There has been no shortage of multimillion-dollar A/V and scoreboard installations and renovations at U.S. sports venues over the past decade. In addition, new state-of-the-art mobile units hit the road each year, producing thousands of sports shows from coast to coast. Behind the scenes of it all is PNC Equipment Finance's Sports & Entertainment division. Although these massive monetary investments eventually deliver profit, obtaining funds up front is no easy task, which is where PNC comes in, offering technology credit lines ranging from $100,000 to $10 million or more.
SVG sat down with PNC Equipment Finance Sports & Entertainment SVP Chris Schauerman and VP Russ Munson to address this seldom discussed but monumentally integral phase of live sports production and how PNC has carved out a unique niche in this fast growing market.
Can you detail the role that PNC Sports & Entertainment plays in helping franchises and organizations build and renovate venues and other sports-related projects?
Munson: We currently have two approaches, actually. One is, we work with the major manufacturers - like Daktronics and Sony, synthetic-turf vendors, lighting companies, and others that serve broadcast-systems-integration projects - to provide financing to their customers. When they go in to offer a new broadcast system, like master control for a stadium or new cameras for a truck operator, they often present our financing option as an operating-budget alternative to cash purchase or a capital-budget purchase. From that side, we're delivering financial services and capital, and we've got very deep pockets and the ability to fund transactions from the smallest to the very largest transaction.
From the other side, PNC [serves] the four professional leagues, so we have a lot of relationships with the major professional teams at that level. When teams require any kind of new technology for their stadium - like scoreboard, ribbon boards, lighting, or a sound system - you would think that, automatically, they would budget or plan for technology as part of a refurbishment of a stadium or arena. That isn't always the case, though. Often, they exhaust their original budget, and they'll get down to the end and begin to look at a financing option. That is where they bring us in, and we will propose an option to spread the cost of the technology to match the timing of its useful life or match the timing of the revenue that the technology's going to generate.
Schauerman: As Russ said, at the end of term, there's always additional things, and I think that's really where we come into play. We can demonstrate a lot of value to the venue or to the team when it comes to technology that gets periodically outdated. It's better to have that [technology] in a short-term financing option than bury it in a long-term funding mechanism. And that's our challenge: to educate the marketplace of the value of [how] a shorter-term lease that allows an upgrade really provides some great value to the team or the venue. It gives them a lot more flexibility to change with the times and upgrade when new technology solutions become available.
PNC Sports & Entertainment is known primarily for venue-project financing, but what about mobile production? What role does PNC play in financing truck builds and equipment additions?
Munson: We have actually been one of the leading financing sources for truck operators, and, over the last eight or nine years, we have financed well over a dozen of these major trucks and a lot of ancillary equipment that go into these systems-integration projects.
The main reason is, the truck operators' business is all about leverage. They sign maybe a five- or six-year contract with [a league or a network], and their revenue comes event by event over that period of time. But the cost of the truck, in many cases, can be $6 million, $7 million, $10 million up front. That would be a misuse of their capital because of the timing and the way the revenue comes in from the use of that truck. So, in most cases, they try to match the timing of financing to the timing of the utility of the truck, and that's usually six- or seven-year financing. In the truck business, that is the most common use of financing. It's a natural use of outside capital to spread the cost of that big expensive unit over its useful earning life.
How are you looking to grow the truck-focused sector of your business now?
Munson: We would like to do a lot more with some of the smaller operators and the uplink operators or some of the operators who don't necessarily have the long-term contracts with the major sports networks and that sort of thing. We've looked at a few of them. It's very challenging for the smaller [companies] because there's not a lot of startup capital or private equity for those kinds of operators.
Have you seen that smaller-truck side of the business growing recently, especially with the rise of at-home productions, which require fewer resources in the field?
Munson: Definitely. I'm excited about that because, any time you're looking at a $10 million or $15 million transaction as a lender, that is a challenge, and all these factors go into it. When you break it down to a million or $2 million or $3 million, it makes it a lot easier for us to create a manageable solution for the customer, and that's what I think we're all trying to achieve.
What makes financing sports-venue and -production projects different from financing other projects, and how does your experience in this market help you serve sports clients better?
Schauerman: This is a relatively unique segment. It requires some deep understanding of the business: the credit risks, equipment risks, and collateral risks that are involved. It takes a while to learn and understand tha
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
01/06/2026
January 6 2026, 05:30 (PST) Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026
Throughout the week, Dolby brings to life the latest innovatio...
02/05/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
01/05/2026
January 5 2026, 18:30 (PST) NBCUniversal's Peacock to Be First Streamer to ...
01/04/2026
January 4 2026, 18:00 (PST) DOLBY AND DOUYIN EMPOWER THE NEXT GENERATON OF CREATORS WITH DOLBY VISION
Douyin Users Can Now Create And Share Videos With Stun...
19/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/03/2026
How Chris Bolte Builds the Sound of PlayStation Games Chris Bolte '16 is a technical sound designer at Sucker Punch Productions, where he helps create the...
18/03/2026
Newly named chief product officer (CPO), Larissa G rner Meeus will return to Net Insight on May 4.
Larissa G rner Meeus will become CPO of Net Insight on May 4...
18/03/2026
SVG Europe's The Football Summit 2026 explored how the sports broadcasting i...
18/03/2026
The 2026 NAB Show kicks off one month from today and SVG is once again set to cover the show from every angle. SVG's SportsTech@NAB Show Blog is now live - ...
18/03/2026
(L-R) The cast and crew of Dead Lover at The Ray Theater for its premiere at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival. (Photo by Robin Marshall/Shutterstock for Sundan...
18/03/2026
Yamaha C7 captured in Nashville
Wiltone Productions have announced the release of Music Row Piano, a deeply sampled Yamaha C7 piano library that's been ...
18/03/2026
Bass-enhancement plug-in upgraded
Along with a steady stream of new releases, Techivation have recently been revisiting some of the older plug-ins in their ...
18/03/2026
Mix-reference plug-in overhauled
iZotope's powerful mix-referencing plug-in has just reached its third major version, and now boasts a new capture proce...
18/03/2026
Latest EZKeys 2 expansion arrives
Toontrack's staggering collection of EZKeys 2 expansions has grown once again, and the latest instalment delivers a on...
18/03/2026
Jess Ho explores the politics of food in new SBS Audio podcast For The Culture
18 March, 2026
Media releases
New SBS Audio podcast For The Culture, hosted ...
18/03/2026
Future-ready broadcasts with ATSC 3.0 and enhanced services from Rohde & Schwarz...
18/03/2026
London Calling - When The Industry Convened to Help Streaming Find its MoJo In this blog, Laura Rognoni reflects on key discussions from the Connected TV World...
18/03/2026
SMPTE Unveils 2026 NAB Show Educational Presentations
Brie Clayton March 18, 2026
0 Comments
SMPTE , the home of media professionals, technologists, a...
18/03/2026
Auditel Ad Campaign Shot on Blackmagic PYXIS 12K
Brie Clayton March 18, 2026
0 Comments
LED wall virtual production blends 12K open gate acquisition w...
18/03/2026
Brainstorm transforms productivity and sustainability with Suite 7 at NAB Show 2...
18/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
18/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
18/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
18/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
18/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
18/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
18/03/2026
SMPTE , the home of media professionals, technologists, and engineers, today unveiled its educational presentations for the 2026 NAB Show. This year SMPTE will ...
18/03/2026
Maxon, maker of powerful, approachable software solutions for creators working in 2D and 3D design, motion graphics, visual effects, gaming, and more, today ann...
18/03/2026
Digital Alert Systems
Preview
2026 NAB Show
April 19 - 22
Booth C3452
At the 2026 NAB Show, Digital Alert Systems will showcase Version 6.0 of its DASDEC ...
18/03/2026
Setplex today announced that it will showcase its complete, fully integrated Zapflex platform for the first time at the 2026 NAB Show, introducing powerful new ...
18/03/2026
THIS ANNOUNCEMENT RELATES TO THE DISCLOSURE OF INFORMATION THAT QUALIFIED OR MAY HAVE QUALIFIED AS INSIDE INFORMATION WITHIN THE MEANING OF ARTICLE 7(1) OF THE ...
18/03/2026
COW Jobs: Seeking DP for Low Budget Dramedy - Chicago
Brie Clayton March 17, 2026
0 Comments
Seeking Director of Photography for Low Budget Dramedy Fe...
18/03/2026
COW Jobs: Seeking Gaffer for Low Budget Dramedy - Chicago
Brie Clayton March 17, 2026
0 Comments
Seeking Gaffer for Low Budget Dramedy Feature Film- I...
18/03/2026
COW Jobs: Seeking Location, Sound for Low Budget Dramedy - Chicago
Brie Clayton March 17, 2026
0 Comments
Seeking Location/Sound for Low Budget Dramed...
18/03/2026
COW Jobs: Seeking Child Wrangler for Low Budget Film - Chicago
Brie Clayton March 17, 2026
0 Comments
Seeking Child Wrangler for Low Budget Dramedy Fe...
18/03/2026
Calrec Redefines Broadcast Workflows at NAB 2026 with its Most Powerful Hardware...
18/03/2026
Oscar Nominated Two People Exchanging Saliva Posted with DaVinci Resolve Studio
Brie Clayton March 17, 2026
0 Comments
DaVinci Resolve Studio handle...
18/03/2026
Boston Conservatory Presents Celebrated Musical Satire Urinetown Performances for this Center Stage production will take place at Boston Conservatory Theater ...
18/03/2026
Charlie Puth Joins Switched on Pop at Berklee NYC The Berklee alum spoke with host and Berklee NYC professor Charlie Harding for a live taping, answering audi...
18/03/2026
X-Rite Pantone Demonstrates Advanced Color Management Solutions to Support Smart...
18/03/2026
Wednesday 18 March 2026
BAFTA winner James McAvoy to star in Sky Original serie...
18/03/2026
Wednesday 18 March 2026
Sky Sports and Zuffa Boxing announce multi-year agreement for the UK and Ireland
Sky Sports and Zuffa Boxing have announced a new mult...
18/03/2026
Wednesday 18 March 2026
Sky Unveils Poster and Trailer for Original Feature Fil...
There has been no shortage of multimillion-dollar A/V and scoreboard installations and renovations at U.S. sports venues over the past decade. In addition, new state-of-the-art mobile units hit the road each year, producing thousands of sports shows from coast to coast. Behind the scenes of it all is PNC Equipment Finance's Sports & Entertainment division. Although these massive monetary investments eventually deliver profit, obtaining funds up front is no easy task, which is where PNC comes in, offering technology credit lines ranging from $100,000 to $10 million or more.
