experiences.

CJ’s academic and professional goals center on working in sports media and communications. He is passionate about finding ways to share the energy, emotion, and community of New York sports through creative, interactive platforms. Over the years, he has managed sports- and pop-culture-related Instagram accounts. Through this, he has learned more about graphic design, content production, and photography to tell stories. CJ could see himself becoming a graphic designer or a photographer for one of his favorite teams after graduating. His interest in interactive media stems from how digital storytelling through podcasts, social media, photography work, and visual content can build stronger fan connections and bring. 

There are stories behind everything, and sports mean more than life to some, especially CJ. He hopes to one day contribute to the media side of one of his favorite teams, helping fans feel the same sense of belonging he’s always felt in the stands, because he believes that showcasing the passion and emotion sports bring is often overlooked and deserves more focus. 

CJ’s favorite interactive media projects often revolve around fan engagement—whether that’s creating content that captures the spirit of Yankee Stadium or exploring how social media can enhance the fan experience. To him, interactive media is not just about communication; it’s about connection.

CJ wants to invite people into the world that has defined so much of who he is and truly changed his life as a lifelong New Yorker, a dedicated fan, and a future professional in the sports communication field. His audience can expect authenticity, passion, and a deep appreciation for the ways media and sports bring people together.