CBS Sports Amplifies Coverage of U.S. Open Cup Final With Fan Cam in Supporters Section, Onsite Studio Programming

One fan in The Nordecke will wear the device via headset on Wednesday night

Sports in the United States are steep in tradition, but the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup is absolutely drenched in it. The nation's oldest ongoing national soccer competition comes to a dramatic conclusion tomorrow night with St. Louis City SC and the Columbus Crew squaring off at ScottsMiracle-Gro Field. CBS Sports will televise the action live from The Arch City with a bevy of production enhancements including a Fan Cam in the supporters section, Ref Cam, an aerial drone, and pitchside studio programming.

The U.S. Open Cup has been something that we've covered for the past 4 years, and for those of us here at CBS that have grown up as soccer fans in the U.S, we feel that [this tournament] needs to be given an extra layer of coverage to continue to promote it, says Mike Nastri, senior director & coordinating producer, CBS Sports. It's such a big part of our history as a soccer nation.

Live in The Nordecke: Fan Cam Showcases Energy from the Stands

This one-off championship match will pair the best two squads in American soccer, and off the pitch, a production wrinkle will leave its mark on the broadcast in a unique way. The Fan Cam, where this year's iteration will be a wearable headset in the stands, will aim at documenting a first person's perspective of the raucous crowds inside of the venue. Built on top of Ref Cam technology seen on CBS Sports' coverage of Italy's Serie A, the added twist during this match is having a spectator wear it in The Nordecke: the Columbus Crew's famous supporters section. We'll be able to give you a fan's perspective from one of the biggest supporter sections in MLS, says Nastri. We've seen Fan Cam worn from chest level, but [wearing a headset] will provide a much better point of view.

Ref Cam will be heavily relied on during live coverage, but in addition to these two wearable devices, the show will tap into an aerial drone flying overhead. Applications during down times in play include sweeping shots of crowds with a flight pattern that runs from outside to inside the stadium, closer to the pitch during player walkouts, and as the winning team lifts up the trophy.

We've been lucky to work with U.S. Soccer, who has been a great partner for us, adds Nastri. We're really going to push the limits of our drone coverage.

Nastri will be directing the live coverage alongside Senior Director and Coordinating Producer Giancarlo Gennarini, who will be in the producer's chair.

Direct from Columbus: Studio Show Brings Fans Closer to the Pitch

Prior to the start of tomorrow night's match at 8 p.m. ET, CBS Sports' stellar studio team will be busy at the stadium in Columbus. Opting for onsite editions for the final, a one-hour pregame show will kickoff coverage at 7 p.m. ET and the match will be bookended by a one-hour postgame show at approximately 10 p.m. ET. Coverage begins with a one-hour pre-match show at 7 p.m. ET and continues with a one-hour post-match show at 10 p.m. ET. Located at an on-field desk next to The Nordecke, the studio crew will include host Poppy Miller and analysts Mike Grella, Charlie Davies, and Jimmy Conrad. On the call, play-by-play announcer Chris Wittyngham will be joined by analyst Tony Meola in the booth as well contributions from rules analyst Christina Unkel and pitchside reporter Hailey Sutton. On the studio side, the decision to bring the show on the road was an easy one for Nastri and his production team.

Our studio team will definitely thrive off the energy of the crowd, he says. We'll also be able to interact with players and coaches before and after at the desk.

Mostly, this choice was to better the experience from those watching from home and couldn't travel to the stadium. In an effort to transport those witnessing the scenes on television to the building, the crew will dive headfirst into passion of each club's fanbase.

If a certain team's fan can't be in the stadium, they're going to feel like they're there with us, continues Nastri. We also want to mix authenticity with a very conversational and comfortable style, and I think that translates even more when we're onsite.

In total, 23 cameras will be used across studio and match coverage. This count will feature four super slo-mo cameras, including a slo-mo robotic camera inside of each net. Senior Producer Jen Calhoun will lead the production of studio programming.

A Competitive Contrast: Matchup Highlights American Soccer Spectrum

Wednesday night's clash for the U.S. Open Cup is pairing two teams with very different backstories. On one hand, St. Louis City SC has less than 10 years in MLS but won the Western Conference in their inaugural season in 2023 and is primed to make a run in the 2026 Major League Soccer Playoffs as the second seed in the conference. Outside of the club, the city of St. Louis has a long lineage of soccer excellence, which the broadcast will look to tap in to.

St. Louis has won multiple U.S. Open Cups across multiple different teams at the amateur and semi-professional level throughout the years, says Nastri. In addition, the United States Men's National Team at the 1950 FIFA World Cup featured many players from the community known as The Hill.

On the other hand, the Columbus Crew is one of Major League Soccer's original clubs from the league's inception in 1996. Over that time, the club has won six major trophies: three MLS Cups, Leagues Cup in 2024, Campeones Cup in 2021, and U.S. Open Cup in 2002. The Crew's home venue as well as the greater Columbus community hold an important place in the heart of U.S. Soccer.

Columbus is one of the first cities that built a soccer-specific stadium, adds Nastri. It's become a fortress f

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