MLB Network Goes All Out for Second-Annual All-MLB Awards Show in Vegas

MLB Network Goes All Out for Second-Annual All-MLB Awards Show in Vegas Production is fully in-house, features enhanced camera complement By Jason Dachman, Editorial Director, U.S.

Thursday, November 14, 2024 - 11:01 am

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Major League Baseball celebrates the biggest stars of the game tonight in Las Vegas with the second-annual All-MLB Awards Show presented by MGM Rewards. Although this marks the fifth edition of the All-MLB Team's recognizing top player performances during the regular season, it's only the second year in which MLB Network has produced a full-fledged awards show for the occasion. And the network has significantly upped the production ante.

MLB Network has shifted this year's All-MLB Awards Show to a larger venue in The Chelsea at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas.

We've effectively moved the needle this year by moving to a bigger venue, rolling in our own trucks, and partnering with the Solomon Group for a better in-house experience, says Tom Healy, senior director, MLB Network. Add in more players and livelier music and entertainment, and I believe we moved the bar at every level of this production this year.

MLB Network Brings Production Fully In-House for Year Two MLB Network has rolled out a full onsite production at The Chelsea at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas with Game Creek Video's Yogi A and B units at the center of the show.

We've stepped up our production as we're in a bigger and better venue, says Coordinating Producer Dan Komyati. It's a great group of people working together, and I truly believe this is one of the best projects MLB Network has ever done.

MLB Network is deploying Game Creek Video's Yogi A and B units for this year's All-MLB Awards Show.

After using the in-house crew, cameras, and control room at Hyper X Arena Las Vegas in 2023, MLB Network is running its own operation this year, deploying its own trucks, uplink truck for transmission, generator, equipment, tech crew, fiber, and specialty cameras.

As with every large remote, says VP, Remote Operations, Tom Guidice, our preparation and planning are hugely important, including locking up our travel techs, local crew, production staff, and vendors. We are in a better place than we were last year leading into this program.

Adds Senior Producer Ian Theodoridis, When it gets bigger, it gets harder, but it's worth it. We have better cameras at our disposal, making it much more interesting visually than it was last year. The venue itself, the size of it, and how it's way more advanced technologically allows us to do more for the show.

Upgraded Camera Arsenal: JitaCam, AGITO Dolly, DynamiCam, and More The enhanced nine-camera complement comprises two hard cameras, two RF Steadicams from Faction Media, a jib, an RF handheld, and three systems from JitaCam: an AGITO RF robotic dolly system, DynamiCam wired aerial system, and robotic JitaCam on the stage.

A bigger theater comes with more territory to cover, so we've upgraded our cameras this year, to make this a high-end awards show, says Healy. The DynamiCam and AGITO remote modular dolly cam are like you'll see at the Grammy's and Oscars. These are the camera complements that make this show go.

In addition to the in-venue camera coverage, MLB Network has produced a movie-esque trailer complete with footage shot throughout Las Vegas over the past few days to serve as the cold open for the show.

MLB Network is also leveraging the BitFire media platform for additional feeds to its broadcast center in Secaucus, NJ.

MLB Network's 67-person crew is led by Remote Operations Production Manager Amanda McGowan and Remote Operations Specialist Ryan Stephens. Senior Remote Technical Manager Zaac Christopher is also onsite, along with SVP, Production, Marc Caiafa and SVP, Engineering and Operations, Susan Stone. Editorial Producer Matt Baker is on hand to effectively arm MLBN's on-air talent with all the facts and nuggets they need.

In-Venue Fan Experience Gets a Boost as Well Beyond just the MLB Network broadcast, the league is committed to improving the in-house experience for fans and has partnered with the Solomon Group, an experiential production company.

We pinpointed the in-house production and fan experience to upgrade this year, says Theodoridis, so partnering with the Solomon Group has been terrific. We've worked closely with them at the MLB Draft, and they will make the entire night much more enjoyable with what they're able to do.

Senior Coordinating Director Mike Martin says, The collaboration between MLB, MLB Network, MGM, and the Solomon Group has made this a successful experience and one we're really proud of.

Star-Studded Night Headlined by Return of Roy Wood Jr. Hosted by comedian Roy Wood Jr. for the second year in a row, the All-MLB Awards Show will feature a star-studded slate of current and former MLB players, as well as MLB Network on-air talent Greg Amsinger, Siera Santos, Lauren Shehadi, Harold Reynolds, and Chris Young,

It has been great to have our host, Roy Wood Jr., as part of the production process from the very beginning, says VP, Content Logistics and Field Production, Ben Friedfeld. He's always pitching us new ideas; it's just incredible the time and effort he has put into this project.

Besides announcing members of the 2024 All-MLB Team, the show will reveal selections for the Hank Aaron Awards and, for the first time, Mariano Rivera American League Reliever of the Year, Trevor Hoffman National League Reliever of the Year, Edgar Martinez Outstanding Designated Hitter, and Comeback Player of the Year.

In addition to having more production resources than last year, the show will feature more current and former players as well. Current players include M

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