Sony Pixel Power calrec Sony

Women's College World Series 2026: ESPN Brings Out Cinematic Cameras, POVORA CapCams for All-Texas Championship

03/06/2026

The broadcaster will deploy 39 cameras for game coverage, six cameras for studio programming in Oklahoma City

A week of the Women's College World Series (WCWS) goes by in the blink of an eye, and, in two or, possibly, three games in Oklahoma City, No. 1 Texas Longhorns and No. 3 Texas Tech Red Raiders will fight for intrastate bragging rights and national-title glory. ESPN's production and operations innovations culminate in tonight's Game 1 and includes integration of two shallow-depth-of-field cameras and two POVORA wearable CapCams in the 39-camera game production.

The ability to test new things throughout the season allows us to ensure we are bringing the best product to fans during our time in Oklahoma, says Meg Aronowitz, SVP, production, ESPN. We're very conscious that more doesn't always mean better. When we add to this event, we do it to enhance our coverage in the best ways possible.

Enhanced Angles: A Variety of Tech for Live Coverage

The 39 cameras dedicated to live game coverage at Devon Park represent diverse workflows. The 1080p HDR broadcasts feature a Technocrane on the concourse level for sweeping views of the venue along the first-base line, an aerial drone for high-in-the-sky views, a two-point cable system flying from the top of the press box down the left-field line, and an 80-ft. rail cam sliding along the left-field and centerfield wall. Also in the arsenal for the championship, two Sony shallow-depth-of-field Fx6's capture cinematic closeups from field level.

Cinematic shots of the Women's Collegiate World Series are captured by two shallow-depth-of-field cameras. Adding the second shallow-depth-of-field camera gives us the ultimate flexibility to have intimate coverage both around the stadium and on the field, says Aronowitz. It allows us to capture beautiful high-frame-rate fan reactions while not missing a beat with our coverage in the stadium.

Wearable technology is also back via POVORA. This new wrinkle adorns the top of the hat of the first- and third-base umpires, capturing plays down the line and in the outfield corners.

The addition of POVORA cameras has added another level of access, giving us a real-time look at what the umpires are seeing on close plays, says Aronowitz. It helps us educate the viewer at home to what the umpires are seeing in real time and has become a regular part of our replay sequencing on plays at the base.

What the umpire sees as shown by CapCams worn by the first- and third-base umpiresThis wearable technology gained traction through the success of UmpCam, the POV camera mounted to the mask of the home-plate umpire. Along with microphones worn by all four umpires, UmpCam and CapCam let fans know what it's like in the infield at the WCWS.

We have shown longstanding success with our UmpCam through both of our diamond sports, Aronowitz adds. Creating that relationship with the umpires has been important, and, each year, we strengthen that bond. This year, beginning in Clearwater, [FL, site of early-season tournaments], we tested the POVORA CapCams as a proof of concept. It worked incredibly well, so we were able to implement it at the SEC Tournament and now in Oklahoma.

In the broadcast compound, ESPN has seven Game Creek Video trucks: Prime 1 A, B, C, D, and office units; Edit 4; and Discovery. In addition, remote solutions are deployed: offsite editing and virtual-ad insertion from Bristol, CT, and remote productions of the SEC Network studio show from Charlotte, NC.

Studio Shows From OKC: Pregame and Alternative Special

For added color, ESPN has an onsite studio presence, with six cameras raising the complement to 45. For all 14 games of the tourney, NCAA Softball Championship Update, with host Courtney Lyle and analysts Danielle Lawrie and Madison Shipman, has set the table for fans. For Texas vs. Texas Tech, game analyst Amanda Scarborough joins the trio for a live presentation of NCAA Women's College World Series Pregame Show. All three nights, the show begins at 7:30 p.m. ET, airing on ESPN2 Wednesday and Friday and live on ESPN Thursday.

The view from behind the plate, thanks to an UmpCam worn by the home-plate umpireComplementing the traditional linear broadcasts of the championship series is an alternative broadcast titled 7Innings Live: Championship Finals Special, airing on ESPNU and the ESPN App. Lyle, Lawrie, Scarborough, and Shipman will continue their commentary on the final two teams standing.

With the advance of the Texas Longhorns, SEC Network will remain in Oklahoma City through the remaining games. Having followed other conference programs - Alabama, Arkansas, Mississippi State, Tennessee - the tag team of hosts Dari Nowkhah and Alyssa Lang and analysts Tori Vidales and Haylie McCleney is providing pre/postgame coverage of WCWS on SEC Now.

A Technocrane provides sweeping shots of the stadium from the concourse level.An expert on-air commentary team has led fans through the ups and downs of the tournament. The primary team, which called all day games and will call the Longhorns-Red Raiders series, comprises play-by-play announcer Beth Mowins, analysts Jessica Mendoza and Michele Smith, and sideline reporter Holly Rowe. The group has worked together for 19 seasons, and Mowins is calling her 32nd WCWS, Smith and Rowe their 22nd, and Mendoza her 19th. On the secondary team, which handled broadcasts at night, are play-by-play announcer Kevin Brown with his sixth WCWS, analyst Scarborough his 11th, and sideline reporter Lang her second.

New and Old Challenges: A Frenetic Pace

Since the first pitch of the first game, between Mississippi State and Texas Tech on May 28, the Women's College World Series has delivered the energy and excitement that everyone expected. With dramatic late-game winners, dazzling performances on the mound, and stellar defensi
LINK: https://www.sportsvideo.org/2026/06/03/womens-college-world-series-202...
See more stories from svg

More from Sports Video Group

24/07/2026

ESPN Adds New Production Features for NFL FLAG Championships

Referee hat cameras, player/coach mics, and virtual graphics will be deployed at the three-day event for the first time The NFL FLAG Championships return to ES...

24/07/2026

Qvest, Ateme and Scaleway Deliver Sovereign OTT Platforms for European Broadcasters

Qvest, Ateme, and Scaleway have partnered to offer broadcasters, media organizat...

24/07/2026

LTN Reaches 3,000 Satellite-to-IP Migrations as FCC Votes on C-Band Auction

LTN has completed satellite-to-IP migrations for more than 3,000 broadcaster, MVPD (Multi-Channel Video Programming Distributor), head-end, and content owner si...

24/07/2026

Chyron Releases Virtual Placement 8.1

Chyron has released Virtual Placement 8.1, an update to its live sports virtual graphics platform. The release adds workflow and graphics changes across chroma ...

24/07/2026

Riedel Deploys RefCam and Easy5G at International Soccer Match

Riedel's RefCam Live was used for the first time at an international soccer match during a friendly between the German men's national team and Ghana in ...

24/07/2026

USSI Global Offers Services for Next Phase of C-Band Spectrum Transition

USSI Global said it is prepared to help broadcasters, satellite network operators, and media organizations manage the next phase of C-band spectrum clearing, fo...

24/07/2026

Fubo Launches The Athletic Video Hub on CTV

FuboTV and The Athletic have launched The Athletic Video Hub on Fubo, bringing The Athletic's sports video content to connected TV (CTV) for the first time....

24/07/2026

Tagboard Integrates With Momento To Display Fan Reaction Photos on Venue Screens

Tagboard and Momento have partnered to bring Momento's fan reaction photos to venue videoboards in real time following big plays. The Seattle Mariners will ...

24/07/2026

Stephen Arnold Music Creates Anthem for Fox Television Stations FIFA World Cup Coverage

Stephen Arnold Music (SAM) created an anthem called The World Is Here for Fox ...

24/07/2026

CazTV Acquires Exclusive Brazilian WTA Tour Rights Through 2030

Caz TV has acquired Brazilian broadcast rights to the entire WTA Tour driven by Mercedes-Benz, covering all WTA 250, WTA 500, and WTA 1000 tournaments. The agre...

24/07/2026

SiriusXM and WWE Launch WWE Radio on Channel 156

SiriusXM and WWE have launched WWE Radio on SiriusXM channel 156, beginning Monday, July 27. The channel will carry live audio of WWE Premium Live Events, audio...

24/07/2026

Harvard Athletics Uses AJA Equipment for Collegiate Sports Production

Harvard Athletics produces more than 325 live NCAA Division 1 sports events and 500 edited videos per year. To manage video capture, streaming, recording, and s...

24/07/2026

Chyrons PRIME 5 Supported Telemundos FIFA World Cup 2026 Graphics Production

Chyron's PRIME 5 graphics platform supported live graphics workflows for NBCUniversal Telemundo's FIFA World Cup 2026 coverage across Telemundo, Univers...

24/07/2026

NBC Sports Prioritizes Data in Presentation of 113th Tour de France

Wearable tech returns to the coverage, and a brand-new mobile unit is rolled out for the 2026 edition The 21-stage Tour de France is nearing its conclusion. Th...

24/07/2026

ESPN Leans Into Player Access, Referee Cam for WNBA All-Star Weekend in Chicago

More than 20 cameras, extensive player and coach audio, and a REMCO production model will power coverage of the league's showcase For an event designed to ...

24/07/2026

F1 Unveils Strategy Insight Graphic Powered by AWS at Hungarian Grand Prix

New broadcast tool uses live timing, telemetry, and predictive analysis to decode real-time team decision-making for fans at home...

24/07/2026

Ratings Roundup: World Cup Final Draws Largest Non-NFL U.S. TV Audience in Nearly 30 Years

Ratings Roundup is a rundown of recent rating news and is derived from press rel...

23/07/2026

SVG Students To Watch: Shansley Glenn, University of Oklahoma

This Spring 2026 graduate from Honolulu found a home at SoonerVision as a live-production star and is ready to enter the industry as a replay op on Prime Video&...

23/07/2026

Miked Up Is an Everyday Deal for the Athletes Unlimited Softball League

As the AUSL postseason begins tonight, listening in to players during games enhances fan engagement for the young organization Ballplayers chatting with announ...

23/07/2026

Snap Announces AR and Creator Activations at Esports World Cup 2026 in Paris

Snap Inc. and the Esports Foundation have announced Snap's activations at the Esports World Cup 2026 in Paris, running July 6 through August 23. For the fir...

23/07/2026

Sony Introduces FX5 Full-Frame Cinema Line Camera

Sony has announced the FX5, a full-frame Cinema Line camera built around a newly developed fully stacked Exmor RS CMOS image sensor and BIONZ XR2 image processi...

23/07/2026

TNDV Powers Pickleball Slam 4 Broadcast for Ohlmeyer Kusserow Group

TNDV (a division of Live Media Group) provided technical production support for the Pickleball Slam 4 live broadcast from Seminole Hard Rock Live in Hollywood, ...

23/07/2026

LTN Surpasses 3,000 Satellite-to-IP Migrations as FCC Approves Upper C-Band Auction Rules

LTN has announced it has completed satellite-to-IP migrations for more than 3,00...

23/07/2026

Daktronics Announces 2026 DakClassroom Student Showcase Winners

Daktronics has announced the winners of the 2026 DakClassroom Student Showcase, a national competition recognizing student work in media production, storytellin...

23/07/2026

beIN Sports Extends Exclusive Roland-Garros Rights Across 10 Asian Markets Through 2031

The French Tennis Federation (FFT) and beIN Media Group have announced a five-ye...

23/07/2026

Clear-Com Provides Intercom System for Fryderyk Awards Gala at Tauron Arena Krakw

Clear-Com provided the communications infrastructure for the Fryderyk Awards Gal...

23/07/2026

How the FIFA World Cup's Record Revenue Masks a Structural Market Contraction

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is, on paper, an unparalleled financial success. Total t...

23/07/2026

From Green Screen to LED: How BBC Sport's World Cup Studio Became the Blueprint for Match of the Day

Standing inside HQ3 at MediaCity Studios during the FIFA World Cup 2026, it quic...

23/07/2026

How the 2026 FIFA World Cup Tightened the Bond Between the FOX Sports Digital, Linear Teams

Having attracted upwards of 17 billion views throughout the tourney, the broadca...

22/07/2026

ESPN's AutoMic Technology Pays Off at Wimbledon; Baker Credits Team, AELTC for Successful Fortnight

Among other tweaks to coverage, the broadcaster added announce positions in the ...

22/07/2026

Australian Sports Technologies Network Reports Industry Growth of 16% in 2026

The Australian Sports Technologies Network (ASTN) has reported a sharp acceleration in Australia's sportstech sector, with revenue growth rising from 10% in...

22/07/2026

Production Wins, Man!': Men in Blazers' Founder Roger Bennett on Winning the FIFA World Cup as a Digital Media Brand

From a retrofitted broadcast bus to packed Match Day Live! events, Bennett detai...

22/07/2026

TMRW Sports Appoints Brendan Donohue as President, Flag Football

TMRW Sports has named Brendan Donohue as President, Flag Football, where he will lead the company's professional flag football business in partnership with ...

22/07/2026

Stephen Arnold Music Creates Audio for FIFA World Cup Projection Mapping Display at Rockefeller Center

Stephen Arnold Music (SAM) designed and produced soundtracks for nine projection...

22/07/2026

Harmonic Donates $25,000 to Venezuela Earthquake Relief Through Global Empowerment Mission

Harmonic has announced a $25,000 donation to Global Empowerment Mission (GEM) fo...

22/07/2026

Telemundo Acquires Exclusive U.S. Spanish-Language Rights to UEFA Mens Club Competitions Beginning 2027/28

Telemundo has announced it has acquired from UC3 exclusive U.S. Spanish-language...

22/07/2026

The Rest Is Football Returns to Netflix for 2026/27 Premier League Season Through 2028 European Championship

The Rest Is Football, hosted by Gary Lineker, Alan Shearer, and Micah Richards, ...

22/07/2026

Sports Studio and TheSoul Group Announce YouTube and Social Distribution Partnership

Sports Studio has announced a partnership with TheSoul Group to distribute Free ...

22/07/2026

Daktronics Concludes 2026 High School Video Summit

Daktronics has concluded its 2026 High School Video Summit, a two-day hybrid event combining virtual sessions with hands-on host school visits across the countr...

22/07/2026

FOR-A America to Exhibit at MMCA 2026 with First U.S. HVS-Q12 Sale Announced

FOR-A America will exhibit at the MMCA Show in Pensacola, Florida (July 21-24), marking the company's first appearance at the house of worship AV event. FOR...

22/07/2026

New York Yankees Select Lumen Technologies for Stadium and Data Center Connectivity

The New York Yankees have selected Lumen Technologies (NYSE: LUMN) to connect Ya...

22/07/2026

IBC 2026: Calrec To Exhibit IP Audio Ecosystem, Announce New Products

Calrec will exhibit at IBC 2026 (Stand 8.C47) with demonstrations of its IP-native audio ecosystem built around the Argo console range, and will announce two ne...

22/07/2026

Solid State Logic Appoints Algam EKO as Italian Distributor

Solid State Logic has announced the appointment of Algam EKO as its distributor for SSL large format consoles in Italy, covering the Live, Broadcast, and Studio...

22/07/2026

FloSports Launches Free Streaming Channel on Prime Video

FloSports has announced the launch of the FloSports Channel, a free ad-supported streaming channel premiering on Prime Video in the U.S. on July 21. The channel...

22/07/2026

Savannah Bananas Deploys Calrec Audio Infrastructure for Banana Ball TV REMI Broadcasts

Banana Ball TV (BTV), the broadcast operation of the Savannah Bananas, has insta...

22/07/2026

SiriusXM and Audacy Announce Agreement To Add 42 Local Stations to SiriusXM

SiriusXM and Audacy have announced an agreement bringing 42 Audacy sports, news, and talk stations from 29 U.S. markets to SiriusXM. Twenty-three Audacy sports ...

22/07/2026

Overtime, FOX One Partner on Social-First FIFA World Cup Series Race to Glory for the Creator Generation

The collaboration produced more than 500 short-form videos across four cities th...

22/07/2026

Green Bay Packers Escalate In-House Video Production With New Content Studio

At 2,600 sq. ft., the new home of digital content houses a main studio, podcast space, and an auxiliary control room NFL franchises are accelerating their prod...

21/07/2026

FIFA World Cup 2026: The Firsts, Breakthroughs, and Lasting Legacies

With winners Spain having already paraded the World Cup trophy through Madrid in front of millions of fans and the dust now settling on an epic tournament of th...

21/07/2026

NHL Launches Centralized Production Operation for Regional Broadcasts; Four Teams Aboard To Start

In a time of disarray in regional sports broadcasting, the league will provide c...