Live From CFP National Championship: ACC Network Battles Weather for Onsite Studio Programming Jax Brewery is hosting three physical sets By Kristian Hernandez, Associate Editor
Monday, January 13, 2020 - 3:13 pm
Print This Story
Story Highlights
With the help of Clemson's football dynasty, the ACC Network punched its ticket to New Orleans in its first year of linear operations. Prior to the first snap of tonight's College Football Playoff National Championship Game, the network worked around gloomy weather and a tight schedule to produce nearly 20 hours of pre/postgame content.
The ACC Network constructed three physical sets, including this one inside the Jackson Brewery location.
It's three days in three different locations, explains Aaron Katzman, coordinating producer, ESPN. Saturday was Media Day at Xavier University. which was a whole setup. Jackson Brewery is functional and operational all weekend, but weather caused a lot of changes. We have two inside sets going on at the same time, which is a pretty remarkable achievement to put a year's worth of planning and then, in two hours, move everything inside because of lightning and thunderstorms.
In the Heart of NOLA: Three Main Sets Take Over the French Quarter
Debuting on the main stage with this production, the network has flaunted its lineup of studio shows at Jax Brewery on the perimeter of historic Jackson Square, including The Huddle with Dalen Cuff, Eric Mac Lain, EJ Manuel, Mark Richt, Kelsey Riggs, Jon Beason, Roddy Jones, and Mark Herzlich; and Packer and Durham (sans dogs). On the building's fourth floor, three physical sets were constructed and are being used by a wide range of talent.
This facility works great because you get multiple angles with multiple sets, says Amy Rosenfeld, VP, production, ESPN. The ESPN team scouted this location the week after the National Championship Game last year, and Aaron sat down with [Coordinating Director] Lorenzo Lamadrid and [Managing Producer] Lindsey Lloyd and fit [our coverage] into the puzzle because the complexity of the timing is really something.
Developing an intricate plan is a major reason the ACC Network's coverage is rolling along with minimal hiccups. With the Tigers once again in the mix as one of the best college football teams in the country, Katzman, Rosenfeld, and the rest of the crew got a bit of a head start on planning, based on the likelihood that they would be making a trip to the Big Easy.
The great thing about Clemson is that everyone is always aware that there is a really good chance they're going to be here in the National Championship, Rosenfeld continues. If they potentially win it all, it provides an opportunity to have a lot of positive content.
A Change in Plans: Rough Weather Pushes Operational Limits
Despite the network's best-laid plans, a patch of weather bringing wind, rain, and even a potential tornado derailed the original blueprint for the shows. Many of the outdoor or semi-outdoor plans - including the idea of having the Mississippi River as the background - were ultimately foiled. The staff decided to move operations indoors and use spacing to produce numerous shows simultaneously.
Despite the weather, a set is being used in a semi-outdoor patio area.
Along with the weather problems were timing issues. The physical set inside the Mercedes-Benz Superdome was in jeopardy of having to be assembled and placed on the field a day later than usual.
Monday, we're at the Superdome, which had its own set of issues, says Katzman. A week and a half ago, there was a lot of thought that the New Orleans Saints would host a playoff game, and that would have pushed us back to bringing our equipment onsite a day later.
A Makeshift Content Factory: A Deeper Look at the Jax Brewery Setup
Bringing a variety of studio shows on the road has its share of logistical hurdles. In an unfamiliar venue, the ACC Network created a temporary control room responsible for a majority of the onsite production duties. An onsite producer, director, and other staffers who raise the total to 15 are working in New Orleans, but, at headquarters in Bristol, CT, graphics implementation and the final product are handled in a dedicated control room. This not only allows a streamlined workflow but also permits high-profile shows deriving from that location to use shared resources, such as footage.
In addition to production functions handled in Bristol, the crew has a temporary control room onsite.
We have a core group of ACC Network people that are here, says Katzman. In addition, there are others doing everything on the technical and production sides. One of our directors working on the pregame show is also directing NFL Countdown, so it's really all hands on deck and one big team to help the ESPN family out.
Although the environment may be crowded, the setting has allowed both talent and behind-the-scenes personnel to establish a stronger bond with those associated with ESPN's NFL side.
It has been great to see our talent in an office space like this with College GameDay talent and watch some of the newer TV personalities be flies on the wall with these people, Katzman says. It has also been great for all of them to share stories with each other and cross-promote material on the shows.
Although another network is busy churning out content that highlights the opposing LSU Tigers, the ACC Network is working hand-in-hand with the SEC Network as well. There has been some on-air crossover - including having the SEC Network's Marty and McGee on Packer and Durham, Richt speaking in a segment with former SEC head coach Gene Chizik, and Mac Lain and former Alabama quarterback Greg McElroy on College Football Live - but, more important, the new network is leaning on its heavily experienced colleagues.
Most recent headlines
11/12/2025
Dalet, a leading provider of cloud-native, end-to-end media workflow solutions, ...
01/12/2025
L3Harris and PentenAmio formalise their teaming agreement at MilCIS 2025, streng...
01/12/2025
Artemis II is NASA's first crewed flight test of the Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft. The crew, from left: Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Vic...
01/12/2025
IRVINE, Calif. Wooden Camera has introduced its new Accessory Collection for the Canon EOS C50. The new lineup includes a low-profile, gimbal-ready cage, expand...
01/12/2025
WASHINGTON The Federal Communications Commission has released a tentative agenda for its Dec. 18 Open Commission Meeting that will include a vote on a report an...
01/12/2025
In most years, a graph of annual local TV ad spending is about as predictable as an electrocardiogram of a reasonably healthy patient in a doctor's office. ...
01/12/2025
Many industries have seen big-ticket hardware turn into software. Switchers, though, demand a combination of real-time performance and sheer bandwidth that has ...
01/12/2025
GENEVA Shanghai will host the next quadrennial Radiocommunication Assembly (RA-27) and World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC-27), Oct. 11-Nov. 12, 2027. This...
01/12/2025
NEW YORK Just in time for Giving Tuesday tomorrow (Dec. 2), the Broadcasters Foundation of America is seeking out donations to help television and radio industr...
01/12/2025
STOCKHOLM, Sweden Net Insight CEO Crister Fritzson has informed the company's board that he will retire from the video transport and media cloud technology ...
01/12/2025
01 Dec 2025
Kyivstar and Ukrainian Ministry of Digital Transformation Select Go...
01/12/2025
The prequel to the global hit Sky Original mob crime saga, Gomorrah' is a s...
01/12/2025
Featuring Florence Welch, Red Hot Chilli Peppers' Flea, designer Bella Freud...
01/12/2025
Back to All News
A Down to Earth, All Too Relatable Hero: Cashero' Teaser ...
01/12/2025
In the rush to deliver content to every screen, many broadcasters overlook one of the most crucial steps in the workflow: format and frame rate conversion. Get ...
01/12/2025
Fox Corporation Chief Financial Officer Steve Tomsic to Participate in Upcoming ...
01/12/2025
Arvato Systems' Virtual Private Cloud (VPC) Receives BSI C5 Certification (T...
01/12/2025
Summary This short video gives you an summary of the changes in under two minutes.
--...
01/12/2025
As the festive season approaches, RT Supporting the Arts is proud to showcase a...
01/12/2025
Researchers worldwide rely on open-source technologies as the foundation of their work. To equip the community with the latest advancements in digital and physi...
01/12/2025
Festive specials of Christmas in Kilmainham presented by Marty Whelan, High Road Low Road, Callan Kicks the Year and Keys to My Life
Ring in the New Year with ...
01/12/2025
Architect and television presenter Hugh Wallace, best known to RT audiences as a long-serving judge on Home of the Year, has died at the age of 68.
In a state...
28/11/2025
Nadia Fall attends the 2025 Sundance Film Festival premiere of Brides at the Egyptian Theatre on January 24, 2025, in Park City, Utah. (Photo by Donyale West/...
28/11/2025
It's easy to ignore those little red update available badges. But when it ...
28/11/2025
WASHINGTON Federal Communications Commission has released a tentative agenda for the December Open Commission Meeting scheduled for Thursday, December 18, 2025 ...
28/11/2025
The Professional Fighters League is looking to super-serve fans of mixed martial...
28/11/2025
Fubo has released in beta on select Roku devices a new feature that lets users display up to four simultaneous streams at once....
28/11/2025
The WNBA playoffs and Week 4 of the NFL regular season highlight the list of live sports events airing on television this weekend....
28/11/2025
The 32nd class of honorees to the B+C Hall of Fame took to the stage at New York's Ziegfeld Ballroom on September 26 for a gala induction event. Click below...
28/11/2025
We hold in our hands the very last Next Text for Next TV, the weekly back-and-fo...
28/11/2025
DirecTV said it made a deal with EchoStar to buy EchoStar's video businesses, including satellite-TV provider Dish TV and virtual MVPD Sling TV, for $1 plus...
28/11/2025
The Broadcasting+Cable Hall of Fame, the premier industry event paying tribute to the influencers, innovators and shining lights of broadcast, cable and streami...
28/11/2025
Friday 28 November 2025
Sky Sports x Slawn drop limited-edition football jersey...
28/11/2025
Rohde & Schwarz shows resilience in a challenging environment, revenue exceeds t...
28/11/2025
Unwrapped: The Toy Show Appeal - airing this Sunday on RT One and RT Player- s...
27/11/2025
LONDON Vizrt has added several AI-driven advanced features offering improved speed, intelligence and accuracy in the newest version of its media asset managemen...
27/11/2025
Prime Video has launched AI-powered video season recaps in a beta version for select English-language Prime Original series in the U.S., a move Amazon is callin...
27/11/2025
Back to All News
Netflix's Raat Akeli Hai: The Bansal Murders Marks a Grand...
27/11/2025
27 Nov 2025
GSMA brings M360 Eurasia 2026 to Samarkand in partnership with VEON...
27/11/2025
Tahar Rahim and Izuka Hoyle star in the gripping six-part Sky Original from Acad...
27/11/2025
Thursday 27 November 2025
Sky Arts Reveals the Nation's Greatest Basslines - and Queen Reign Supreme
The UK's most iconic basslines have been revealed...
27/11/2025
Back to All News
Stranger Things 5': Prepare for One Last Adventure With O...
27/11/2025
The media industry has a paradox at its core. It's an industry built on light, color and imagination, yet behind the scenes, it's powered by one of the ...
27/11/2025
Rating reflects rating progress across areas including policies, diversity & inclusion, health & safety and Net Zero leadership
Winchester, UK, 27 November 202...
27/11/2025
What are the industry standards for Retail Media? Kathryn explains that certification is based on the IAB Europe Retail Media Measurement Standards and the IAB ...
27/11/2025
World champion boxer and Irish sporting icon Katie Taylor will be in studio this...
27/11/2025
Roblox, one of the world's most popular online gaming platforms for primary ...
27/11/2025
Black Friday is leveling up. Get ready to score one of the biggest deals of the season - 50% off the first three months of a new GeForce NOW Ultimate membership...
26/11/2025
SVG Sit-Down: Prime Video EP Mike Muriano Previews Massive Black Friday Slate Fe...
Live From CFP National Championship: ACC Network Battles Weather for Onsite Studio Programming Jax Brewery is hosting three physical sets By Kristian Hernandez, Associate Editor 
