Live From Men's Final Four: A Live Drone Flies Inside NRG Stadium For Game Coverage
01/04/2023
Saturday, April 1, 2023 - 4:19 pm
Print This Story | Subscribe
Story Highlights
Sometimes innovation doesn't happen in one big tectonic-shifting moment. Sometimes, innovation is gradual.
A drone will fly both inside and outside NRG Stadium offering live visuals for game and studio coverage at the NCAA Men's Basketball Final Four in Houston this weekend. (Photo: CBS Sports/WBD Sports)
Such has been the case for drone usage in live sports broadcasts. This weekend, for the first time at the NCAA Men's Basketball Final Four, a drone will fly inside the stadium and serve as a live camera angle for game coverage.
CBS Sports and Warner Bros. Discovery Sports partnered with the NCAA to get the drone - which is provided by the CNN Aerial Imagery and Reporting (CNN AIR) division - approved this week for flight inside the stadium in pre-designated areas.
It's a significant step forward for CBS Sports and WBD Sports production and operations teams. Last year in New Orleans, they were able to use a drone but only for exterior scenic shots outside of the Caesars Superdome.
The goal is to just go inch-by-inch and to continue to grow, says Chris Brown, VP, Production Operations and Technology for WBD Sports. We were able to take what we were able to do last year, learn from it, and work with the NCAA to move it just a little bit more forward.
The drone is provided by the CNN Aerial Imagery and Reporting (CNN AIR) division. (Photo: CBS Sports/WBD Sports)
The drone will not fly over the court but the networks have identified several spots inside the stadium bowl where they have angles that bring a special look to the show. There is a section in NRG Stadium where there are seat kills where the drone can hover between 20-80 feet in the air and fly north-to-south and east-to-west to pull in images. That, according to Jason Cohen, VP, Remote Technical Operations for CBS Sports is the perfect flight path that gives us a good perspective of the court and isn't populated with a ton of people.
The drone also will serve a critical role this year as, for the first time in quite some time, a SkyCam will not be utilized here in Houston. The cabled-aerial fixture could not be set up inside NRG Stadium due to the massive centerhung videoboard that is erected over the court. It is both too wide and sits too low for a cabled-aerial to be effectively and safely put up. The centerhung, which usually isn't in place for Houston Texans games was in place following the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Show, which just closed on March 19.
[The drone] helps us give that big sense of feel to the room, says Cohen. It establishes atmosphere. It helps us put the show where it belongs, which is a major event that we are covering in a major way.
The drone will also be used on the exterior of the building as there are studio activations out among the Fan Fest.
One of the reasons for pushing for the drone at this year's Men's Final Four is that CBS Sports and WBD Sports were unable to utilize a SkyCam due the layout of NRG Stadium's centerhung videobaord.
Live drones are not new for either of these networks. CBS Sports has used drones on both golf and the NFL, while WBD Sports has utilized them on NBA broadcasts. Their case studies are just a few examples of the sharply-increasing usage of drones as a live camera by sports broadcasters of all levels.
Drones, in my mind, are one of the finest examples of a community-supported enhancement amongst all TV partners, says Cohen, who applauded Fox Sports' usage of a live drone during its coverage of the Big East Tournament. No good comes out of anyone having a bad experience with the drone. We're all rooting for each other and pushing it forward because we want it to be a successful key part of television coverage.
We want to advance every year, continues Cohen, but you can only get there if you have successful steps each way along the path.
CBS Sports and Warner Bros. Discovery Sports will provide exclusive coverage of the 2023 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship from Houston, Texas. CBS will televise the NCAA Final Four National Semifinals on Saturday and the National Championship on Monday, April 3. Saturday's Men's Final Four features Florida Atlantic taking on San Diego State at 6:09 p.m. ET on CBS, followed by Connecticut vs. Miami approximately 40 minutes after the completion of the first game.
LINK: | https://www.sportsvideo.org/2023/04/01/live-from-mens-final-four-a-liv... |
See more stories from svg |
Most recent headlines
04/08/2024
Dalet Appoints Santiago Solanas as CEO to Lead Next Era of Growth and Innovation
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, is excited to announce Santiago Solanas as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO)....
03/06/2024
Dalet and Veritone Reach Agreement to Distribute, Transact and Monetize Media Archives
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, a...
09/05/2024
Yale University's Center for Collaborative Arts and Media (CCAM) Cultivates Creativity with Blackmagic Design
Yale University's Center for Collaborative Arts and Media (CCAM) Cultivates ...
09/05/2024
Blender: Awesome Rack Focus Rig
Blender: Awesome Rack Focus Rig Simon Ubsdell May 9, 2024 0 Comments In which we build a focusing rig in the Blender compositor to enable selective fo...
09/05/2024
Peacock Orders The Office' Offshoot
Peacock has picked up a series from Greg Daniels, who developed The Office for NBC, that is set in the same universe, according to the network, as the NBC hit...
09/05/2024
Sinclair Net Income Drops To $23 Million in First Quarter
Sinclair reported lower net income in the first quarter as distribution revenues rose and ad revenue excluding political spending dipped....
09/05/2024
Vizio Reports $12.1 Million Loss for First Quarter
Vizio Holding Corp., which has agreed to be acquired by Walmart, reported a loss in the first quarter despite growth in its advertising and data businesses....
09/05/2024
Kathleen Keefe, Broadcasting Exec, Dies at 68
Kathleen Keefe, who served as VP of sales for both Hearst Television and Post-Newsweek Stations, died peacefully in her sleep at her home in Roxbury, Connecticu...
09/05/2024
Future Today Adds Movies From Warner Bros Discovery to Fawesome
Streaming company Future Today said it made a deal with Warner Bros. Discovery that will bring 46 movies to Future Today's Fawesome channel....
09/05/2024
Warner Bros. Discovery Reports $966 Million First-Quarter Loss
Despite reporting a profit for its direct-to-consumer business, Warner Bros. Discovery reported a big loss as it took huge write-downs in the first quarter....
09/05/2024
Nexstar Reports Higher Net Income in First Quarter
Nexstar Media Group reported higher first-quarter earnings and said that it cut losses at The CW by $50 million year-over-year....
09/05/2024
Fubo Grabs Viewer Attention, According to TVision Study
Fubo, the sports-focused streaming service, scored high in getting its viewers attention, according to a study conducted by measurement and analytics company TV...
09/05/2024
SailGP Expanding LiveLineFX Graphics Platform to Other Sports
LONDON SailGP, which sponsors high-speed boat racing events worldwide says it is developing its LiveLineFX sports graphics platform for use in other sports....
09/05/2024
Disney, WBD to Offer Streaming Bundle Starting this Summer
BURBANK, Calif. Starting this summer, U.S. consumers will be able to purchase a new streaming bundle offered by Disney and Warner Bros. Discovery that includes ...
09/05/2024
Sony and Apollo plan to break up Paramount'
Companies are expected to sell off Paramounts linear channels as well as close Paramount Plus By Jenny Priestley Published: May 9, 2024 Companies are expe...
09/05/2024
Paramount Global Selects Amdocs Vubiquity to Provide Mana...
Amdocs (NASDAQ:DOX), a leading provider of software and services to communications and media companies, today announced that Vubiquity, an Amdocs company, has b...
09/05/2024
CueScript Awarded Best of Show for CueFlip at NAB 2024
CueScript, the leading developer of professional teleprompting solutions, has announced that its CueFlip screen-to-screen folding field prompter has won in this...
09/05/2024
Mother's Day Ideas from CBC
Capitol Broadcasting has a myriad of ways to celebrate Mom! In honor of Mother's Day, here are a few ideas CBC divisions have to help you honor, or remember...
09/05/2024
Scripps Appoints New President and CEO of the Scripps Howard Fund
CINCINNATI Meredith Delaney has been appointed president and CEO of the Scripps Howard Fund, the philanthropic arm of The E.W. Scripps Company....
09/05/2024
Walmart Launches the Onn. 4K Streaming Device
Following leaks earlier this month of Walmart's plans to launch a new 4K streaming box, Walmart has officially unveiled the Onn. 4K Pro, a hybrid streaming ...
09/05/2024
DirecTV Adds More CW Stations
DirecTV continues to add CW affiliates to its streaming line-up, with the addition of four stations owned by Gray Television....
09/05/2024
Takeshi Kitano's film KUBI graded with DaVinci Resolve
Takeshi Kitano's film KUBI graded with DaVinci Resolve Brie Clayton May 8, 2024 0 Comments Blackmagic Design today announced that DaVinci Resolve ...
09/05/2024
zweiB updates to latest version of R&S CLIPSTER
zweiB updates to latest version of R&S CLIPSTER Brie Clayton May 8, 2024 0 Comments Specialist in deliverables for cinema, events and trade shows Ro...
09/05/2024
Simplify Your Filmmaking with Portable Lights
Simplify Your Filmmaking with Portable Lights Sean Alami May 8, 2024 0 Comments Discover the sleek, mobile Zhiyun lights that enhance cinematic scenes...
09/05/2024
The Benefits of using an Audio Interface
The Benefits of using an Audio Interface Colin Smith May 8, 2024 0 Comments This tutorial takes you through the hardware and software benefits of usin...
09/05/2024
Mother's Day Idea from CBC
Capitol Broadcasting has a myriad of ways to celebrate Mom! In honor of Mother's Day, here are a few ideas CBC divisions have to help you honor, or remember...
09/05/2024
Lachlan Murdoch Sees Progress Toward Sports Streaming Product
Fox CEO Lachlan Murdoch said his company, The Walt Disney Co. and Warner Bros. Discovery are in a two-minute drill to get their streaming sports joint venture t...
09/05/2024
Dale Earnhardt Jr. Joins Prime Video's NASCAR Team
NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt Jr. is joining the Prime Video broadcast booth when the streaming network begins NASCAR Cup Series coverage next year. Earnhardt Jr...
09/05/2024
Nexstar Pitches Sports on The CW, Extra Reach Via Stations (Upfronts)
If upfront advertisers are looking for reach, Nexstar Media Group believes its base of local stations gives it a unique way to achieve that goal....
09/05/2024
Pluto TV Debuts NBCUniversal Local Streaming News Channels
NBCUniversal Local's 15 NBC and Telemundo local and regional streaming news channels begin launching on Pluto TV this month, starting May 8 with five channe...
09/05/2024
Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead' Debuts on BET Plus May 16
BET Plus said it has set May 16 as the premiere date for its original movie Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead....
09/05/2024
Disney's Rita Ferro Is Banking on Sports, Streaming, Tech (Upfronts)
Heading into the upfront, the advertising market is noticeably healthier than it was a year ago, Rita Ferro, president of global advertising sales at The Walt D...
09/05/2024
Prison Journalism: Challenges of foreign citizens' imprisonment in South Africa
Prison Journalism: Challenges of foreign citizens' imprisonment in South Afr...
09/05/2024
Prison Journalism: Pray for liberation and healing
Prison Journalism: Pray for liberation and healingThabo Mthembu was incarcerated in Pollsmoor Prison from 2014 to 2019. Read Thabo's story by Thabo Mthemb...
09/05/2024
Taylor Swift's European Eras tour kicks off in Paris TONIGHT
Taylor Swift's European Eras tour kicks off in Paris TONIGHTThe highest-grossing tour in history has finally arrived in Europe as Taylor Swift kicks off her...
09/05/2024
Tonight on Scandal: MaHilda and Phakamile are forced into navigating a tense truce
Tonight on Scandal: MaHilda and Phakamile are forced into navigating a tense tru...
09/05/2024
RT Supporting the Arts: What's On this May
RT Supporting the Arts: What's On this May Watch our YouTube promo here This May RT is delighted to support Dublin Dance Festival along with 20 other ar...
09/05/2024
Honkai: Star Rail' Blasts Off on GeForce NOW
Gear up, Trailblazers - Honkai: Star Rail lands on GeForce NOW this week, along with an in-game reward for members to celebrate the title's launch in the cl...
09/05/2024
Rohde & Schwarz showcases operational efficiency at MPTS
Rohde & Schwarz showcases operational efficiency at MPTS Uncompromised quality and reliability coupled with simplicity and efficiency Rohde & Schwarz will ...
08/05/2024
Saved! and Rudo y Cursi Among Films With May Anniversaries
Diego Luna's character Beto aims to play professional soccer in Carlos Cuar n's film Rudo y Cursi....
08/05/2024
SGL Carbon: Focus on global growth trends pays off
SGL Carbon had a solid start to the first quarter of 2024. Despite the slight decline in sales of 3.9% to 272.6 million (Q1 2023: 283.7 million), adjusted EBI...
08/05/2024
The results are in from Malm Arena as Semi Final 1 participants move through to the Grand Final of this year's Eurovision Song Contest
The results are in from Malm Arena as Semi Final 1 participants move through to...
08/05/2024
Powerful NITV documentary Kindred to premiere during Reconciliation Week
Powerful NITV documentary Kindred to premiere during Reconciliation Week Media releases A journey of family, friendship and home *Watch the trailer here* ...
08/05/2024
Aerojet Rocketdyne Selected by DoD to Demonstrate Powder-in, Engine-out Hypersonic Propulsion Manufacturing
Aerojet Rocketdyne delivers a broad range of capabilities to support hypersonic ...
08/05/2024
L3Harris is Advancing the Future Fleet by Delivering Integrated Solutions
Selected by Fincantieri Marinette Marine, L3Harris is the shipboard design integrator and a key partner on the Fincantieri team for delivering critical subsyste...
08/05/2024
EditShare Goes Beyond Storage at MPTS
EditShare Goes Beyond Storage at MPTS Workflow, server and delivery solutions from storyboard to screen Stand D40, London Olympia, May 15-16, 2024 - EditShar...
08/05/2024
Tegna, Indiana Fever Expand Broadcast Distribution to 11 Additional Markets
TYSONS, Va. Tegna Inc. and the Indiana Fever have announced they have expanded the broadcast distribution of 17 Fever WNBA games to 11 additional markets....
08/05/2024
Comcast Business Boosts Internet Speeds
PHILADELPHIA Comcast Business has increased Internet speeds for customers, nationwide, at no additional cost and has introduced its fastest Internet plans yet ...
08/05/2024
Clear-Com to Showcase Cutting-Edge Communication Solution...
Clear-Com , a renowned provider of professional real-time communication solutions, is thrilled to announce its participation at InfoComm 2024, the largest profe...
08/05/2024
MRMC Achieves its Second Kings Award for Enterprise
Mark Roberts Motion Control (MRMC), a Nikon company, is one of the 252 organisations recognised with a prestigious King's Award for Enterprise. Announced to...