Stanley Cup Final: ESPN Offers Visually Appealing Return with Two On-Ice Skate Cams, Cabled Aerials, 10 Super Slow Mos, and More Multiple players and coaches will wear microphones for in-depth audio coverage By Brandon Costa, Director of Digital
Monday, June 20, 2022 - 3:18 pm
Print This Story | Subscribe
Story Highlights
For many at ESPN, the return of the Stanley Cup Final to the company's programming lineup is not only a fitting culmination to its first full season of NHL coverage since 2004, but also a stark reminder of how far the network has come in just 15 months since the news first broke of the Walt Disney Company's seven-year rights agreement with the NHL.
Inside the ESPN production truck during Game 2 of the 2022 Stanley Cup Final. ESPN's lead producer and director team for the NHL is Jeff Dufine and Doug Holmes. (Photo: Phil Ellsworth/ESPN Images)
We started this thing with nothing. Actually, we had one thing: we had the music, says Jeff Dufine, lead producer of ESPN's NHL game coverage. Literally, a year ago, that's all we had. We didn't have production teams. We didn't have any operations folks lined up. We didn't have trucks. We didn't have equipment. It's been a huge lift, but we're really proud about how we got here and the product we put on the air.
In essentially a summer, ESPN recruited a group that produced north of 150 games for ESPN, ABC, and ESPN+ during the 2021-22 campaign that has included a playoff run and, now, the Stanley Cup Final, which continues Monday evening as the series shifts to Tampa for Game 3 with the Colorado Avalanche carrying a commanding two games to none lead over the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Specialty Cams for Star Power Cameras have been a star of this series so far, most notably specialties ranging from a cabled aerial camera (SkyCam Wildcat), Ankle Cams in the lower corner boards, two Skate Cams (on-ice shallow depth-of-field rigs operated by Zac Laszuk and Steven Smith.), and more than 10 super slow-mos.
SkyCam Wildcat is up in both arenas to offer a fresh, aerial look to ESPN's game coverage of the Stanley Cup Final. (Photo: Phil Ellsworth/ESPN Images)
ESPN is also working closely with Canadian broadcasters Sportsnet and TVA, as well as NHL Network and the NHL itself to share those resources and adding about 25 more camera angles for the front bench to utilize. That includes a camera in the Situation Room in Toronto that can be shown on-air during a replay review.
Dufine says the various angles are simply enhancing a series that is full of fantastic storylines for me and director Doug Holmes. The overarching storyline simply being a matchup between a two-time defending champion looking to cement a dynasty and a young, star-powered team on the rise.
We're fortunate. These, I think, are the two best teams in hockey, says Dufine. Colorado's been that team the entire regular season and we all know that Tampa's going for three in a row. But when you look at it like, both of these coaches are super insightful. They're a walking soundbite, You can't go wrong. They're both phenomenal when, when we meet with them and they're really bright NHL minds. You look at their teams and there's Hall of Famers everywhere you look.
Maximizing Space at Each Venue Behind the scenes, the production compounds for the Final are a split between NEP Broadcasting in Denver and Game Creek Video in Tampa. Games 1 and 2 in Colorado saw NEP's EN2 A and B units as well as SS32 and ST32 anchor the operations, while the shift tonight to Games 3 and 4 in Florida welcomes Game Creek's Spirit A and B units, as well as Maverick and Edit 3.
Due to space limitations, ESPN chose to park its live production compound outside of Ball Arena for Games 1 and 2 of the series. (Photo: Phil Ellsworth/ESPN Images)
According to Erin Orr, Senior Manager, NHL Remote Operations for ESPN, each of the venues offers unique layouts and challenges to tackle when introducing an event at the scale of a Cup Final. In Denver, ESPN made the call to move the broadcast compound outside of the traditional dock location inside Ball Arena and instead position it in a remote lot outside. The regular dock simply didn't offer enough space for the resources needed by all parties. This required a cable bridge linking the broadcast trucks to the broadcast panel and extensive cable planning for execution.
Compound space is also tight in Tampa. There requires a well-coordinated arrival and parking of the trucks to ensure the space is utilized to its fullest capability Tampa is also not without unique limitations. Compound space in Florida is very tight and requires a very organized dance to ensure all trucks arrive and get positioned to the exact coordinate within the limited space. Additional cable infrastructure has been added to both venues, as well, to support a robust sharing of resources between ESPN and other broadcasters on site.
ESPN has added a second Skate Cam for the Stanley Cup Final. Here, operator Zac Laszuk runs a rig shooting images with a shallow depth of field during Game 2 in Denver. Operating the other rig is Steven Smith. (Photo: Phil Ellsworth/ESPN Images)
Orr praised the operations team for juggling the grab bag of obstacles that faced the crew this postseason - and in this series, in particular. That ops team includes senior operations specialist Jeff Werner, Associate Manager, Operations, Catherine Carroon, Remote Operations Coordinator Carson Kenney, operations specialists Brock Wetherbee and Jon Winders, and operations producers Katy Abbott, Tim Denyes, Phil Erwin, Diana MacLeod, Matt Pecarovich, Andrew Schneider, and Dave Walker.
Together, production and operations worked hand-in-hand and learned the importance of discipline, communication, respect, and, above all els
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...
Stanley Cup Final: ESPN Offers Visually Appealing Return with Two On-Ice Skate Cams, Cabled Aerials, 10 Super Slow Mos, and More Multiple players and coaches will wear microphones for in-depth audio coverage By Brandon Costa, Director of Digital 
