Van Wagner Prioritizes Remote Production With New Broadcast-Control Center in Raleigh Company staff, outside personnel can now operate from multiple control rooms By Kristian Hern ndez, Senior Editor
Wednesday, June 21, 2023 - 8:05 am
Print This Story | Subscribe
Story Highlights
The sports-video-production industry is undoubtedly headed toward placing remote production and similar workflows at the core of broadcast efforts, and Van Wagner is taking notice. With in-venue productions at the biggest professional and collegiate events on the yearly calendar, the company is taking a step down that path with a new broadcast control center at its office in Raleigh, NC.
As we sit in our Raleigh office right now, says Van Wagner President, Productions, Bob Becker, we officially have a multimillion-dollar broadcast-control facility. We presented this idea to our ownership group, and they were behind it 100%, so we're excited about this opportunity.
Long-Awaited Dream: Pandemic-Related Delays Push Project Down the Road Like most ideas generated over the past three years, the concept has taken new shape and been continually altered by the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2020 NFL Virtual Draft with NFL Network and ESPN was the catalyst to turning the decision on paper into a brick-and-mortar facility.
We [produced that event] on 6-ft. tables and blew out our conference room by adding monitors everywhere, says Becker. [Director, Technical Operations,] Nate [McCoart] did a good job figuring out how to do that well while it was happening.
The early stages in construction of a control room for remote production at Van Wagner facilities in Raleigh, NC
Virtualized productions and Zoom-based content were the rage and, at the time, allowed the industry to navigate the pandemic effectively. Although the entire industry was capitalizing on that trend, the temporary solution almost dictated the direction of the permanent facility.
We went through the design phase and construction process to the point where we started knocking walls down, says Becker. Four months later, we realized that [this trajectory] wasn't going to last forever, so we knew it wouldn't be a great business model to build it this way.
Teaming up with McCoart and Broadcast Facility Operations Manager Nelson Hurst, Becker and the rest of the crew worked closely with their partners to redefine the scope and vision for the project. Luckily, Van Wagner employs folks with extensive experience in the in-venue sector of the industry, and that experience entails knowledge of, and time spent inside, the newest control rooms across the country.
The main control room allows Van Wagner and others to produce in-venue shows remotely.
The unique benefit we have, says McCoart, is that we've been in trucks from NEP Group and Game Creek Video and have worked in large control rooms like SoFi Stadium's as well as control rooms in smaller venues. Our team has been able to experience the full breadth of what's out there in the world, and we've taken that into how we want our space to function.
Although the control room will reduce the travel costs and congestion of a full onsite team, the new facility will not change Van Wagner's in-venue-production philosophy of having a majority of their team onsite for major tentpole events, such as this weekend's two-game series between the St. Louis Cardinals and Chicago Cubs in London.
That's not going to stop [us from traveling to these bigger events] since it's still difficult to do a live event from a remote control room, says Becker. When somebody makes a three-point shot or scores a touchdown, you need to see that in real time instead of in three seconds.
Inside the Tech: ES Broadcast, Other Vendors Supply High-Quality Workflows From a technological vantage point, Van Wagner enlisted the services of ES Broadcast for hardware and software in the control room. The main production wing of the control room features a Ross Carbonite Black Plus switcher with 36 inputs/25 outputs and 3 full M/E//4 mini M/E; a Ross Touchdrive 3S control panel with touchscreen and 3 Full M/E; two Ross XPression studio graphics system with three channels fill/key x 2 inputs and Datalinq server; an Evertz DreamCatcher replay server with 6 input/2 output and DCP controller; and a Newtek 3Play 3P1 replay server with 4 input/2 output SDI and additional IO via NDI. The main audio-control wing houses a Calrec Brio 36 console with 64 64 Dante IO and 64 32 analog IO; a 5.1- and stereo-capable system; JBL audio monitoring; and a TriggerPlay audio playback system.
A Calrec Brio 36 console is the main component of the audio-control room.
Back of house, the space is powered through a 384 384 Evertz NEXX multiformat enterprise routing system, MADI and Dante audio routing by DirectOut and Focusrite, G&D IP KVM system, and Evertz Quartz control panels. Communications are accomplished with a Riedel Artist 1024 IP AES67 intercom system, Riedel RSP1232 and RSP1216 control panels, Unity Connect remote audio connectivity, and a Unity server mobile intercom system.
To receive incoming video feeds from a mobile unit or flypack with minimal operational issues, the facility relies on an approach that works well with any vendor: 12 inbound paths via LiveU LU4000, four outbound paths via LiveU LU810, 6 inbound x 6 outbound paths via TVU VS3500, 24 inbound paths via Haivision Makito SRT, 16 outbound paths via Haivision Makito SRT, and multiple paths of HLS, RTMP, RTMPS, RTSP, MPEG-2, MPEG-DASH, and VIXI encoding.
A Ross Carbonite Black Plus production switcher drives in-venue productions.
Our model is to be transmission-agnostic, to be flexible and have the ability to easily integrate with anyone's existing workflows, says McCoart. Since we partner with multiple providers, we wanted to sca
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...
Van Wagner Prioritizes Remote Production With New Broadcast-Control Center in Raleigh Company staff, outside personnel can now operate from multiple control rooms By Kristian Hern ndez, Senior Editor 
