Sports Venue Production Summit: Mercedes-Benz Stadium Welcomes 200+ for Two-Day Event By Karen Hogan Ketchum, Senior Editor
Friday, March 16, 2018 - 1:43 pm
Print This Story
Story Highlights
Since the first renderings of the 360-degree Halo videoboard were released nearly three years ago, Mercedes-Benz Stadium promised to blaze a trail in in-venue video production and technology. Earlier this week, more than 230 attendees - including representatives from 12 NFL teams - traveled to Atlanta for SVG's annual Sports Venue Production Summit to see the Halo in person, and learn more about the gear and personnel responsible for powering it.
Jason Cothern explains the video-production workflow to a tour group inside the stadium's video control room.
The two-day event kicked off on Tuesday with a behind-the-scenes tour of Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Attendees were invited inside the 1080p60 video control room, which was integrated by Diversified and houses two Ross Video Acuity switchers, XPression Studio CGs, and Tessera software; an Evertz EXE IP router and DreamCatcher replay servers; ChyronHego graphics systems; and much more. On Wednesday, Mercedes-Benz Stadium Director of Stadium Production Jason Cothern paid tribute to a roster of technological partners that also included Daktronics, Grass Valley, Canon, Riedel, CatDV, Telestream, Panasonic, IBM, and many others.
I want to thank all those partners that came and worked with us. We would not be here today with out you, said Cothern, during his team's opening presentation. It wasn't a vendor-client relationship, it was absolutely a collaborative effort and that's why I call you partners, and not vendors. So I want to thank you.
Cothern, who joined the Mercedes-Benz Stadium team after five years with the Florida Panthers, laid out three of his biggest lessons learned during the venue construction process. First, he said, learn from your mistakes and bring your knowledge to the table. Second, leave your ego at the door.
Why not look at what other people are doing? he said. Why not try to be as good as them? Why not take an idea, enhance it, and make it your own?
More than 230 attendees traveled to Mercedes-Benz Stadium for the two-day event.
Lastly, he said, surround yourself with a great team. Cothern invited several members of his team to join him onstage, and recognized them individually: Lead Animator Joseph Blanco, Video Producer Julia Chongarlides, Chief Engineer Randy Cousar, Engineer Ben Dolinky, Graphics Producer Kevin Nawoichik, and Video Producer Steve Smith. He also recognized the tireless work of Pete Soto, senior director of game presentation for AMB Sports & Entertainment, who was unable to attend the event.
Surround yourself with a great team, which I absolutely did, said Cothern. This has been a big, big thing to launch this building with everything going on. And when I say team, that means differnet things. That means Ross, that means Daktronics, that means Evertz. Develop your team there, and then content-wise, develop a team there. Pete and I come from old-school thinking; we like to do the content ourselves. But [we also had] to be realistic. Rather than pile content-creation work on their team, Cothern and Soto turned to Digital Kitchen, Lava Studio, The Famous Group, and Game Changer MVP to help shape the Halo's video presentation. There's no way I could have done this without this group, he said.
Following the presentation, attendees were treated to panel discussions and presentations that ranged from the technical to the creative, and showcased the latest and greatest in sports-venue production and technology from a variety of professional teams, universities, systems integrators, venue consultants, and technology vendors. Throughout the event, the focus remained squarely on enhancing the fan experience.
Stay tuned to sportsvideo.org next week for in-depth reports and audio recordings for every panel discussion, video interviews with panelists, and a photo gallery of the two-day event!
Most recent headlines
17/02/2025
TVBEurope talks to the team who brought a piece of broadcasting history back to life on BBC Wales last night
By Jenny Priestley
Published: February 14, 2025 ...
17/02/2025
Eligible studios will receive the relief directly from their local authorities, with no need to submit a claim
By Matthew Corrigan
Published: February 17, 20...
17/02/2025
As DEI initiatives come under pressure in the USA, supporters of Rise, which promotes diversity in the media and entertainment sector, discuss the continuing im...
17/02/2025
EIB Global loan will partially fund SES's continued O3b mPOWER medium earth orbit (MEO) fleet expansion enabling additional capacity worldwide. O3b mPOWER s...
15/02/2025
At Nielsen, Business Resource Groups (BRGs) play a critical role in nurturing a ...
15/02/2025
Innovation to empower creativity: Explore the latest in Lightroom
Rob Christensen February 15, 2025
0 Comments
Whether you want to remove distracting ...
15/02/2025
Wisycom, a worldwide leader in RF technology and provider of wireless solutions, announces a new distribution agreement with EQUAPHON. An Argentinian profession...
15/02/2025
DPA Microphones, the leading manufacturer of high-quality microphone solutions, is pleased to welcome Nicholas Nick Mariano and Vincent Vince Divine to the ...
15/02/2025
Tuxera, a leading provider of quality-assured file systems and networking solutions, will showcase how Tuxera Fusion SMB enables unprecedented performance for m...
15/02/2025
Bitmovin's latest Video Developer Report indicates an increasing role of AI, the slow adoption of next-generation codecs, and continuing challenges when it ...
15/02/2025
When Michelin Enterprises set out to promote its prestigious Hotel Guide in the new Sleepless in the Kitchen , campaign, veteran German/Slovenian gaffer Robert...
15/02/2025
Formula E, the world's first all-electric racing series, revolutionizing motorsport with cutting-edge technology and a commitment to sustainability has sele...
15/02/2025
Agile Content, a global leader in TV and video technology solutions, announces its rebranding to AgileTV.
The transition to AgileTV stems from a commitment to ...
15/02/2025
Hiltron Communications will promote the latest additions to its range of satellite communication products, systems and supporting services at GovSatCom 2025. Th...
15/02/2025
Following the success of the original Airglow Booklight, DoPchoice debuts a new addition to their inflatable line the Float. This lightweight, inflatable, round...
15/02/2025
LAS VEGAS Marshall Electronics has announced that it will debut its newest camera controller, the RCP Plus, at the 2025 NAB Show at Booth N2649 between April 5 ...
15/02/2025
ATLANTA Gray Media has named Blake Sebo as the next general manager of KTUU and KYES, Gray's NBC and CBS affiliates in Anchorage, Alaska....
15/02/2025
KOKKEDAL, Denmark DPA Microphones will feature its new CORE+ technology for distortion-free microphone sound at the 2025 NAB Show, April 5-9, in Las Vegas....
15/02/2025
SWANSEA, U.K. QuickLink will launch StudioPro-NDI and StudioPro-3, two new models of its QuickLine StudioPro video production platform, at the 2025 NAB Show, Ap...
15/02/2025
Live From 2025 NBA All-Star Game Weekend: After 25 Years, Turner Sports All-In F...
15/02/2025
NASCAR Driver Cam on Max Embraces Cloud-Based Workflow for 2025 Season Chris Brown of WBD Sports says Mobii will play key part in delivering signals from the tr...
14/02/2025
Last month, we officially launched the Spotify Partner Program, a powerful new m...
14/02/2025
From an island off the coast of Lutruwita to the global stage in France SBS & ...
14/02/2025
The future of electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) land systems is evolving so that ...
14/02/2025
Here are 5 reasons why you should attend ISE 2025
Discover more about Calrec: Learn more about Calrec's legacy of innovation in broadcast audio solutions ...
14/02/2025
World Radio Day: On the same wavelength
By Graham Murray, International Sales Manager at Calrec
To mark World Radio Day, Calrec's International Sales Ma...
14/02/2025
DALLAS and TYSONS, Va. Tegna has concluded a broadcast rights agreement that makes Tegna's KFAA in Dallas the exclusive local television partner of the Dall...
14/02/2025
Amazon's Prime Video has released a new app for Apple TV that the streamer said delivers an improved streaming experiences with faster scrolling, improved s...
14/02/2025
CLEVELAND Telos Alliance announced a software update for its Axia Quasar XR and SR line of audio-over-IP (AoIP) mixing consoles and will show the offering at th...
14/02/2025
Puget Systems Returns to HPA Tech Retreat 2025 with New Analysis Tools for Puge...
14/02/2025
Glass Animals: Tour of Earth Uses Blackmagic Live Production Workflow
Brie Clayton February 14, 2025
0 Comments
80six deploys Blackmagic URSA Broadcas...
14/02/2025
A dispute between Paramount and Youtube TV that would have pulled CBS stations and Paramount's cable channels from the streaming service has been temporaril...
14/02/2025
Colourist Deidre (Dee) McClelland details how she helped shape the distinct look and feel of whimsical Oscar-nominated stop-motion film, Memoir of a Snail
By C...
14/02/2025
BitFire said it intends to introduce forward-looking services that simplify the launch of live production workflows, and enhance real-time collaboration
By Jen...
14/02/2025
The claim by the liquidators is the latest twist in the ongoing saga of the companys collapse at the end of 2021
By Matthew Corrigan
Published: February 14, ...
14/02/2025
A carriage dispute between YouTube TV and Paramount could come to a head today (Feb. 13), with the virtual pay TV provider threatening to pull all of the progra...
14/02/2025
ENGLEWOOD CLIFFS, N.J. LG Electronics USA has opened a new in-house, state-of-the-art virtual production studio at its 360,000-square-foot North American headqu...
14/02/2025
NEW YORK In a bid to help local broadcasters find new ways of monetizing their content, the Coalition for Innovative Media Measurement (CIMM) and TVB have relea...
14/02/2025
WASHINGTON Three Democratic U.S. Senators have sent a stern letter blasting FCC Chair Brendan Carr for the weaponization of the agency for attacking broadcast...
14/02/2025
Years after launching the streaming service Apple TV+ in November of 2019, Apple has finally released a version of its steaming app for Android devices....
14/02/2025
FOOTHILL RANCH, Calif. Red Digital Cinema will make its V-RAPTOR [X] and KOMODO-X camera systems available with Nikon's premier Z Mount, providing filmmaker...
14/02/2025
DAYTONA, Fla. The Fox Sports production of this year's Daytona 500 will see the addition of a few new tech elements and the continued unfolding of the broad...
14/02/2025
Watch Bryson Battles Blind Audition on The Voice Get a Four-Chair Turn Michael Bubl said the Boston Conservatory at Berklee musical theater senior might have...
14/02/2025
2025 Daytona 500: FOX Sports Looks To Ride Super Bowl LIX Momentum Into NASCAR S...
14/02/2025
14 Feb 2025
VEON's Kyivstar and the Come Back Alive Foundation Raise USD 2....
14/02/2025
Max Renews THE PITT, Starring Noah Wyle, For A Second Season
Max
Warner Bros. Television Group
The Pitt
New Episodes Of The Medical Drama From John...
14/02/2025
This year, Technicolor proudly celebrates 110 years of shaping the magic of cinema pioneering color, visual effects, and innovation that bring unforgettable l...
14/02/2025
NBA All-Star: More Games, More Teams, More Music, More Sound From the Court Turner Sports' team will deploy familiar tech to capture all the audio By Dan D...
14/02/2025
LIV Golf Continues To Innovate With Drones, Data-Driven Graphics, and All-Access...
Sports Venue Production Summit: Mercedes-Benz Stadium Welcomes 200+ for Two-Day Event By Karen Hogan Ketchum, Senior Editor 
