
146th Preakness Stakes: NBC's Pimlico Setup Builds on Onsite Derby Production Health and safety protocols are eased with changing CDC guidelines By Jason Dachman, Chief Editor
Friday, May 14, 2021 - 2:06 pm
Print This Story | Subscribe
Story Highlights
After a return to big-time onsite productions at the Kentucky Derby, NBC Sports is at Pimlico this weekend for the second gem in horseracing's Triple Crown. All three of NBC's 2020 Triple Crown races were produced remotely, with the production team located at NBC Sports' production-operations center in Stamford, CT. This year, however, the production team is back at Pimlico, along with Director, Sports Operations, Tim Dekime and Senior Technical Manager John Roch , who were focused on NBC Sunday Night Football during last year's delayed race in October.
Since [the Preakness and Derby took place during] football season last year, John and I couldn't even be here, says Dekime. So [Technical Manager] Keith Kice was able to focus on this while we were focused on NFL, which created some continuity since he knows [Triple Crown productions] well. This year, it's really good to be back and have a full operation onsite again.
Stamford Still in the Mix: Editing and Graphics Operate Remotely NBC Sports' Tim Dekime (left) and John Roch at the Pimlico truck compound for the Preakness
At the Preakness this weekend, NBC's primary production team will once again be housed in NEP ND1 A, B, C, and D mobile production units - as was the case at Churchill Downs. Unlike at the Derby, though, NBCSN's broadcast also will be produced out of ND1 instead of in Stamford.
I think the 2020 [Derby] was a different year altogether, but we learned a lot, says Dekime. This year at the Derby, we did a hybrid [production] of what we did in 2020 and our [traditional onsite] setup that we had done in the past. Our NBCSN broadcasts were produced and directed through Stamford, and our NBC network broadcasts were done onsite with ND1, so we eliminated a TV truck that was dedicated to NBCSN in the past, and those cameras were streamed back to Stamford.
However, with far fewer hours of NBCSN programming for the Preakness than for the Derby, NBC elected to locate all productions onsite in ND1. Although the front bench will be in Baltimore, the bulk of NBC's graphics and editing teams will once again be in Stamford, deploying the same setup as for the Derby.
We have a lot of editing being done back in Stamford, along with our graphics operations, and that worked out really well [for the Derby], says Roch . It's very similar to what we do for Sunday Night Football, so we just basically mirrored that. The only difference with football is, there are a lot more cameras coming from the site. But it has been successful, and I think everybody thought was a good formula [for the Preakness].
According to Roch , NBC has deployed 31 cameras at Pimlico, primarily a mix of Sony HDC-4300's (including four in 6X-slo-mo mode), 2500's, and 1500's plus one HDC-4800 4K high-speed system and one HDC-P1R POV - all with Canon lenses. BSI is also on hand supplying seven RF cameras.
As CDC guidelines continue to evolve, so too do NBC's onsite safety protocols. For example, if on-air talent is vaccinated, they now need to be separated by only 3 ft. - instead of 6 ft.. - on the set or in the announce booth.
We still have very stringent safety protocols, notes Dekime, but, as CDC guidelines are changing, so are ours. We are still [enforcing] mask wearing and social distancing. We also have rented a large catering trailer so people could be separated during meals, as well as additional office trailers so we didn't have our talent and staff crowded together in one small area. Even as [protocols] change, we certainly continue to do a lot to create more space so we can social-distance.
Despite the lessening of social-distancing regulations, NBC's main set will be the same expanded desk used at the Derby, allowing all talent to be separated by 6 ft. Dekime expects the set at the Belmont next month to have a more traditionally sized set.
In order to have a larger depth, we have to [expand everything] from the platforms to the lighting, says Dekime. We have a pretty elaborate lighting truss set up and have heightened the rooftop to account for the larger desk and the lighting.
A Look Back at the Derby: Drone Is Popular with Crew and Viewers The Derby truck compound at Churchill Downs last month
Though not deployed at Pimlico this weekend, the drone that debuted on NBC's Derby coverage was a hit among production personnel and viewers. Provided by Beverly Hills Aerial (which also provided the drone for NBC's outdoor NHL game in Lake Tahoe), the heavy-payload drone featured a Sony HDC-P50 camera and captured shots never before seen in Derby telecasts.
They loved the drone in the production room, and it got some great shots, says Roch . The only limitation was that the battery could last only 10 minutes at a time because we were dealing with a heavy payload. But the shot worked great.
Dekime adds, That's the restriction of having a drone with a heavy payload. But they were extremely happy with the shots that we got, and I would imagine the drone will be a part of our broadcasts to the future.
Whether it's at the Derby, the Preakness, or next month's Belmont, Dekime and Roch are just happy to see some familiar faces in the compound after such a challenging Triple Crown year in 2020.
On the technical side of things, says Roch , it's just good to see a lot of people back to work, and everyone here is so happy be back to work. These are some of the most capable people around, and it's great to be back [onsite] and see them here again.
Most recent headlines
14/03/2025
BURLINGTON, Mass. Avid has expanded its executive leadership team (ELT) with the appointment of three experienced executives: Tom Sharma as chief technology off...
14/03/2025
CUPERTINO, Calif. TVU Networks, a pioneer in live video production and a leader in cloud-based media solutions, is marking its 20th anniversary at the 2025 NAB ...
13/03/2025
(L-R) Stephanie Suganami, Tatanka Means, John Malkovich, Ayo Edebiri, and Juliette Lewis attend the premiere of Opus at Eccles Theatre in Park City. (Photo by...
13/03/2025
Spotify took center stage at the London Book Fair this week, reaffirming our commitment to the audiobook market and showcasing our impact on the publishing indu...
13/03/2025
At Spotify, we work every day to lift up new voices, giving creators the opportunity to live off their art. Through Spotify Audiobooks, our in-house publishing ...
13/03/2025
Every time airborne law enforcement (ALE) teams fly, they expect their equipment to perform. Whether airborne units are conducting support for ground teams, bor...
13/03/2025
Sunday February 9 saw the annual return of the US' biggest television event, the Super Bowl LIX. Jamie McCombs, Fox Sports Audio Consultant / Sr. Audio capt...
13/03/2025
On Sunday March 2, stars across the film industry gathered at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles for the 97th Academy Awards. Production Sound Mixer Paul Sandweis...
13/03/2025
WUPPERTAL, Germany Riedel Communications will feature its new StageLink family of smart edge devices, Smart Audio and Mixing Engine (SAME) and Virtual Smart Pan...
13/03/2025
TAG Video Systems and Harmonic Partner to Deliver Enhanced Real-Time Monitoring ...
13/03/2025
DigitalGlue Invites NAB Visitors to Experience New Features in Managed Storage P...
13/03/2025
FOR-A America Theme - Connecting the Present, Building the Future - Comes to Lif...
13/03/2025
CTIA, the wireless industry association, has named former FCC Chairman Aji Pai as its President and Chief Executive Officer, effective April 1. He replaces Mere...
13/03/2025
he National Association of Broadcasters is urging the FCC to end its investigation of that controversial CBS interview with Kamala Harris stating there is no ...
13/03/2025
MIAMI CBS News & Stations continues to expand its use of augmented and virtual reality technologies with the planned launch of an augmented reality/virtual real...
13/03/2025
Srividhya Srinivasan, co-founder and chief customer success & innovation Officer at Amagi, tells TVBEurope how staying ahead of the latest trends is essential f...
13/03/2025
WASHINGTON FCC Chairman Brendan Carr announced that the agency has launched a massive, new deregulatory initiative that could potentially subject virtually all ...
13/03/2025
SUNNYVALE, Calif. SDVI has announced that it has integrated its Rally media supply chain management platform with the Spectra Vail multi-cloud data management s...
13/03/2025
ATLANTA Gray Media has announced that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has granted a waiver of its local ownership rules to permit Gray Media to acqu...
13/03/2025
TV Tech: What do you anticipate will be the most significant technology trends at the 2025 NAB Show?...
13/03/2025
Watch Student Naomi Soleils Folk Pop Performance on The Voice The songwriting major sang Stars by Grace Potter and the Nocturnals during the blind auditions.
...
13/03/2025
Roku Debuts NWSL Zone' Within Roku Sports to Spotlight Live Games, Content Feature marks Rokus first women's league-branded zone within service By Bra...
13/03/2025
Pixels, Images, Video, AI - and Us: A Perspective on AI from NDI Inventor Andrew...
13/03/2025
SVG New Sponsor Spotlight: Lighting Design Group's Steve Brill, Dennis Size ...
13/03/2025
IOC, Comcast NBCU Ink $3B Media-Rights Extension for Olympic Games Through 2036;...
13/03/2025
NCAA March Madness Live Returns with Expanded Availability of MultiView Vertical...
13/03/2025
SVG Sit-Down: Cosm's Devin Poolman on What It Takes To Deliver the Immersive...
13/03/2025
Sky Business, Sky's B2B division, providing connectivity and content to busi...
13/03/2025
Rohde & Schwarz launches R&S NRP140TWG(N) thermal power sensor: A new benchmark ...
13/03/2025
We asked the questions, analysed the answers and now we're excited to share the results of the fifth edition of the ICG Marketing Survey.
Our 2025 survey p...
13/03/2025
SAN JOSE, Calif. - March 13, 2025 Harmonic (NASDAQ: HLIT) today announced a breakthrough in video streaming innovation with the launch of new origin capabilitie...
13/03/2025
Haivision Showcases Mission-Critical Video Solutions at SOF Week 2025
Haivision's video wall systems, ISR technology, and DoDIN APL-certified video distri...
13/03/2025
Company Leads the Way with New Software-Based Production Platform, 12G Switcher,...
13/03/2025
A new Apple Immersive concert experience, Metallica, is coming to Apple Vision Pro this Friday, March 14. Filmed in Mexico City during the sold-out second-year ...
13/03/2025
Here is your host, Patrick Kielty!
Shake your Shamrocks, Patrick Kielty will be...
13/03/2025
This St. Patrick's weekend, RT invites you to celebrate all things Irish, showcasing the very best of Irish sport, entertainment and live coverage from the...
13/03/2025
What's next in AI is at GTC 2025. Not only the technology, but the people and ideas that are pushing AI forward - creating new opportunities, novel solution...
13/03/2025
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
By combining T-Mobile's robust network, Thal...
13/03/2025
Bundle up - GeForce NOW is bringing a flurry of Blizzard titles to its ever-expanding library.
Prepare to weather epic gameplay in the cloud, tackling the genr...
13/03/2025
AI is leveling up the world's most beloved games, as the latest advancements...
13/03/2025
PC game modding is massive, with over 5 billion mods downloaded annually. Mods p...
12/03/2025
O Spotify acaba de lan ar o relat rio Loud & Clear deste ano, uma vis o transpar...
12/03/2025
Spotify acaba de presentar el informe Loud & Clear de este a o, una mirada trans...
12/03/2025
Ramadan, a period of profound spiritual significance for Muslims worldwide, is a time for fasting, prayer, reflection, and community. Enrich your experience thi...
12/03/2025
Spotify has just unveiled this year's Loud & Clear report, a transparent loo...
12/03/2025
More than 70% of FAST programming has been produced since 2010, according to new Gracenote report
NEW YORK March 12, 2025 Gracenote, the content data busin...
12/03/2025
GEONA, Nev. Independent digital and linear advertising rep firm Viamedia will adopt cloud-based ShowSeeker Pilot as its primary ad campaign and order management...
12/03/2025
BRUSSELS Mediagenix has announced that Wael Yasin has joined the company as sales director Central Europe....
12/03/2025
LONDON A new study highlights opportunities for shoppable TV and the massive impact online consumer spending is having on the economy, with Omdia predicting tha...
12/03/2025
CUPERTINO, Calif. Interra Systems has announced that Comcast Technology Solutions has integrated recent updates to BATON Version 9 into its operations....