FOX Sports Homogenizes Coverage With Upscaled Game Tech, Seamless Integration With Studio Shows in L.A.

Production Anywhere Remote Kit (PARK) & AR-fueled Stage B are two key pieces to this year's broadcast plan

The NFL regular season's weekly grind is unrelenting, and traveling from city to city can create logistical and technological challenges. FOX Sports has worked tirelessly to implement a system that not only provides more operational efficiency for their various broadcast crews on Sundays, but also brings a greater sense of harmony to their production and operations backbone on their A, B, and C games.

There is no such thing as a small NFL show, so we're seeing a gradual homogenization of our technologies, says Mike Davies, EVP, technical and field operations, FOX Sports. We've been doing this for a long time, but it's nice to give these workflows to our other crews who didn't previously have them before.

Leveling the Playing Field: PARK-Based Philosophy, Streamlined Operations Bring Higher Production Quality to All Broadcasts

Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic back in 2020, FOX Sports has been tinkering with their production distribution architecture over the last six years. As the concepts of hybrid production models, centralized facilities, and broadcast compounds that leverage remote-based solutions have accelerated to become more commonplace, the broadcaster is deploying what they call PARKs or Production Anywhere Remote Kits. Spearheaded by FOX Sports' VP, Field Operations and Engineering, Kevin Callahan, the idea is to leverage the flexibility of remote production to strengthen their core production personnel that are still onsite at the venue. This includes incorporating locations like their Transmission Operations Center in Tempe, AZ for G3DVu's line-to-gain, their IP-powered Vault in Los Angeles, and a handful of EVS replay operators from a NEP Group-operated facility. While our producer, director, talent, and a large chunk of our crew is still on site, we have people remoting in from all over the country to contribute to these shows, says Davies. [PARK] has been really successful, and we continue to find new things to make more efficient every single year.

Every NFL game will tap into this style of production to raise the broadcaster's overall production to a higher tier. As these offsite workflows handle its portion of the broadcast, onsite operations outside of the stadium have become better suited for the long haul. In an attempt to promote sustainability and develop a strategy that could be replicated on all NFL broadcasts, FOX Sports worked closely with CBS Sports' EVP, Operations and Engineering, Patty Power, and SVP, Remote Technical Operations, Jason Cohen to create a power infrastructure that could be deployed within both network's broadcast compounds over the course of the season.

It was a real feat of cooperation between both networks to rely on house power and generator power through UPS [Uninterruptible Power Supply], adds Davies.

Aggreko and Sunbelt Rentals sits at the center of this plan during the 2026 schedule. This infrastructure will power the mobile units at each level, including Game Creek Video's Ovation on A games, Game Creek Video's Bravo on B games, and NEP Group's Supershooter 6 and Supershooter 9, the A and B units of Game Creek Video's Spirit, and Mobile TV Group's 46FLEX on C games.

Upgraded Tech: Pylons, Skycams, Drones Are Three Prime Examples

From a broadcast technology perspective, the influx of first-class equipment across the board can be seen in the finer details. Pylon cameras have been a crucial part of broadcasts for quite a while, but the best of the best were typically reserved for A games. Now, upgrade Pylon cameras are visible in replay capacities on every game, including Proton cameras at 4x speed in basic pylons supplied by Gravity Media. In addition, through FOX Sports' partnership with Cosm, immersive pylons will be implemented as well.

Above the field, both Skycams and drones have received the upscale treatment. Every weekend, the broadcaster will have three shows - A, B, and a rotation on C - that will include a Skycam. As for drones, FOX Sports' trusted production partner in Beverly Hills Aerials will once again take to the sky after numerous years of success.

We use them a little less aggressively in the NFL than we do in UFL or MLB, but in some cases, they match, if not exceed, the capabilities of typical aerials, says Davies. With Beverly Hills Aerials, they also do a really great job with obtaining permissions from the FAA, local landowners, and leagues.

More AR in L.A.: Second Year of New-Look Studio B Leans Into Enhanced Augmented Reality

Back in Los Angeles, the re-imagined Studio B will play a larger role in the upcoming season. Recently used during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the augmented reality- and LED-ladened space will be pivotal during an increase of live demonstrations on FOX NFL Kickoff but also on editions of The OT after the day's action.

We're expanding our volume of LEDs that we used throughout the day compared to last year, says Zac Fields, SVP, graphic technology and integration, FOX Sports. We've also revamped a lot of the different environments that our shows will use this season.

Through the mix of AR and physical fixtures, these mixed reality sets will become a more cohesive space. This will be seen during their new Skylight feature, which will infuse real-life elements with digitally enhancements during studio programming. Away from the studio, AR will still be prominently displayed on the broadcaster's top-flight games. There are two augmentations that are expected this season: the increased integration of the NFL's Next-Gen stats into live graphics and the recreation of plays through limb tracking technology from Skyhook, a company that was integral during FOX Sports&#

LINK:	https://www.sportsvideo.org/2026/09/11/fox-sports-homogenizes-coverage...
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