Super Bowl City gives CBS Sports a Chance to Get Interactive with Fans

The CBS Sports Super Bowl production machine heads into the final day before the big game finalizing tweaks and rehearsals a Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara while maintaining a solid presence in Super Bowl City in San Francisco that includes the most unique feature of any Super Bowl studio set ever: a zip line designed to give fans visiting SBC a chance to take flight.

Patty Power of CBS Sports on the CBS Super Bowl City set in San Francisco.

It's fan activation so we wanted to combine both the on-air and fan activation as the host committee wanted to have an interactive experience in Super Bowl City, says Patty Power. So we worked closely with them and then our marketing folks came up with the idea for a zipline.

The zipline is located in front of the main CBS Sports SBC set that measures approximately 25 25 sq. ft. A football toss area is also located next to the zipline and both attractions have ensured that the CBS Sports set is an active and lively area.

We opened last Saturday and it's been packed, so that has been really good as we have people showing up all the time and can capture what is going on in Super Bowl City for viewers, adds Power.

Also located in the area is a platform for CBS owned-and-operated TV stations as well as affiliates and programs like Inside Edition and CBS This Morning.

The CBS Sports Super Bowl City set is has the San Francisco Ferry Building as an iconic backdrop.

The footprint is a big change from the Super Bowl XLVII in New Orleans three years ago. For that game CBS took over iconic Jackson Square and had a completely secure location as the Square is fenced off and has gates that can be closed and locked.

NEP's SS16 production truck is on hand for the production from SBC and by the time tomorrow's game kicks off more than

75 hours of programming will have originated from the SBC set as well as Radio Row in the Moscone Center.

At Radio Row we bring all the cameras and back to New York for production and that is how we do all the radio shows, says Power.

The host committee here had some different requirements so we are instead in the middle of an open area and that can be a bit of a challenge, says Power. For example, SBC is a secure area where everyone has to first pass through security screening and that means that all CBS staffers, freelancers, and guests also need to first pass through that security area with the rest of the public.

NEP SS16 is on hand at Super Bowl City for CBS Sports production needs.

Another first for a Super Bowl is that this is the first time the game location and the studio set that has been used all week long by the broadcaster have been located so far apart (approximately 45 miles). Historically the broadcaster of the game has had the opportunity to have pre-game show hosts begin Super Bowl Sunday at the set that was used all week and then transition over to a pre-game set at the stadium. That will not be happening this year as Greg Gumble will be the host in Super Bowl City while James Brown and Ian Eagle will host pre-game programming from Levi's Stadium.

The logistics of moving everyone would be too hard and for the most part if someone is on the operations and technical team they are either assigned to be here or in Santa Clara, says Power.

The CBS set is also located right next to the NFL Network set and the two organizations have worked closely throughout the entire process of planning who would be where, building out of sets, and also figuring out beauty shot camera locations that can be shared.

We share the Spidercam with the NFL Network and some other resources and then we also have access to KPIX San Francisco's cameras on the Ferry Building and elsewhere, says Power. We also have a fixed wing camera that has gotten us great aerials during live shows.

Despite the logistical challenges there is little doubt that San Francisco's compact size and iconic landmarks, coupled with what looks to be outstanding weather, will make Super Bowl weekend a super experience for fans of the Denver Broncos and Carolina Panthers who will be descending on Super Bowl City today.

It's been a great city to work in and it's been exciting being a part of the whole Super Bowl City area, says Power.

LINK:	http://www.sportsvideo.org/2016/02/06/super-bowl-city-gives-cbs-sports...
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