YES Network's YES, We're Here' Digital Campaign Keeps Content Train Chugging Using Zoom, the New York RSN is turning around one-on-one interviews with key Yankees, Nets personalities By Brandon Costa, Director of Digital
Friday, March 27, 2020 - 2:44 pm
Print This Story | Subscribe
Story Highlights
Thursday was a visceral reminder of what the sports industry has temporarily lost as a result of the coronavirus pandemic: Major League Baseball's Opening Day came and went. With no live games to air, regional sports networks across the country are formulating new content plans to keep fans entertained, informed, and engaged.
At YES Network, the New York City-area RSN - which carries the rights to New York Yankees, Brooklyn Nets, and NYCFC - is going all-in on its digital and social efforts, launching a content campaign called YES, We're Here, which features YES Network talent conducting Zoom-based video interviews with current and former players, fellow on-air talent, and other interesting personalities.
With what was supposed to be Opening Day upon us, we realized that Yankees fans traditionally look to YES [Network], so we wanted to create that same community feel during these unique times, says Kevin Sullivan, managing editor/director, digital media, YES Network. [YES, We're Here] has really been a wide mix of content with the hope that we can produce something for everybody, especially now when everybody is looking for some sort of distraction to help ease their anxieties given what's going on in the world right now.
So far, YES Network has produced longform video chats from talent ranging from Yankees play-by-play man Michael Kay; Yankees reporters Meredith Marakovits, Jack Curry, and Bob Lorenz; Nets play-by-play voice Ian Eagle; and Nets analysts/reporters Sarah Kustok and Michael Grady. They've been able to line up a star-studded list of guests, including Yankees manager Aaron Boone, former Yankee pitchers David Cone and Jim Abbott, and Nets swingman Garrett Temple.
The series came as a result of a massive idea session spearheaded by YES Networks President, Production and Programming, John Filippelli. According to Sullivan, hundreds of ideas began pouring in from the YES team.
There were so many ideas that, at times, it felt a little overwhelming, says Sullivan. That's when we took a step back and asked ourselves, What's most important right now?' Collectively, we decided that it was most important that our viewers simply heard from our talent. They are so used to seeing and hearing from them every day; then, all of a sudden, it got stripped away from them. We wanted to let fans hear from our talent again and let them know that, yes, we're here for them and that we are all in this together.
Using Zoom allows YES Network to continue to create content while keeping its staff and guests safe in their homes as the nation waits out the coronavirus pandemic. Following a Zoom interview, the archived video file can easily be imported into either Final Cut Pro or Adobe Premiere (YES editors can edit on their platform of choice) to add a layer of graphical branding before the final project is exported and shared across the RSN's various social channels.
Sullivan notes that, while these are undoubtedly unique circumstances, the YES Network team is actually well-seasoned and equipped to be working remotely this way. It's something they are accustomed to doing.
We've always been able to do our jobs from just about anywhere, he says. Struggling to remain relevant or to maintain our engagement level hasn't been much of an issue because we're already accustomed to having the resources available to execute regardless of our locale.
Sullivan points out, for example, that, while Spring Training was going on prior to the eventual MLB shutdown, members of the YES Network digital team were already executing on a workflow that had them shuttling between Tampa, FL, and YES Network's main offices in Stamford, CT. He adds that, like many, he and his team are conducting more-frequent video-conferenced meetings to keep connected while everyone works from home.
YES Network is also continuing to churn out some of its most popular recurring pieces of social-media content, including game simulations on MLB The Show 20 (a videogame for the Playstation platform), unboxing and opening packs of baseball cards, and launching a bracket-style game in which fans can vote on the best Yankee nickname of all time.
The network's popular CenterStage interview series is also getting a boost, being reintroduced as a podcast. The network is releasing one episode per week and has, so far, released episodes featuring interviews with former Yankees manager Joe Torre and former player Dave Winfield. The podcasts feature additional content that didn't originally make air in the broadcast version of the show.
The hope, says Sullivan, is that our loyal YES viewers can come to our digital platforms and find something that can help them smile during this difficult time.
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...
YES Network's YES, We're Here' Digital Campaign Keeps Content Train Chugging Using Zoom, the New York RSN is turning around one-on-one interviews with key Yankees, Nets personalities By Brandon Costa, Director of Digital 
