UFC 246: ESPN Stays Mobile for Week-Long Pre-Fight Coverage From Vegas Multiple sets traverse the Strip with help of TVU bonded-cellular transmission By Jason Dachman, Chief Editor
Friday, January 17, 2020 - 3:06 pm
Print This Story
Story Highlights
Although ESPN 's exclusive streaming of the UFC 246: McGregor vs. Cowboy PPV won't begin until Saturday night, the ESPN production team has been a fixture on the Las Vegas Strip for the better part of a week. With superstar Conor McGregor's return after a 15-month layoff generating plenty of interest, ESPN is producing more than 30 hours of content this week from throughout the Strip for its cavalcade of linear and digital platforms.
ESPN is producing live studio content from throughout the Las Vegas Strip in the days leading up to UFC 246. Photo: Ray Rodriguez
We're approaching this as essentially our Super Bowl of UFC coverage, says Charlie Moynihan, director, MMA remote production operations, ESPN. We got here on Monday and will be [producing content] right through Sunday morning. UFC on ESPN is obviously a big initiative for the company, so we are going all out. If you're a hardcore UFC fan or a casual fan, you can turn on any ESPN entity this week and see compelling content coming out of Vegas.
Staying Flexible: ESPN Sets Rely on TVU, Public Internet
ESPN has been shifting three sets - two full ones and a smaller bistro set - among different locations across Las Vegas this week, including T-Mobile Arena, the Park Theater, Beer Park at The Paris, Palms Casino, Caesars Palace, and the newly opened UFC Apex. Instead of deploying production trucks and satellite uplinks, Moynihan and his crew of roughly 40 are using a combination of TVU bonded-cellular backpacks and public internet Ethernet connections to backhaul content from a variety of locations.
This is essentially a REMI [production] with no trucks at all, says Moynihan. We drop a couple of Ethernet lines or transmit via TVU [bonded cellular] depending on the location. There has been more technology change the last five years than the previous 20, so we're trying to take advantage of that and be as cost-efficient as possible.
Live From the Strip: A Full Week of UFC 246 Content
ESPN's firehose of content from Vegas began on Wednesday with Ariel & the Bad Guy (featuring Ariel Helwani and Chael Sonnen, breaking down UFC 246) live at Caesars Place and live coverage of the UFC 246 press conference from UFC Apex - both streaming on ESPN . Tonight, the UFC 246 Pre-Show (7:30 p.m. ET) will stream on ESPN from the Pearl Theater at Palms Casino.
On the linear-TV side, SportsCenter and the Daily Wager have featured live segments from Caesars and Beer Park since Wednesday, and Get Up! and First Take began airing segments from Vegas on Thursday. Tonight, ESPN2's UFC Live will be produced live from the Pearl Theater at Palms Casino.
Obviously this is a huge fight and an electric atmosphere, says Moynihan, so we're doing far more [content] than we ever have before. This is our 13th month [of the UFC partnership], and I'm blessed to be with such a hardworking crew. The biggest thing for us is being as nimble and efficient as possible. We're in year two of a seven-year agreement [with UFC], and we're trying to utilize technology to step up our partnership with UFC.
Big Saturday: More Than 20 Hours of Live Coverage
On Saturday, ESPN's various platform will deliver more than 20 hours of content in the lead-up to and following the UFC 246 PPV. It all kicks off Saturday morning with a live-streamed show on YouTube and Twitter from Toshiba Plaza outside T-Mobile Arena. At 2 p.m. ET, ESPN will shift to a set inside T-Mobile Arena's Suite 1 for UFC Live: McGregor vs. Cowboy Pre-Show on ABC. Octagon action begins with Early Prelims on ESPN at 6 p.m. followed by Prelims on ESPN and ESPN Deportes at 8 p.m.
Following the Main Card on ESPN PPV (beginning at 10 p.m.), ESPN will carry the UFC 246 Post Show while SportsCenter and other ESPN linear platforms air live segments from Vegas.
We're still learning, and we're still growing, Moynihan says of ESPN's UFC production efforts over the past year, but we're very proud of what we've done so far. We built this from the ground up, and both UFC and ESPN have been happy thus far. We've done TV in Australia, in Brazil, and all over the world. And we've often done it simply by pulling Ethernet lines with no satellite trucks and just a few flip phones for communications. We're Just trying to be as cost-efficient as we can, while growing the product and serving the viewers with great content.
Most recent headlines
04/08/2024
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, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, a...
28/04/2024
Mediahaus delivers the first SRT live-streaming sports production over 5G with U...
23/04/2024
Psychology can play an important role in helping us understand what audiences respond to (Dr Jon Roozenbeek, Cambridge Social Decision-Making Lab)
For newsroom...
23/04/2024
IN ADDITION TO FICTION AND DOCUMENTARY FEATURES, THE SELECTION INCLUDES:
PRO...
23/04/2024
Today, we announced our first quarter 2024 earnings. In a solid start to the year, Spotify reported
Monthly Active Users grew 19% Y/Y to 615 million.
Subscri...
23/04/2024
Idag publicerar Spotify sina finansiella resultat f r f rsta kvartalet 2024. ret har inletts stabilt:
M natliga aktiva anv ndare kade med 19 % j mf rt med f...
23/04/2024
In the last decade, as K-Pop cemented its status as a global phenomenon, Spotify has helped fans around the world keep their fingers on the pulse at every step ...
23/04/2024
Social entrepreneur Hedayat Osyan wins Les Murray Award for Refugee Recognition
23 April, 2024
Media releases
The prestigious award is now in its third yea...
23/04/2024
LONDON IBC is now accepting nominations for its IBC2024 Innovation Awards, which honor achievements in technological innovation and social impact media & entert...
23/04/2024
WASHINGTON, D.C. In response to the introduction of the Broadcast VOICES Act that seeks to encourage more diversity in the ownership of TV and radio stations, t...
23/04/2024
MIAMI, Fla. As part of a push to expand its FAST channel and streaming operations, Hemisphere Media Group has launched its free ad supported television (FAST) c...
23/04/2024
LOS ANGELES DirecTV is adding seven new channels to its rapidly expanding streaming lineup through new licensing agreements with Cineverse Corp. and Scripps Net...
23/04/2024
Entitled Our Creative Future, the manifesto calls for radical new action' t...
23/04/2024
The company has secured investment from private equity firm PAI Partners, which also holds a stake in outside broadcasting company EMG
By Jenny Priestley
Pub...
23/04/2024
Cameron also said he recognised Marlow as a potential UK and European base for his new company, LIGHTSTORM 3D
By Matthew Corrigan
Published: April 23, 2024 ...
23/04/2024
The five categories cover Content Creation, Content Distribution, Content Everywhere, Social Impact and Environment & Sustainability
By Matthew Corrigan
Publ...
23/04/2024
He played a central role in securing key broadcast rights, including the FIFA World Cup 2018 and 2022
By Matthew Corrigan
Published: April 23, 2024
He pla...
23/04/2024
IBC is preparing to honour the highest achievements in technological innovation and social impact with the launch of its prestigious IBC2024 Innovation Awards, ...
23/04/2024
BREA, Calif. Bolin Technology is integrating Network Device Interface (NDI) across its product line, bringing support for the latest NDI technologies to its PTZ...
23/04/2024
WYOMISSING, Pa. PENN Entertainment has announced that longtime Disney and ESPN executive Aaron LaBerge has been named chief technology officer effective July 1,...
23/04/2024
In response to an FCC ruling in March proposing a $1.2 million fine against Nexstar and a ruling that Mission Broadcasting sell WPIX, Nexstar has filled a respo...
23/04/2024
Sony has announced new details about how the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) is using Sony's Ci Media Cloud platform to streamline its workflows and spe...
23/04/2024
Esports' rapid rise to popularity can be attributed to many factors, from technological advancements that have enhanced the quality of modern gaming experie...
23/04/2024
OpenDrives, Inc., the global provider of software-defined media workflow solutions and data management capabilities, has been selected as a winner in the 2024 N...
23/04/2024
BCNEXXT is pleased to announce that Vpe has won the 2024 NAB Show Product of the Year Award in the Asset Management, Automation and Playout category. The offici...
23/04/2024
Gravity Media, a world leading global provider of complex live creative production and media services, today outlined the broadcast technology and television pr...
23/04/2024
Scality, a global leader in cyber-resilient storage for the AI era, today announced the appointment of Peter Brennan as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Scality...
23/04/2024
Blackmagic Design today announced ATEM 1 M/E Constellation 4K and ATEM 2 M/E Constellation 4K switchers, two new Ultra HD models of the ATEM Constellation famil...
23/04/2024
Blackmagic Design today announced Blackmagic Videohub 120x120 12G, the newest model in the Videohub 12G router family. The massive Blackmagic Videohub 120x120 1...
23/04/2024
Blackmagic Design today announced new lower prices for Blackmagic Video Assist 3G and 12G models. Customers can save US$200 on all models. These lower prices ma...
23/04/2024
Adder Technology continues to shine brightly, with its groundbreaking product, the ADDERLink INFINITY 3000 (ALIF3000), once again taking center stage. Hot on t...
23/04/2024
Pliant Technologies' CRP-C12 Compact Radio Pack is an Audio Production, Processing and Networking category winner in the 2024 NAB Show Product of the Year A...
23/04/2024
SipRadius, the specialists in live media transport and transcoding, will showcase their world-leading implementation of AV1 and JPEG-XS over transport streams a...
23/04/2024
Composer Rafael Krux has added a Prism Sound Dream ADA-128 modular conversion system to his production studio where he creates music for commercials, trailers, ...
23/04/2024
PMC proudly provides the ultimate large-scale Dolby Atmos audio system for the legendary musician Steven Wilson at the High End, Munich. He will share his exten...
23/04/2024
Particles emitting from a 3D rotating shape's edge
Graham Quince April 22, 2024
0 Comments
In Fixin' FX, people send me their problematic proj...
23/04/2024
Hollyland Technology Announces a New Line of Video Transmitters: Introducing the...
23/04/2024
Charlotte Deleste, anchor at WISC Madison, Wisconsin, is leaving the station. Her final day on the air is April 24. Deleste has spent 18 years there....
23/04/2024
Top WNBA draft choice Caitlin Clark will appear on local broadcast for 17 games next season in a deal between Tegna and the Indiana Fever....
23/04/2024
Abu Dhabi, 23 April, 2024 : Partnership delivers greater cybersecurity to Thura...
23/04/2024
Soccer's Appeal to Younger Audiences: Inside the Gamification of European Fo...
23/04/2024
With NBA and NHL Playoffs in Full Swing, Never a Dull Moment for TNT Sports Prod...
23/04/2024
NAB 2024: AT&T Business's Scott Beckett Details Transmission Firepower With ...
23/04/2024
NAB 2024: Manufacturers focus on cinematic look for live productions By George Bevir
Tuesday, April 23, 2024 - 10:40
Print This Story
With live sports pro...
23/04/2024
Save the Date: SVG Sports Content Management Forum Returns to NYC on July 24 By SVG Staff
Tuesday, April 23, 2024 - 4:05 pm
Print This Story | Subscribe
...
23/04/2024
Published On: April 23rd, 2024
data-orig-src=https://www.sgo.es/wp-content/upl...
23/04/2024
Rohde & Schwarz introduces new R&S SMB100B microwave signal generator for analog...
23/04/2024
Back to All News
Who's In for Something Really Fun ? The Curtain Rises on ...
UFC 246: ESPN Stays Mobile for Week-Long Pre-Fight Coverage From Vegas Multiple sets traverse the Strip with help of TVU bonded-cellular transmission By Jason Dachman, Chief Editor 
