American Family Insurance T'd Up Invitational on Twitch Offers Celebrities, Simulated Golf VISTA Worldlink, Group 33 allow virtual matches be played around the country By Kristian Hernandez, Associate Editor
Tuesday, January 12, 2021 - 12:13 pm
Print This Story | Subscribe
Story Highlights
At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, live sports were at a premium. To fill the void, personality-filled events like Turner Sports' The Match: Champions for Charity and The Match: Champions for Change occupied the television landscape. More recently, VISTA Worldlink and its partners are allowing golf fans of all ages to enjoy a virtualized version of the game with the American Family Insurance T'd Up Invitational on Twitch.
We originally looked to launch in April, says Rob Striar, president, marketing and managing partner, T'd Up, M Style, but, in early May, we shifted the concept from having only professional golfers involved to adding celebrity golfers that would add broader appeal, provide more banter, etc. We spoke with several broadcast partners, but, ultimately, we thought Twitch was a fantastic partner for us because of their engagement and the ability to build an audience and community.
More Than Golf: Digital Show Highlights Variety of Content A 10-person crew producing American Family Insurance T'd Up Invitational work in two separate control rooms.
Since March, the pandemic has emptied the normally full sports schedule. With minimal televised activities over the summer, the creation of T'd Up was conceived during a perfect time to capture the attention of fans who have more free time on their schedules. With the new opportunity, Group 33 and JP Sports & Entertainment, a specialist in sponsorship marketing and celebrities' charitable events and the entity driving T'd Up, are relying on their experience with golf simulators and unique events alike.
It certainly required some modifications in how we approach an event, says Pete Falcone, CEO, JP Sports & Entertainment, but [our history with simulators] helped us avoid a learning curve. It also helped us turn this project around quickly when we had to get started.
Digital gaming platforms like Twitch have seen an uptick in traffic because so many people are at home, and, with a refreshed take on the traditional game of golf, both avid and casual supporters from all demographics flocked to the product.
We're attracting an entirely different demographic, says Striar. If you're not into golf, we'll open you up to a sport that you may not have been focused on. If you are, you'll enjoy celebrities that may be some of your favorites or you may not have had exposure to previously.
While old-school competition is one reason to stick around, the show brings another wrinkle of interest: the stories that the celebrities have to tell. With participants ranging from actors Don Cheadle and Anthony Anderson to former athletes Eric Dickerson and Matt Leinart, the show covers the gamut of experiences and topics of discussion.
Talent and guests participate from offsite locations.
I think people come for the golf but stay for the conversation and are engaged by the entertainment, adds Striar. We're able to capture these unique moments from the celebrities. When we had [actor] Tom Felton on, we thought the Twitch chat got hacked because there were so many different languages in each of his huge fan bases in Portugal, Spain, and Italy. It really spoke to massive response to the show we have had.
With the postponement of film recordings, photoshoots, and other public events, the celebrities who participate in these digital live streams are searching for something to do as well. From a logistical standpoint, JP Sports & Entertainment VP Kevin Marsh is responsible for coordinating the celebrity appearances. It's an impressive juggling act to book new personalities and refresh the content for every show, but the relationships that have been made over the years have helped maintain a consistent flow of faces.
We've been working with celebrities for a while, he explains, and we know that their schedules are always TBD until the last minute. We've managed events that benefit their foundations or charities, and, now with [COVID-19] restrictions, they're unable to raise money for these causes. They're happy to [join] to do something different but also to raise some awareness for the things that they care about.
The Engine Behind the Match: Remote Production Takes Over VISTA Worldlink Facility Looking for a partner to execute the technical side of the project, JP Sports & Entertainment turned to industry veteran Michael Cohen and his expertise. Cohen, who helped produce the 2018 USL Cup and 2020 NWSL season, brought VISTA Worldlink into the picture as technical lead for these digital shows on Twitch.
A second control room is being used to ensure a steady transmission workflow.
VISTA has shown that they've been ahead of the curve in the remote-production world, he says. When you take a look at what T'd Up is, it's a show that would not have been televised years ago, but now, with the technology that's available, it was the right time for this to all come together.
With the ongoing pandemic, producing this show with maximum health and safety protocols was a high priority. Traditional productions have become difficult to do, so remote production was the most responsible approach.
[Shows] don't want a 40-person crew and additional mobile units and uplink trucks, says Cohen. The traditional way we were always thinking about producing television has yielded to this new form of technology because it allows us to bring the same product with an alternative method.
The on-screen element has become a sure-fire success, but it wouldn't b
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
04/08/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
04/07/2026
April 7 2026, 19:00 (PDT) Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in...
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...
08/05/2026
For the second straight year, Miri Technologies Inc. has been honored with a pair of coveted awards at the broadcast, media and entertainment industry's pre...
08/05/2026
Nine Alumni Nominated for Tony Awards More than 20 alumni contributed to this year's Tony-nominated productions.
May 7, 2026
By
Tori Donahue
Boston Co...
08/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
08/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
08/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
08/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
08/05/2026
Liberty University on why broadcast technology isn't just a technical invest...
08/05/2026
COW Jobs: UGC, On-Camera Video Content
Brie Clayton May 7, 2026
0 Comments
UGC, On-Camera Video Content
April 17, 2026Documentary Editor - US,......
07/05/2026
Journalists reporting on Sudan are working in one of the most complex and fast-m...
07/05/2026
Multi-year partnership positions Victory+ as a free home for Dallas Cowboys orig...
07/05/2026
From sideline reporting to directing and producing, the talented sophomore is building a well-rounded foundation for a career in live sports production
In the ...
07/05/2026
Cobalt Digital has received two Future Best of Show awards at NAB Show 2026. The COBALT blueCORE platform was recognized by TV Tech, and the COBALT PACIFIC ULL-...
07/05/2026
ESPN analyst Mina Kimes will host the televised semifinals and finals of the 202...
07/05/2026
Bitmovin has announced that MUBI, the global film streaming platform, has selected Bitmovin as its cloud VOD encoding partner. Bitmovin's encoding infrastru...
07/05/2026
NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises and the U.S. Soccer Federation have announced...
07/05/2026
Angel City Football Club (ACFC) and Victory have announced a regional broadcast partnership bringing live match coverage to fans across the greater Los Angeles...
07/05/2026
Spiideo has announced the launch of AI Highlights inside Spiideo Play, its automated sports production platform. AI Highlights combines video, event data, audio...
07/05/2026
Leostream Corporation has announced a unified remote access ecosystem for high-p...
07/05/2026
The Atlanta Dream has partnered with Victory to stream all locally broadcast Dream games for free, expanding the team's digital distribution strategy and g...
07/05/2026
Riedel Communications has announced the appointment of Marc Engroff as Chief Fin...
07/05/2026
SES and ARD, Germany's largest public broadcasting network, have announced a long-term extension of their satellite distribution partnership through 2039. U...
07/05/2026
UpLight Technologies delivers a flexible video and lighting system for a new televised sportLaunching the Pro Cheer League required more than creating a compell...
07/05/2026
Full Day Productions and GSE Worldwide have announced Spikes Under the Lights, a...
07/05/2026
Seit dem Start im Jahr 2023 hat DJ (Beta) das personalisierte H rerlebnis von 94...
07/05/2026
Da quando stata presentata nel 2023, DJ (beta) ha aiutato a definire un'esperienza d'ascolto pi personalizzata per 94 milioni di utenti Spotify Premi...
07/05/2026
Since launching in 2023, DJ (beta) has helped shape a more personalized listenin...
07/05/2026
Desde o lan amento em 2023, o DJ (beta) j ajudou a deixar a experi ncia de ouvi...
07/05/2026
From our earliest days, Spotify has been built on a simple principle: Great audio should be easy to reach. It's what's driven us to expand from music to...
07/05/2026
Asian and Pacific Islander artists continue to shape the global soundscape, pushing creative boundaries and connecting with fans worldwide. This Asian & Pacific...
07/05/2026
Company announce long-requested choir instrument
In the latest expansion of their Symphonic Elements series, UJAM have introduced an all-new vocal instrumen...
07/05/2026
Modular-inspired sound generation with digital control
Buchla have introduced Ziggy, a new compact synthesizer built around the company's complex oscill...
07/05/2026
Combines analogue voices with digital synthesis and sequencing
Polyend have announced Drums, a new hybrid analogue and digital drum machine that combines sy...
07/05/2026
Control surface now officially supports four DAWs
When Nektar launched the Panorama CS12 control surface, it worked exclusively with Apple's Logic Pro, ...
07/05/2026
In the first quarter 2026, SGL Carbon generated consolidated sales of 184.5 million, which was 49.8 million, or 21.3%, lower than in the prior year (Q1 2025: ...
07/05/2026
Rohde & Schwarz and Greenerwave achieve precise and fast ESA antenna characteriz...
07/05/2026
Two multi-role L3Harris products - the Red Wolf launched effects vehicle and SK...
07/05/2026
L3Harris will be developing key features of a secure and resilient digital infra...
07/05/2026
Alysa Liu and Shohei Ohtani Help Drive Viewership as 91 of the Top 100 Broadcast...
07/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
07/05/2026
Cobalt Digital Wins Two Future Best of Show Awards at 2026 NAB Show
Manufacturer Recognized by TV Tech and TVBEurope for Innovation in signal processing
Cobal...
07/05/2026
Software and hardware platforms, AI power and user-friendliness on show...
07/05/2026
Intinor will demonstrate its latest technical enhancements for the Direkt series at BroadcastAsia 2026. With a continued focus on reliable contribution and remo...
07/05/2026
Bitmovin has announced that MUBI has chosen Bitmovin as its cloud VOD encoding partner, replacing MUBI's legacy on premises encoding setup to improve scalab...
07/05/2026
Meet Graduates from Berklees Class of 2026 Members of this years graduating class reflect on their proudest moments at Berklee and look ahead to whats next.
...
07/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
American Family Insurance T'd Up Invitational on Twitch Offers Celebrities, Simulated Golf VISTA Worldlink, Group 33 allow virtual matches be played around the country By Kristian Hernandez, Associate Editor 
