NBA 2019 Tipoff: ESPN To Cover Entire Season's Games in 1080p Increased use of Skycam and GREMI model round out enhancements By Kristian Hernandez, Associate Editor
Wednesday, October 23, 2019 - 10:51 am
Print This Story
Story Highlights
After a postseason in which the Toronto Raptors became the first non-U.S. franchise to reach the summit of the NBA mountain and lift the Larry O'Brien trophy, ESPN is launching the new season with a doubleheader featuring a pair of Eastern Conference rivals (Boston Celtics at Philadelphia 76ers, 7:30 p.m. ET) and two Western Conference heavyweights (Denver Nuggets at Portland Trailblazers, 10 p.m.). This year, nearly 100 of the network's regular-season telecasts will be transmitted in 1080p for the first time ever, and high-profile matchups will feature technologies like the Skycam, high-speed cameras, and robos.
Everyone is excited to jump into the regular season, says Patty Mattero, senior operations manager, ESPN. Starting tonight, we will be incorporating new technologies and workflow, but one of the big highlights for us is focusing on producing all of our games in 1080p.
The Leap to 1080p: Making the Necessary Changes
With this technical adjustment, all of ESPN's primetime packages will feature 1080p (Monday Night Football has done so for several seasons; Sunday Night Baseball, since late in the past regular season). With a new way of delivery comes a period of transition. And, for a sport that is constantly moving from city to city across the country, with the occasional trip north to Canada, some logistics need to be ironed out to ensure a successful production.
The challenge for all of the transition is that, for the NBA, we're a one-day set shoot, says Eddie Okuno, senior remote operations specialist, ESPN. We have multiple trucks, and we have to make sure that all of the hardware, EVS units, and our file workflows are compliant and can handle the capacity of 1080p. We've vetted through all of that and also all of our transmission needs. Obviously, 1080p bandwidth is larger, and we've had to go through and vet through all that, too.
For this new transmission venture, ESPN will recruit a bevy of production-truck providers. Throughout the season, NEP will serve as primary vendor with its EN1, EN2, and EN3 units. For some major matchups, Game Creek Video's Victory, 79, and, occasionally, brand-new Bravo will be in the compound. These trucks will deploy additional EVS XT4K replay servers to compensate for higher channel density.
Summer League Success: Skycam Returns to Mainstage After Trial in the Desert
In the offseason every year, the NBA tests the merit of new and emerging technology during the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, which has birthed many of the league's most exciting storytelling elements, such as the Skycam view in 2018. After some routine runs during primetime games, including the day-long affair on Christmas Day, the production team envisions an even bigger role for the aerial camera system in the upcoming season.
The return of Skycam was successful during Summer League, says Okuno. Once we launch the season, you're going to see a lot more of it during our regular-season games, which is going to probably begin with Christmas and [continue] into our Saturday-night primetime games [on ABC].
With the decision to move operations to 1080p settled, Okuno and Mattero used their time in the desert as well as with other ESPN properties to test their standard equipment within the new production framework.
We needed to replace a lot of our telestration and strategic devices because [they were] not 1080p-compliant. We've been working with Vizrt Libero units as well as looking into what we used during the WNBA finals: the Viz Arena, says Okuno. Some of the technologies that we have been testing throughout the offseason, Summer League, and WNBA may make an appearance. Since our telestration, strategic, virtual, and overlay devices were not 1080p[-compatible], we're making the transition, educating ourselves, and getting ready for this upcoming season.
Upping Their Game: 1080p Calls for More High-Speed Cams, GREMI Workflow
The camera complement is another aspect of ESPN's NBA broadcasts that will see some adaptations due to 1080p. Although an abundance of high-speed cameras is customary to capture the razzle-dazzle of the league, these products will be elevated to a higher tier.
Our camera complements are 3G level A, so everything is a [Sony HDC-]2500 or 4300, says Okuno. Our ABC games will average two or three high-frame-rate cameras for our highest-ESPN-level games and have up to six 2500's.
As in previous seasons, the network will deck out the venue with other specialty cameras, including new Marshall CV503 POVs and Fletcher ATRs, robotics, and Dream Chip ATOM one POVs.
Offsite help will continue to be important in a majority of the network's games. Last season, the frequently used GREMI model saw an uptick on telecasts for on-air graphics, and, as equipment within the truck increases in 2019-20, the offsite system will be a reliable support.
It will have a larger role [since] our EVS operation could increase on some selected games, Okuno adds. We're making our Vizrt Liberos GREMI-controlled as well.
Quick Change: ESPN Commits to Innovation Despite Shifting Storylines
The NBA is known as a league that never accepts stagnation from a production perspective. Similarly, ESPN refuses to remain comfortable with its broadcasts year after year.
On our NBA package, it has never been rinse-and-repeat from one season to the next, says Mattero. We've always looked for new ways to innovate and keep everything fresh on our technical and remote teams for all of the games. It's a challenge, but it keeps things exciting.
And, although p
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...
NBA 2019 Tipoff: ESPN To Cover Entire Season's Games in 1080p Increased use of Skycam and GREMI model round out enhancements By Kristian Hernandez, Associate Editor 
