MLB 2022: ESPN's KayRod Cast Aims To Bring Mix of Fun, Insights to Sunday Night Baseball
08/04/2022
Friday, April 8, 2022 - 2:09 pm
Print This Story | Subscribe
Story Highlights
The next chapter of the alternative-sports-broadcast boom begins on Sunday when Michael Kay and Alex Rodriguez take over ESPN's Seaport District Studios in New York for the first of eight KayRod Sunday Night Baseball broadcasts on ESPN2. ESPN is looking to capture the same magic it has found with the much hyped Manningcast, and, as with that MNF alternative presentation, viewers can expect a wide spectrum of fun entertainment segments, celebrity guests, in-game analysis, and everything in between.
To us, it's still documenting the game. It's guests, it's entertainment, it's humor, it's unpredictability, says Mark Gross, SVP, production and remote events, ESPN. Things will happen during the course of the night that we didn't think would happen, so we'll adjust to those. And, whether that's a surprise guest or whether it's a surprise element or two, we're going to keep this laid back, relaxed, fun, entertaining, and informative for all eight of these [KayRod Casts].
CLICK HERE for SVG's overarching story on ESPN's MLB 2022 production plans.
Together and Apart: A Mix of Seaport Studios and Remote ESPN plans to host five of the eight KayRod Casts from its Seaport Studios; Kay and Rodriguez will be located remotely for the other three. For example, YES Network's longtime play-by-play announcer will be in Baltimore calling the Yankees-Orioles series during next Sunday's KayRod Cast, so he and Rodriguez will do the broadcast remotely.
Editions from the Seaport District will be hosted in the same studio used by Get Up each weekday morning but with a revamped no-desk casual feel that includes comfy chairs and a large-screen monitor for Rodriguez and Kay to watch the game.
[Seaport Studios] provides us with a lot more room and flexibility than an announce booth would if we they were doing the game onsite, says Phil Orlins, senior coordinating producer, MLB, ESPN. They will have a casual setup with lots of monitors and the demo area to create a differentiated experience.
For Seaport-based shows, Rodriguez will have a demo area to use to provide hands-on analysis during the broadcasts, as well as a tablet-based telestrator to allow him to break down highlights on the fly.
[He will have] plenty of space, says Gross. More space than Alex has ever experienced in the booth, for sure. [Plus] his own glove [and] his own bat. Actually, the glove and bat that he used when he was playing are available to him.
As is the case for all studio shows originating from the Seaport Studios, the control room will be at ESPN's Bristol, CT, campus. Producer Joe McCoy, who oversaw ESPN KidsCast last year, will be at the front bench, along with veteran studio director Jim Ryan.
From a technical standpoint, says Orlins, it's an optimum scenario working out of Seaport since it offers perfect time synchronization and is already used every day for Get Up and other shows. We shouldn't be dealing with any delay or latency, and it will make it more seamless to bring in guests during the [broadcast].
McCoy and Ryan will leverage a clean feed from the main SNB broadcast on ESPN, along with two unilateral cameras at mid or high first and mid or high third base.
For the three shows when Rodriguez and Kay are remote, ESPN will use its Live From Home announce kits, which were introduced during the broadcaster's KBO baseball coverage in 2020 and have become a staple of its remote operations. KayRod Cast production will also have two dedicated Evertz DreamCatcher replay operators.
With those DreamCatchers, says Orlins, we will be able to dip into all the source material from the other show as well as our two cameras, so we can do our own replays and analytical content. [The KayRod Cast team] will work off the clean feed from the primary show, but they will be producing their own independent show.
KayRod Cast: Custom Graphics, Music, Show Open, QR Codes KayRod Cast will also have its own theme music and custom-designed graphics/animations package, as well as a scrolling bottom-line graphic focused on game and statistical updates. In addition, VP, Creative Content Production, Julie McGlone, Senior Producer Martin Khodabakhshian, and their team have created a new show open that Orlins says will look more like the opening of a TV drama or sitcom than the typical sports event.
Everything will be unique and was custom-designed: the graphics, the music, the show open, all of it, says Orlins. [KayRod Cast] will have its own custom music that has a bit of a night-clubby sound to it. You won't hear the conventional Sunday Night Baseball or ESPN music or see the [traditional] graphics. We're looking to create a unique experience [for viewers].
He adds that the production team will be aggressively integrating QR codes into the broadcast to encourage viewer participation and interaction. ESPN has teamed with FlowCode for QR activation and Sparx for data integration and polling features.
Kay-Rod Chemistry, Topical Guests, Evolution From Week to Week Gross believes that Kay and Rodriguez will offer a rare level of natural chemistry, thanks to their long-time professional and personal relationship during A-Rod's years with the Yankees. He adds that the casual format of the broadcast, along with Kay's long history in sports talk radio, will allow both of them to thrive.
Alex has a ton of anecdotes [and] stories to share, says Gross, and I would say that this format allows those stories to be shared much more easily than in a
LINK: | https://www.sportsvideo.org/2022/04/08/mlb-2022-espns-kayrod-cast-look... |
See more stories from svg |
Most recent headlines
04/08/2024
Dalet Appoints Santiago Solanas as CEO to Lead Next Era of Growth and Innovation
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 and Veritone Reach Agreement to Distribute, Transact and Monetize Media Archives
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, a...
03/05/2024
Sudan: New WhatsApp Course Equips Journalists to Report on Conflict Related Sexual Violence
An innovative learning tool to help media and civil society better understand ho...
03/05/2024
Slow Explores an Unusual Relationship With Sincere Romance
PARK CITY, UTAH - JANUARY 21: (L-R) Actors K stutis Cic nas and Greta Grinevi i t , Director Marija Kavtaradze and Producer Marija Razgute attend the 2023 Sunda...
03/05/2024
Be Honest With Your Art': Danny Ocean Reflects on Sudden Stardom and His Deeply Personal New Album
If you aren't familiar with Danny Ocean's music, it's only a matter ...
03/05/2024
Spotify and ELLE Collaborate in Celebration of Emerging Women in Music
Spotify has an unwavering commitment to supporting emerging artists across all genres, to helping them launch and thrive in their careers, and to connecting the...
03/05/2024
La Msica Mexicana no es solamente un fenmeno en Mxico y Estados Unidos, tambin en toda Amrica Latina
Como uno de los sonidos de mayor expansi n en el mundo, la M sica Mexicana va m ...
03/05/2024
Msica Mexicana Isn't Just a Phenomenon in Mexico and the U.S.-It's Taking Over Latin America.
As one of the fastest-growing sounds worldwide, M sica Mexicana is more than jus...
03/05/2024
Fubo Loses Subs in Q1 But Exceeds Guidance and Reduces Losses
NEW YORK FuboTV reported that it lost 110,000 subs in Q1 2024 but it exceeded its guidance for the quarter with double digit year-over-year increases across key...
03/05/2024
Only 3 Weeks Left To Enter The Creative Industries Most Award
Only 3 Weeks Left To Enter The Creative Industries Most Award Brie Clayton May 3, 2024 0 Comments Creativepool is giving a last call to the creative i...
03/05/2024
WePlay Studios Transforms the Future of Live Event Storytelling with AJA Gear
WePlay Studios Transforms the Future of Live Event Storytelling with AJA Gear Brie Clayton May 3, 2024 0 Comments By 2032, the esports market is expec...
03/05/2024
The Business of TV News: Shannon Bream Singles Out Key Issue in 2024 Election
WASHINGTON Shannon Bream, Fox News Sunday anchor and chief legal correspondent, sat for a keynote chat at The Business of TV News, with Tom Umstead, senior co...
03/05/2024
ABC News Anchor Martha Raddatz Says Local News Is Everything'
WASHINGTON Asked how important is local news, Martha Raddatz, who has covered foreign conflicts for decades and moderated presidential debates for ABC News, s...
03/05/2024
Paramount Stock Jumps on Report of $26 Billion Bid From Sony Pictures and Apollo Global
Sony Pictures and Apollo Global Management have made a $26 billion cash offer fo...
03/05/2024
CBS Shares 2024-2025 Schedule
CBS announced its 2024-2025 primetime schedule, which features the new dramas NCIS: Origins, Matlock and Watson, and new comedies Poppa's House and Georgie ...
03/05/2024
Fubo Continues To Reduce Red Ink Despite Losing 110,000 Subs in Q1
Sports-focused streaming service Fubo said it reduced its red ink in the first quarter, despite losing 110,000 subscribers since the end of the year....
03/05/2024
Walmart Ready to Release 4K Hybrid Streaming/Smart Speaker
Walmart is reportedly about to release a new 4K streaming box/smart speaker hybrid device for Google TV that could retail for as low as $50, according to a repo...
03/05/2024
Limecraft updates content delivery platform
Enhancements to its Delivery Workspace solution provide increased content delivery robustness and security By Matthew Corrigan Published: May 3, 2024 Enha...
03/05/2024
Sony and Apollo submit $26 billion bid for Paramount Global
According to reports, if the bid is successful, Sony would be the significant majority shareholder of the new private company By Jenny Priestley Published: M...
03/05/2024
Global Academy launches Manchester media school
Located in Manchesters Spinningfields district, the course aims to equip students with the skills, knowledge and industry insight for a career in the creative s...
03/05/2024
New Lightbridge C-Move Core
Lightbridge has created a new Cine Reflect Lighting System kit, dedicated to enabling artistic lighting with consideration of today's productivity practical...
03/05/2024
KPBS Modernizes Infrastructure With Major AES67 Control R...
Broadcast media systems integrator BeckTV and Lawo worked together on a large-scale AES67 build of radio control rooms at KPBS, San Diego's NPR and PBS memb...
03/05/2024
SmallHD Free PageOS 6 Update Adds Powerful New Capabiliti...
Raleigh, NC, April 12, 2024 SmallHD announces PageOS 6, a powerful software update free for owners of SmallHD monitors, featuring increased functionality, exp...
03/05/2024
SmallHD Launches Quantum 32 Quantum Dot OLED HDR Referenc...
SmallHD announces the Quantum 32 a new 31.5 OLED monitor designed to provide reference HDR/SDR images for post-production final color grading, as well as cri...
03/05/2024
How WePlay Studios is Transforming the Future of Live Eve...
By 2032, the esports market is expected to grow to $9.29 billion, bolstered by a global player count and fan following that both continue to climb. The 2023 Lea...
03/05/2024
Amagis Latest FAST Report Unveils the Rise of a Diverse G...
Amagi, the global leader in cloud-based SaaS technology for broadcast and connected TV (CTV), today announced that the 11th edition of the Amagi Global FAST Rep...
03/05/2024
WDR Filmhaus to Implement Riedel Infrastructure
Riedel Communications today announced that Westdeutscher Rundfunk (WDR) is relying on a media and intercom network based on Riedel technology for the renewal of...
03/05/2024
TF1 Chooses Broadpeak to Power Targeted Advertising for N...
Broadpeak , a leading provider of content delivery network (CDN) and video streaming solutions for content providers and pay-TV operators worldwide, announced t...
03/05/2024
Limecraft Announces New Platform Update and Preview of MI...
Media technology innovator Limecraft will exhibit the latest updates to its online platform on stand G79 at the 15-16 May 2024 Media Production & Technology Sho...
03/05/2024
Prism Sound Announces Partners For 8 Hours At Rockfield 2...
Audio interface specialist Prism Sound is partnering with console manufacturer Solid State Logic, professional monitor manufacturer PMC and acoustic panel and d...
03/05/2024
Intinor brings excellence in contribution streaming to MP...
Intinor, Sweden's leading developer of products and solutions for high-quality video over the internet, is set to join forces with its UK partner Zest Techn...
03/05/2024
NAKIVO Reports 10 Percent Revenue Growth in EMEA Region
NAKIVO Inc., a fast-growing software company dedicated to protecting physical, virtual, cloud, and SaaS environments, announced its Q1 2024 financial results to...
03/05/2024
Hiltron Introduces Field-Upgradable Motorisation Kit for...
Hiltron Communications announces an addition to its range of satellite communication products and systems: a field-upgradable motorisation kit specifically desi...
03/05/2024
LiveU Showcases Story-Centric Workflows and the LiveU Eco...
Visit LiveU at Stand D30 With this year an exceptional one for major sporting events alongside multiple, key elections, the power and flexibility of LiveU'...
03/05/2024
Agile Content appoints Koldo Unanue as new CEO to boost t...
Agile Content, the leader in the development of technology and solutions for the provision of television services over the Internet, announces Koldo Unanue as i...
03/05/2024
Fubo, Dish, DirecTV & Others Urge Congress to Probe New Sports Streaming JV
Eight co-signers representing streaming services, pay TV operators and public interest groups have sent a letter to Congressional leaders urging their Committee...
03/05/2024
Brightcove Integrates AWS-Powered Generative AI Solution
BOSTON Brightcove has announced that it has implemented Amazon Q Business, a new generative AI assistant on Amazon Web Services (AWS)....
03/05/2024
CBS Claims 16th Straight Prime Time Viewing Title
NEW YORK CBS has declared that it will finish the 2023-24 season as Americas Most-Watched Network in primetime for the 16th consecutive season....
03/05/2024
Survey: U.S. Business and Consumers Plan to Increase Tech Spending
A new survey indicates that U.S. businesses and consumers had an overall positive attitude towards their technology spending plans in the first quarter of 2024,...
03/05/2024
Sony, Apollo Make $26B Bid for Paramount
Sony and Apollo Global Management have sent an offer letter to Paramount Global's board of directors making an $26 billion all cash offer for Paramount Glob...
03/05/2024
EMG / Gravity Media Grow Executive Team
EMG / Gravity Media has appointed Charlie Cubbon chief operating officer (COO) and Jamie Hindhaugh regional CEO for the U.K., U.S., Australia and the Middle Eas...
03/05/2024
WRAL-TV Brain Game Producer Randy Mews Wraps Season Taping Before Retirement
Final 2024 Season Games to Air Saturdays on WRAL at 10:30am in May, Championship on June 1 Taping for the final episodes of the 2024 season of WRAL-TV's Br...
03/05/2024
Estrella MediaCo Launches FAST Channels With Curiosity (NewFronts)
Estrella MediaCo said it is expanding its connected TV portfolio by launching three new channels with Curiosity that will first appear on Samsung TV Plus....
03/05/2024
SAG-AFTRA Will Use Nielsen Streaming Data To Enforce New Contract Terms
Nielsen said that actors' union SAG-AFTRA has selected Nielsen as its third-party provider of streaming content measurement....
03/05/2024
Cineverse Moves AI Content Search Tool cineSearch Into Public Beta
Cineverse said it has released a public beta version of cineSearch, its artificial intelligence-based system designed to help users find content to watch....
03/05/2024
Court TV To Debut Season 2 Of Accomplice To Murder May 5
Court TV said that its series Accomplice to Murder with Vinnie Politan is returning for a second season beginning May 5....
03/05/2024
Paramount Advertising Taps Mastercard, EDO for Attribution
Paramount Advertising said it is working with Mastercard and research and analytics company EDO to measure the impact of advertising campaigns and improve their...
03/05/2024
The Business of TV News: How To Grow Local Programming Without Burning Out Staffers, Viewers
WASHINGTON The panel The Growth of Local Programming happened at The Busines...
03/05/2024
Katz Media Group Names Craig Broitman President
Katz Media Group said that Craig Broitman will become president of the company, succeeding Leo MacCourtney, who announced that he is retiring effective July 1....