Audio Teams Look Forward to a Naturally Noisy NFL Season Both A1s and management welcome a return to the old' normal By Dan Daley, Audio Editor
Friday, October 1, 2021 - 9:00 am
Print This Story | Subscribe
Story Highlights
The NFL is back, and the cheers you hear are real. That shift from prerecorded audience noise to the real thing is the main change in the sport's sound this season, and it's a welcome return.
It's great to hear the real thing again, says Phil Adler, who is entering his third decade of mixing NFL on CBS. I haven't changed how that sound is captured, though. When we were using prerecorded noise, I just subbed out my low crowd mics for the prerecord feed. Now I just put those low mics back in.
A1 Phil Adler notes the return of mixers to their usual locations in NFL stadiums.
There are other tweaks, with the effects of the pandemic still quite evident. For instance, for pre/postgame interviews, instead of CBS Sports sideline reporter Melanie Collins's moving her handheld back and forth, which would necessitate her standing close to her interview subject, there are two mics involved - for instance, a headset for the athlete postgame or a boom mic on the field pregame - to comply with COVID distancing protocols. On the other hand, mixers for the NFL's enhanced feed (the quarterback's line calls that the league's stadium mixer sends to network A1s) are back in their nearby locations in the stadiums, which Adler says adds to the renewed sense of normalcy this season.
Adler, who has worked with his submix partner, Gordon Gilliam, for most of the past 20 years, says the Game Creek Columbia mobile unit is also a work in progress.
It was pretty much where I'd left it at the end of last season, he explains. But, in the meantime, they had done some updates to the video router. It's my third year on this truck, and I'm still dialing it in.
A1 Dave Grundtvig The [venues] are full, and the fans are enthusiastic.
Dave Grundtvig, another A1 for NFL on CBS this season, notes that he didn't mix the sport last season but was deeply involved in building the infrastructure for the NBA's augmented-crowd-sound systems. This year's football audio will be refreshingly normal, he says.
That's a good word to use: normal, he adds. The [venues] are full, and the fans are enthusiastic. Week 1 was a good start for what we hope will be a very normal-sounding season.
Fox Ponders Other Ways To Capture Crowd Sound Fox Sports SVP, Field and Technical Operations, Michael Davies considers returning crowds a welcome addition to the NFL soundscape. Echoing what Fox Sports VP, Field Operations and Engineering, Kevin Callahan told SVG earlier - We really want to make sure that viewers at home are feeling that energy in the stands, so we're doing everything we can do to help our mixers - Davies notes that a number of tactics are under consideration, including dedicated crowd submixes, a technique the network has been testing but has not yet decided on (the network has experimented with a third mixer on some international soccer games as part of that process). Additional microphones might also be on the agenda, but he warns that they can be counterproductive, adding to an already complex sound mix. Fox will deploy at least four parabolics for each NFL game, six on the bigger games.
Fox Sports' Michael Davies: We are attempting to rebalance that three-legged stool, such that it conveys the excitement of the crowd, enhances the effects on the field, and does the announcers justice.
It's more about sound management than adding capture devices, Davies contends, comparing the broadcast-sports soundscape to a three-legged stool - crowd sound, field effects, and announcers - for which achieving a balance is broadcast-sports audio's holy grail. We are attempting to rebalance that three-legged stool, such that it conveys the excitement of the crowd, that it enhances the effects on the field, and it does the announcers justice in allowing them to not only be just over the game [but also] a part of the game and fighting against the crowd. I think any announcer would say it's part of their job. I think they like it. If it's an exciting play and they're yelling about it, they're fighting the crowd, and the crowd's loud. It's an exciting situation.
New Faces The post-pandemic broadcast-sports landscape has seen several changes in personnel behind the audio console. At Fox Sports, Jamie McCombs, who has mixed NFL, XFL, and other sports for the network, takes the seat this year as A-game A1, following Fred Aldous's retirement from active mixing (Aldous remains available on a consulting emeritus basis, says Davies). Citing other veterans on Fox's roster - including Shawn Peacock, Jamie McCombs, Jeff Cohen, Kevin McClosky, Tim Dunn, Mark Butler, and Joe Carpenter - who mix NFL and other sports, Davies notes that the broadcaster's talent pool is substantial. Via Home Run, Fox Sports' version of the REMI/at-home workflow, he adds, the broadcaster increasingly relies on studio-based audio mixers in its Charlotte, NC, and Los Angeles facilities.
One day, he says, they might be doing Iowa and the next day West Virginia, while never leaving the [studio]. Eighty percent of our college football at the moment is done this way, though all NFL [mixing] is still done onsite.
Fox Sports' Joe Carpenter notes a challenge this season: reduced sideline space will limit parab mics' ability to capture mid-field sound.
Fox Sports Senior Audio Mixer Joe Carpenter, who both mixes and supervises NFL audio, cites a new challenge this season. The league has widened the coaches' sideline boxes, which in turn has reduced the range of sideline personnel, including parabolic-
Most recent headlines
04/08/2024
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, is excited to announce Santiago Solanas as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO)....
03/06/2024
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, a...
02/06/2024
AE add 3D motion to still photographs
Brie Clayton June 2, 2024
0 Comments
AE add 3D motion to still photographs
May 30, 2024COW Featured Resume: Pa...
01/06/2024
Dustee Jenkins, Chief Public Affairs Officer, Spotify
With billions of people from over 50 countries heading to the polls to cast their vote, 2024 is shaping u...
01/06/2024
Busy this week catching up from the Memorial Day holiday? Our TV Tech weekly wrap-up of all our coverage of new products, services and deployments will get you ...
01/06/2024
Young Sherlock, with Guy Ritchie directing and executive producing, is a go at Prime Video. Hero Fiennes Tiffin plays Sherlock. Prime Video calls it the origin...
01/06/2024
The Los Angeles Sparks-Indiana Fever game on Friday featuring the top two WNBA draft picks, Caitlin Clark and Cameron Brink, was the most watched WNBA game on I...
01/06/2024
Lionsgate, which increased its majority stake in 3 Arts Entertainment in January, said it named Brian Weinstein co-CEO of 3 Arts....
01/06/2024
Netflix is launching four video games based on unscripted series this year. They...
01/06/2024
ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox affiliates switched from their regular programming to carry live coverage of the verdicts in the porn star hush-money trial of former Pres...
31/05/2024
A U.S. Marine fires an FIM-92 Stinger missile during a training exercise in Yuma...
31/05/2024
NEW YORK The global body that sets technical standards for digital advertising h...
31/05/2024
In a new analysis of what services might make up a good bundle and what services might benefit the most from bundling, Antenna has released new data that highli...
31/05/2024
Global SVOD revenues will increase by $116.6 billion by 2031, a growth rate of 13.3% per year over the next eight years, according to a new report from MIDiA Re...
31/05/2024
WASHINGTON, D.C. The FCC Media Bureau has announced that effective August 1, 2024 the Commission's TVStudy software will incorporate the most recent U.S. Ce...
31/05/2024
NBCUniversal has announced that its FAST channel TNBC will be rebranding to NBC Comedy Vault on June 1 and that the free streaming service will officially launc...
31/05/2024
PARIS Ateme has announced that the Indonesian public broadcaster TVRI is making the transition to 4K UHD OTT streaming using Ateme technologies....
31/05/2024
The proposal had received support from James Cameron, Andy Serkis, Paul Greengrass, Richard Curtis, and Jeremy Irons
By Matthew Corrigan
Published: May 31, 2...
31/05/2024
According to multiple reports, the new bid from Skydance offers a better deal to Paramounts Class B shareholders, who were said to be unhappy with the companys ...
31/05/2024
The awards recognise women and companies who are stand-out performers, innovators and leaders in the broadcast media technology industry
By Matthew Corrigan
...
31/05/2024
NEW YORK The global body that sets technical standards for digital advertising has expanded the reach of its measurement software development kit to include Sam...
31/05/2024
The rise of digital platforms is fundamentally changing the broadcast newsroom and its investment in technology according to Jon Roberts, director of technology...
31/05/2024
In a new analysis of what services might make up a good bundle and what services might benefit the most from bundling, Antenna has released new data that highli...
31/05/2024
WASHINGTON, D.C. Fifty state broadcasters associations, including the District of Columbia and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, have sent a letter to Congressio...
31/05/2024
EVS has announced the appointment of Richard Katz as senior vice president of operations for the North and Latin American (NALA) region. This appointment is par...
31/05/2024
CommScope has announced that it was selected by Casa Systems, Inc. as the highest to acquire Casa's cable business assets and that the two companies have en...
31/05/2024
Robert De Niro won't be receiving the Service to America Leadership Award from the NAB Leadership Foundation after all....
31/05/2024
Viant Technology said it formed an integration with Google Cloud's BigQuery data clean rooms...
31/05/2024
The CW said it will broadcast the 2024 Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl presented by Gin & Juice by Dre and Snoop Last year, The CW aired the game when it was called Bar...
31/05/2024
Allen Media Group said it made a deal with Amazon's Fire TV Channel that will make content from several of Allen's outlet available via Fire TV and Echo...
31/05/2024
Robert De Niro, announced as the winner of the NAB's Leadership Foundation's Service to America Leadership Award on May 28, will not get the award. The ...
31/05/2024
Comcast Technology Solutions was selected by AccuWeather to create, manage and distribute linear and over-the-top video channels....
31/05/2024
Connected TV is becoming a bigger deal for consumers and advertisers, according to a new report from TVision....
31/05/2024
By Craig Anderton
Let's get right to what this sounds like. It's not quite feedback or tape reverse, it's well, listen to what it does in this blue...
31/05/2024
31 May 2024
VEON discloses April YTD trading update at its AGM Amsterdam, 31 May 2024 07:00 CEST -
VEON April YTD 2024 Highlights
Total revenue of USD 1,278 ...
31/05/2024
31 May 2024
VEON Announces Its New Board, Names Founder Augie Fabela as Chairman Amsterdam, 31 May 2024, 16.00 CET: VEON Ltd. (NASDAQ: VEON, Euronext Amsterdam...
31/05/2024
May 31st, 2024
TRIBECA FESTIVAL AND OPEN AI ANNOUNCE SORA SHORTS'
Five Commissioned Short Films Created Using Sora Debut at 2024 Tribeca Festival
New ...
31/05/2024
In-Venue Technology Wrap-Up: How 4K, IP, and More are Changing the Game Pres Gam...
31/05/2024
UEFA Champions League Final 2024: The host broadcast facts and figures for Real ...
31/05/2024
UEFA Europa Conference League Final 2024: Bringing the broadcast to global TV sc...
31/05/2024
Willow Offers Free 2024 ICC T20 Cricket World Cup Preview via DirecTV, Verizon, ...
31/05/2024
Women's College World Series: ESPN Brings Live Drone, Two-Point Cabled, and ...
31/05/2024
SVG College Summit Brings Video-Production Industry Together in Atlanta in the M...
31/05/2024
UEFA Champions League Final 2024: CBS Sports' UCL Today Studio Show Is Pitch...
31/05/2024
Back to All News
Master of the House' Unveils a Scandalous Tale of Power and Greed on July 18
Entertainment
31 May 2024
GlobalThailand
Link copied to ...
31/05/2024
Back to All News
JEEtu Bhaiya is Back: Kota Factory' Season 3 Arrives on Netflix June 20
Entertainment
31 May 2024
GlobalIndia
Link copied to clipboar...
31/05/2024
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
With around 9,000 employees, Ground Transportation Systems is a global leader in Rail Signaling and Train Control Systems, Telec...
31/05/2024
RT 2FM is the home of music this summer, entertaining listeners across the day and night, with the best music, chat and interviews providing the soundtrack to ...
31/05/2024
After the 2008 financial crisis and increased risk-management regulations that f...
Audio Teams Look Forward to a Naturally Noisy NFL Season Both A1s and management welcome a return to the old' normal By Dan Daley, Audio Editor 
