
Live From the Ryder Cup: NBC Sports Team Effort Leads for Onsite Production By Ken Kerschbaumer, Editorial Director
Sunday, September 26, 2021 - 8:17 am
Print This Story | Subscribe
Story Highlights
The final day of the Ryder Cup is underway and for NBC Sports the skies are clear, production plans have come together nicely, and team USA is putting on a performance that should energize golf fans across the country. And for Allison McAllister NBC Sports VP, Golf Operations, it is adding up to a great effort across the board with the PGA of America's partnership and more cooperation than ever between NBC Sports, Sky Sports, and European Tour Productions.
A FlyCam at the Ryder Cup is providing great overhead shots of the stands and action at the first tee.
Things are going well, says McAllister. It's awesome to be here as there's nothing like a Ryder Cup. The excitement is electric and it's a very special event and it's a fun thing to experience.
McAllister says that with more than 500 people on site safety is the number one priority one as and everyone in the compound and on the course has embraced the PGA of America and NBC EHS guidelines.
While the Ryder Cup matches didn't tee off until the morning of Sept. 24 the Golf Channel was on hand all week, beginning with coverage of the Ryder Cup Captain's press conference on the afternoon of Monday, Sept. 20. Live primetime shows also began that evening. Live From has offered up 50 hours of programming during the week and Marc Caputo, NBC Sports, Director, Remote Technical Operations, says innovations include a FlyCam on the first tee that is shared with everyone in the compound. With all the excitement at the first tee it is capturing great shots of fans (sometimes sitting in the dark waiting for the first tee shot at 7 am) and the unique energy and excitement that defines the Ryder Cup.
We have 16 total cameras for Live From' including four Telemetrics cameras on the set, a Televator Dolly that gives a jib look, that are controlled from a production control room in Stamford, says Caputo. We also have three Robovision robotic cameras in the practice areas and because of the team play we have two rover cameras. And then we also have two LiveU units.
The Live From show is cut from PCR8 back in Stamford where there are two EVS playback rooms, two graphics operators, and audio (TopTracer on the range is also controlled from Stamford). An NBC Newbert flypack is on hand for signal transmission to Stamford with 16 transmit and nine return feeds with Lumens providing 10 Gbs of fiber connectivity into the compound.
The only people we have here for Live From' are a few technicians, a coordinating producer and field producers, adds Caputo.
This is the first Ryder Cup where NBC Sports and Sky Sports are part of the same corporate family. The Live From is a hybrid show where Sky produces segments from its studio on the 18th green that air inside the U.S. Live From broadcast and vice versa.
At night when the Sky set is not being used, we move the two Live From' rovers there and host our inside segments from that studio, says Caputo.
Course Coverage
NBC's core production efforts are in ND7 while NEP Supershooter 8 and ND5 are on hand in a support role. BSI handles RF systems for NBC, Sky, and the world feed and Fletcher is providing robotics. There is plenty of opportunity for resource sharing with NBC Sports, SKY Sports and European Tour Productions. For example, course coverage is handled by 63 cameras, including three Inertia Xmo super slo-mos. The camera resources are passed into NEP ESU and made available to each of the entities on site.
In addition to the FlyCam there is also a camera in a plane, a live drone, and a SteadiCam. Four miles of fiber in the compound and 57 miles across the course keeps all facilities connected.
Over the years, TopTracer has become a big part of golf production, making it possible for viewers at home to keep track of ball flight. NBC has deployed it heavily for the Ryder Cup.
Hawkeye servers provide an extra level of redundancy to ensure that shots aren't missed. Two operators are working remotely from Oklahoma while a third operator is on site at Whistling Straits.
Two of them are working on the main show and one with the featured match, he says.
Another technology being used is Whoop. Certain players are wearing the Whoop wristband that provides heart rate. NBC is dropping in a graphic on the first tee that displays the players heart rate in real time as they step to the tee which is, arguably, one of the most heart racing tee shots in golf.
It's amazing to have those metrics that Tommy Roy and his team are pushing and making that vision a reality, says Ken Goss, NBC Sports, EVP, Studio and Remote Operations and Production Planning.
Pinpoint wind speed and direction display is also a big part of the show (handled out of the Sky Studios in the UK) as are augmented reality graphics (handled out of New Zealand) and an editor in Ireland is also working on the show.
The Ryder Cup caps off an exceptional year of major golf event productions as NBC tackled not only the Ryder Cup but also the Players Championship, the Open Championship, and the Olympics golf events.
(l-to-r) Mark Caputo, Bridget Cugle, Allison McAllister, Kate Stefko, and Kristen Moorby are making sure NBC Sports Ryder Cup operations and facilities run smoothly.
We're running on adrenaline and the big events like this help with that, says Kate Stefko, NBC Sports, Director, Golf Operations. And this year there has always been another big event to look forward to as you finish the Olympics and then we go into the Solheim Cup and now onto the Ryder Cup. So, the excitement continues.
Goss credits a team that has tackled a year in golf production unlike a
Most recent headlines
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
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....
12/03/2025
Nevion announces new 400G addition to its eMerge SDN media fabric offering
Brie Clayton March 12, 2025
0 Comments
High-capacity switch enhances existi...
12/03/2025
DaVinci Resolve Studio Delivers Cinematic Sound for Adam Bol
Brie Clayton March 12, 2025
0 Comments
Feature film relies on DaVinci Resolve Studio for ...
12/03/2025
SVT Leverages Ateliere Live to Pioneer 100% Software-Defined Production at Rally...
12/03/2025
Berklee Awards Fenway Neighborhood Improvement Grant to Four Organizations A total of $17,000 will be distributed among the Boston-based nonprofits.
By
Madd...
12/03/2025
TVBEuropes Jenny Priestley sits down with new SMPTE president Richard Welsh to discuss his aims for the organisation going forward, its efforts to attract a you...
12/03/2025
The new process has significantly enhanced operational efficiencies, with automation freeing up creators to concentrate on higher value tasks
By Matthew Corrig...
12/03/2025
Jellyfish Pictures, which has offices in London and Sheffield, said it has been battling hard in the face of strong headwinds over the last 12 months
By Jenny ...
12/03/2025
Visit Booth #W2213 to Experience the Latest in AI-Driven Content Discovery and Workflow Automation
Bitcentral, a leader in media workflow solutions, is set to ...
12/03/2025
CHICAGO Jeff Lilly has been named WGN-TV director of technology effective March 17, 2025, according to Ric Harris, WGN-TV vice president and general manager....
12/03/2025
MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. A new study from LG Ad Solutions indicates that consumers want more features that would allow them to shop for products on the connected T...
12/03/2025
BOTHELL, Wash. The Alliance for IP Media Solutions (AIMS), Advanced Media Workflow Association (AMWA) and the Video Services Forum (VSF) will once again present...
12/03/2025
PHILADELPHIA Comcast announced that it has upgraded Xfinity Internet speeds for more than 20 million customers for no additional cost....
12/03/2025
Create with Maxon: Cinema 4D Fundamentals Workshop - March 12-14
Brie Clayton March 11, 2025
0 Comments
Makin' Waffles with Elly Wade
During Marc...
12/03/2025
Ottawa, Canada - March 12, 2025 - Ross Video is pleased to announce the appointment of Aaron Tunnell as Business Development Director, Cloud Solutions, reinforc...
12/03/2025
12 Mar 2025
VEON to release 4Q 2024 trading update on 20 March 2025 Dubai, 12 March 2025 - VEON Ltd. (NASDAQ: VEON), a global digital operator, today confirms ...
12/03/2025
Getting set for the Winter Olympics: Inside SVT's ongoing software-based pro...
12/03/2025
THE PLAYERS Championship 2025: AI Commentary, Shared-Reality Viewing at COSM, La...
12/03/2025
Seamless SMPTE 2110: A Discussion on Making the Move to IP Less Painful Leaders from Netflix, Monumental Sports & Entertainment, LinkedI, and Megapixel address ...
12/03/2025
Opening Doors of Perception: Meta's Ajit Ninan on Rethinking AR/MR Perceptua...
12/03/2025
With the 2025 Formula 1 season set to begin in Melbourne on March 16, Sky Sports is gearing up to deliver its most comprehensive F1 coverage yet. Following a th...
12/03/2025
Unicanal and Trece TV revolutionize Digital TV in Paraguay with Rohde & Schwarz ...
12/03/2025
Honoring Service, Celebrating Sport: Rohde & Schwarz UK Sponsors NavyFit Rugby D...