Sony Pixel Power calrec Sony

SVG Sit-Down: DAZN's Head of Tennis Sarah Milburn on the Importance of a Good Team and Good Partners

04/09/2024

SVG Sit-Down: DAZN's Head of Tennis Sarah Milburn on the Importance of a Good Team and Good Partners WTA Medias Head of Production leads a production team who manage the delivery of more than 50 International tournaments each year By SVG Staff

Wednesday, September 4, 2024 - 1:39 pm

Print This Story | Subscribe

Story Highlights

As the sport of tennis has surged in popularity, more professional tournaments are being produced for television and streaming all around the globe.

Since 2017, the Women's Tennis Association has driven production under the moniker of WTA Media, following a partnership with Perform Group. That deal which was for 10 years and is the most financially lucrative media rights deal in the history of women's sports has seen WTA Media deliver thousands of matches.

That outfit is led by Sarah Milburn, the Head of Tennis for DAZN and the Head of Production for WTA Media. SVG spoke with Milburn about her career, how she got started, her advice for the next generation, and why working with good people and reliable partners is crucial in live sports production.

How did you get into sports broadcast?

I started out as a runner at Sky Sports bringing my love of sport and media, and combining the two. After making the teas for a while, I found myself carrying out multiple roles across many different sports, before taking up a full-time position on the Tennis production team. Working my way up the production team (it was so long ago content was still on tapes!), I ended up producing the ATP Tour coverage and US Open within Sky Sports galleries and on-site, before taking to the road with ATP Media managing their content output and learning about on-site live operations. Wanting to see more of what the industry had to offer, I set up as a freelancer, before taking on a Head of Production role at Perform/DAZN (which was still within tennis). I just can't seem to get away from it!

What have been some of the challenges in your role over the years?

Managing an international OB production during the Covid Pandemic was a game changer. As the whole world stopped, people and the industry still wanted to watch and play tennis. Making sure operational standards were met and the teams travelled safely for 2-3 years was, extremely difficult. We had partnered with AE Live at the start of the 2020 season, so they had about 5 events before Covid hit. Their calmness, support and understanding of our needs during the next few years whilst the world settled down again, providing us with remote solutions and always being available to contact with new challenges we faced, has been imperative to the ongoing success of this project.

How have production technologies and techniques changed over your career?

Thankfully, and rather fortuitously, we had already looked at remote production solutions and streaming our production operation on-site before Covid. This helped immeasurably, not only to keep costs down, but also operations going with fewer people. WTA Media now delivers in full via SRT and we use remote working production solutions in GFX (with AE Live) and for post production. 75% of our commentary output (over 2000 matches per season) is delivered remotely direct from commentators' homes.

What have been the highlights of your career?

I'm very proud to have run an OB operation of more than 30+ Host Broadcasts each season, which can often change and we have to react very last minute. We have built a great work ethic and dynamic at WTA Media, where everyone is a joy to work with; you don't get that everywhere.

What advice would you give to anyone looking to follow in your path?

Think about what could be done, not about what is already being done. There are far cleverer people than me working in all areas of technology and creativity who can support your ideas. Don't be a silo, work as a team and support everyone you come across.
LINK: https://www.sportsvideo.org/2024/09/04/svg-sit-down-dazns-head-of-tenn...
See more stories from svg

Most recent headlines

05/01/2027

Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be demoed at CES 2026

Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...

04/08/2026

Dalet Announces Commercial Availability of Dalia, Bringing Media-Aware Agentic AI to Enterprise Productions

Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...

04/07/2026

Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in Dolby Cinemas Across Japan, Presented in Dolby Atmos and Dolby ...

April 7 2026, 19:00 (PDT) Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in...

09/06/2026

Call for Sediba Scriptwriting Training Programme Bloemfontein, Free State

The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) is a statutory body mandated to spearhead the equitable growth and development of the South African film and video...

09/06/2026

BBC Casts Edward Bluemel As Poirot In Hercule,' As BritBox Boards Agatha Christie Remake In U.S.

The BBC has found its Hercule Poirot. After Deadline revealed last month that t...

09/06/2026

Nielsen launches Four-Screen Ad Deduplication measurement on YouTube campaigns in Italy

Media buyers and sellers can now compare YouTube reach from computer, mobile, an...

09/06/2026

Andrew Beaudet Joins Brompton as Head of Sales, Americas

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

09/06/2026

Mediaset Italia Deploys Mediagenix Platform To Modernize Scheduling

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

09/06/2026

Mediaset Italia Modernizes Content Supply Chain and Chann...

A project aimed at modernizing scheduling operations across Mediaset's channel portfolio Mediagenix, a global leader in smart content solutions to profitab...

09/06/2026

ACT Entertainment Debuts tvONE 4RU CALICO PRO at InfoComm...

tvONE, an ACT Entertainment brand, debuts its most powerful video processor ever built: the 4RU CALICO PRO (C7-PRO-4200), at InfoComm 2026 (Booth N6813). Engine...

09/06/2026

Composer and Conductor Eric Whitacre to Receive Honorary Doctorate at Berklee Valencia's 2026 Commencement

Composer and Conductor Eric Whitacre to Receive Honorary Doctorate at Berklee Va...

09/06/2026

Comcast Advertising Adds Purchasing Data from Affinity Solutions

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

09/06/2026

Midwich to Distribute Miri Technologies in North America

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

09/06/2026

Nielsen: North American Soccer Fans Jump to More Than 136 Million

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

09/06/2026

Grass Valley and Lawo Collaborate to Advance Open Dynamic...

Technology collaboration to validate AMPP and Lawo HOME orchestration integration, showcasing Dynamic Media Facility principles in practice. Grass Valley and ...

09/06/2026

Bitmovin Player Web X Powers Axel Springer New Audio News...

Bitmovin, a leading provider of video streaming solutions, today announced that Axel Springer SE, international media and technology company, has deployed Playe...

09/06/2026

LiveU Delivers First Remote VAR Deployment Across the Pac...

LiveU, the global leader in live IP-video solutions, today announced a landmark deployment with the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) that has brought Video ...

09/06/2026

Sam Craig Joins Grass Valley as VP, Global Pre-Sales

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

09/06/2026

Arkansas TV Will Continue to Air PBS Programming

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

09/06/2026

Glensound to Show DARK22M Network Audio Interface at InfoComm 2026

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

09/06/2026

EVS Rebrands, Trims Its Name

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

09/06/2026

FCC Announces Tentative Agenda for June 25 Open Meeting

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

09/06/2026

Two Alumni Win Tony Awards

Two Alumni Win Tony Awards Mike Morris and Cedric Leiba Jr. won awards for Best Orchestrations and Best Play, respectively. June 8, 2026 By Tori Donahue ...

09/06/2026

Netflix Unveils First Images And Poster For Wrath, A New Brazilian Series Premiering July 29

Back to All News Netflix Unveils First Images And Poster For Wrath, A New Brazi...

09/06/2026

ENNI Will Be Using AEP.EnerS4 Billing Solution

Enni Continues to Rely on Arvato Systems - And Will Be Using AEP.EnerS4 Billing Solution Arvato Systems to implement transformation project for SAP S/4HANA Ut...

09/06/2026

RT Radio 1 is bringing Arena and Cil House to London celebrating 100 years of RT

These special programmes will highlight RT 's connection with the Irish diaspora This year, RT is marking 100 years of public broadcasting in Ireland with...

08/06/2026

SVG Sit-Down: FIFA's Oscar Sanchez and HBS's Paul King on Deploying 16 Production Teams in 16 World Cup Venues

The two execs discuss the goals and the challenges of building a huge multi-cult...

08/06/2026

SVG All-Stars: Judi Weiss, Senior Manager, Remote Operations (Studio), ESPN

This industry legend has been a road warrior since the early '90s and is, today, a lynchpin on College GameDay The sports-production industry continues to ...

08/06/2026

DAZN Extends Combat Sports Portfolio with EFC Partnership

DAZN has agreed a multi-year rights partnership with Extreme Fighting Championship (EFC), expanding its global combat sports portfolio. DAZN will broadcast EFC...

08/06/2026

Whitepaper: TVU Networks Tackles the Future of Sports Production

As fans move across broadcast, streaming, social, mobile and creator-led platforms, and they expect every angle, in real time, TVU Networks has released a new e...

08/06/2026

Infront Strengthens Diamond League Global Broadcast Network Through Spate of New Agreements

Infront has further strengthened the 2026 Diamond League's international bro...

08/06/2026

Grass Valley Appoints Sam Craig as Vice President, Global Pre-Sales

Grass Valley has announced the appointment of Sam Craig as Vice President, Global Pre-Sales. Based in the United States, Craig will lead Grass Valley's glob...

08/06/2026

SMPTE Announces Summer 2026 IP Networking and ST 2110 Course Lineup

SMPTE has announced its summer 2026 education lineup covering IP networking and SMPTE ST 2110, including two standalone courses, a 13-week boot camp, and a hand...

08/06/2026

Sportradar and Kalshi Announce Multi-Year Data and Infrastructure Partnership for Prediction Markets

Sportradar Group AG has announced a multi-year global agreement with Kalshi, a p...

08/06/2026

FIFA and Gamefam Launch FIFA World Cup 2026 Event on Roblox

FIFA and Gamefam have announced the launch of a FIFA World Cup 2026 event on Roblox, running June 5 through July 31, 2026. The event centers on FIFA Super Socce...

08/06/2026

Stanley Pup 2026: Fun Is the Goal When the Rescue-Dog Competition Returns for Year 3

A collaboration of NHL Productions, Monumental Sports, and Michael Levitt Produc...

08/06/2026

Bryce Adair, CBS Production Assistant, Dies in Car Crash at 31

CBS Sports production staffer Bryce Adair has died at the age of 31 after sustaining injuries during a car accident on Wednesday while in Ohio working the the P...

08/06/2026

Behind the Mic: Russell Wilson and Kyle Long Join CBS Sports The NFL Today

Behind The Mic provides a roundup of recent news regarding on-air talent, including new deals, departures, and assignments compiled from press releases and repo...

08/06/2026

WMT Digital Launches Sports Customer Data Platform Built to Turn Fan Intelligence into Revenue

WMT Digital today announced the launch of WMT Fan Intelligence, designed to unif...

08/06/2026

Miami Heat Ink New Deal With WPLG Local 10, Join NBAs Growing OTA Crowd

The Heat are the seventh NBA team to air their games over-the-air next season...

08/06/2026

Paramount and UFC Expand Media Rights Partnership to Canada Beginning in 2027

Paramount and UFC have announced an expansion of their media rights partnership making Paramount the exclusive home of UFC Numbered Event main cards in Canada ...

08/06/2026

Qatar Football Association Deploys Virtual Advertising Technology for First Time with Sponix

The Qatar Football Association (QFA), in cooperation with Sponix and broadcaster...

08/06/2026

Project B Appoints HBS as Official Host Broadcaster for Global Basketball Circuit

Project B has announced the appointment of Host Broadcast Services (HBS) as Offi...

08/06/2026

Ohio State's Marco Fragale on the Growth of On-Campus B1G+ Productions and StudentU

The Buckeyes now produce and stream upwards of 200 sports events annually with a...

08/06/2026

Meet the New GLOW Ambassadors Leading Spotify's Global Pride Celebration

At Spotify, our commitment to the LGBTQIA community is year-round. Through GLOW, our global music program, we celebrate and amplify the contributions of queer ...

08/06/2026

GearExpo UK: Keyboard & Synth Update

Get Hands-on With Keyboard & Synth Brands GearExpo UK wouldn't be complete without some synth action, and we've got some of the industry's most ...

08/06/2026

IK Multimedia's ARC On-Ear gains IEM support

50 popular in-ear monitoring system profiles added The latest update for IK Multimedia's headphone-correction system has just arrived, and introduces ca...

08/06/2026

Audeze announce the MM-520

Manny Marroquin signature cans upgraded with SLAM Technology The flagship model in Audeze's Manny Marroquin Signature Series has just been treated to an...

08/06/2026

Air domain supremacy redefined - New counter UAS, space solutions and directional communications from Rohde & Schwarz debut at ILA

Air domain supremacy redefined - New counter UAS, space solutions and directiona...