SMT Leverages ROOSTER' Workflow To Run Professional Fighters League Data, Graphics Ops Remotely SMT's team is stationed in Durham, NC, and the PFL fights are in Atlantic City By Jason Dachman, Chief Editor
Monday, May 24, 2021 - 2:26 pm
Print This Story | Subscribe
Story Highlights
SMT has been a key cog in the Pro Fighters League machine since it launched in 2019, capturing a tsunami of data from inside the SmartCage and churning out next-gen analytics that are among the most advanced in all of MMA. However, with the pandemic limiting the size of onsite crew for PFL productions this year in Atlantic City, NJ, SMT was suddenly forced to rethink its operation under a remote scenario. Enter SMT's new ROOSTER (Remote Optics Operator Staffing & Technology for Eliminating Risk) production model.
A total of 15 SMT personnel are working remotely from Durham, NC, for Pro Fighters League shows.
With the challenges posed in a COVID environment, we needed to come up with alternative ways to provide the same deliverables for PFL shows, says Robbie Louthan, SVP, business development, SMT. This particular event is unique for us because SMT has such a large amount of resources dedicated to every show. We typically have had 13 SMT support personnel for every PFL show, and trying to have 13 resources onsite in a COVID environment just wasn't feasible. It really was a unique opportunity for us to deliver the same product and service suite with minimal onsite footprint and minimal impact to the final on-air product.
Partnership Built on the Power of Data, Out-of-the-Box Thinking PFL's SmartCage is covered with sensors to generate its Cagenomics fighter-tracking data
SMT provides proprietary technology that combines live scoring with real-time biometric and positional data for PFL, which has made data-centric storytelling a priority in its broadcasts. Dubbed Cagenomics, SMT's fighter-tracking offers live punch-speed data (transmitted by SMT-developed sensors worn inside PFL gloves), power ratings, heart-rate tracking, and energy exerted. New in the data complement is Fighter Performance Rating (FPR), and the launch of a kick-speed metric is expected soon.
This data is displayed on the stats prompter for the commentators and integrated into on-air graphics. SMT's OASIS Platform seamlessly integrates and combines live scoring with this biometric and positional data to enhance the analysis, storytelling, and graphic presentation.
The PFL truly thinks outside the box, says Louthan. They know what has been done in the past, and they are trying to create a unique brand using technology, and their SmartCage is core to that mission. For us, it's a dream partnership in the sense that this is an organization that is open to any crazy out-of-the-box idea we want to pitch their way; nothing is off the table. So it has been a tremendous collaboration that allows us to come up with some very unique and cool things.
Professional Fighters League Executive Producer George Greenberg seconds that notion: SMT has been by our side since day one. Of course, there were growing pains, but, if there's a problem, they're going to solve it. Anytime we've had a crazy idea, they are smart enough and brave enough to go for it.
From Durham to Atlantic City: How SMT and PFL Pulled It Off Professional Fighter League data and graphics operations are handled remotely from SMT's Durham, NC, headquarters.
This season, due to COVID-related onsite restrictions, nearly all SMT personnel are located at its headquarters in Durham, NC, and its equipment is physically housed inside PFL's bubble in Atlantic City. As part of its ROOSTER workflow, SMT is using a combination of proprietary and third-party technology to bring back the UI, video monitoring, and comms to Durham in order to operate those systems remotely.
In Durham, SMT has set up five pods to keep the 15 operators socially distanced at its facility, including the font graphics coordinator, graphics ops, and data inputters. SMT initially deployed four people in Atlantic City for the ultra-complex set up of PFL's SmartCage but is now operating with just two crew members onsite (one in the truck, one cage-side).
We're doing almost everything remotely, including [calculating] strikes, strike speed, take-down attempts, submission attempts, kicks, power strikes, and all the traditional strike data, says Louthan. That is being collected and aggregated here in Durham through a video feed provided from Atlantic City. What may have been done in the past with a couple of people sitting cage-side watching the fight is now being done entirely in a remote environment.
In addition to providing data-capture/processing services and the scorebug graphic, SMT worked closely with Big Block to design and integrate the graphics package for PFL.
SMT made it one-stop shopping - not just from the technology perspective but for the creative side as well, says Greenberg. And I had so much confidence after seeing their work, I felt they could develop the necessary systems. And they came through with flying colors.
SMT's ROOSTER workflows allows the graphics coordinator and operators in Durham to communicate in real time with the production team at the front bench in Atlantic City 450 miles away.
It was a very different workflow for us this year, but, honestly, if you hadn't told that we were in a different state hundreds of miles away, I would have thought they were in the next truck over, says Greenberg. You just press the button, and it's amazing how it feels like they're right there.
ROOSTER: SMT Sees a Future Centered on Remote Operation PFL's scorebug showcases a host of fighter data provided by SMT throughout each fight.
SMT has built 16 ROOSTER production pods in Durham capable o
Most recent headlines
09/11/2025
Dalet today announced a transformative leap forward for media operations: Agentic Artificial Intelligence (AI) that unifies the Dalet ecosystem under one natura...
15/10/2025
Across the world, early-career reporters are interrogating systems that shape daily life, from mortuaries and classrooms to the corridors of legal education and...
15/10/2025
St. Louis Blues Pay Tribute to Ozzy Osbourne in New Pregame Open VideoThe NHL franchise worked with production firms 2WEI and 4th Floor CreativeBy Mark J Burns,...
15/10/2025
Cobalt Digital, G3DVu, Proxima Vision, and Telos Alliance Renew Premier Sponsors...
15/10/2025
By Paige Bethmann
Before my grandmother passed away in 2019, I went to visit her in the hospital where she'd been for a few weeks. When I arrived, the nurs...
15/10/2025
Two years ago, Spotify set out to grow the entire publishing industry by making ...
15/10/2025
People turn to DJ for a listening experience that feels personal, dynamic, and j...
15/10/2025
Las personas recurren a DJ para vivir una experiencia de escucha personal, din m...
15/10/2025
Rock legend Bruce Springsteen and luminary actor Jeremy Allen White came togethe...
15/10/2025
At Spotify, we're all about supporting rising talent and helping them connec...
15/10/2025
New SBS Documentary Series THE CANCER KILLERS Premieres 4 November on SBS & SBS ...
15/10/2025
SBS celebrates the Festivals of Lights with bold, illuminating stories across th...
15/10/2025
One of humanity's most profound questions continues: Is there any place in our galaxy suitable for life beyond Earth? NASA intends to find out, with the hel...
15/10/2025
eds3_5_jq(document).ready(function($) { $(#eds_sliderM519).chameleonSlider_2_1({ content_source:......
15/10/2025
Scality, a global leader in cyber-resilient storage software for the AI era, today announced the advancement of its comprehensive AI ecosystem certification pro...
15/10/2025
The Hollywood Professional Association (HPA) today unveiled key highlights of the 2026 HPA Tech Retreat, scheduled for Feb. 15 19 at the Westin Rancho Mirage Go...
15/10/2025
At NAB Show New York 2025 (Stand 244), Interra Systems will showcase the future of media QC, monitoring, and captioning, highlighting its award-winning, AI- and...
15/10/2025
Grass Valley today announced that RMC BFM, part of the CMA-CGM Group and France's third-largest private media group, has chosen Grass Valley's productio...
15/10/2025
Appear, the global leader in live production technology, will demonstrate how its powerful hardware and software innovations are shaping the future of hybrid, s...
15/10/2025
Rakim to Join Berklee's Hip-Hop Hall of Fame at Signature Series Concert The rap icon becomes the latest inductee, following luminaries such as Roxanne Sh...
15/10/2025
Berklee Brings Live Music to the Head of the Charles Student artists will perform on multiple riverfront stages during the 60th anniversary of the world's...
15/10/2025
CobbTV, the government access television channel for Cobb County, Ga. recently acquired an automated playout system from Pebble, a global provider of automation...
15/10/2025
OSLO, Norway Appear, the global leader in live production technology, will demonstrate how its powerful hardware and software innovations are shaping the future...
15/10/2025
NEW YORK The NBA is making major changes to the NBA App and NBA TV as it takes control of them from TNT Sports, which has long managed the league's digital ...
15/10/2025
SAN MATEO, Calif. In what promises to be a major expansion of interactive features and personalized content on the DirecTV platform, the operator and Glance hav...
15/10/2025
SAN JOSE, Calif. Roku has launched changes to its user interface (UI) that the streaming platform says will better showcase original programming on the platform...
15/10/2025
LOS ANGELES Software-defined data storage and data services provider OpenDrives has elevated Alex Dunfey to chief technology officer, responsible for driving th...
15/10/2025
Abu Dhabi, UAE October 15, 2025: Space42 (ADX: SPACE42), the UAE-based AI-powe...
15/10/2025
Sheldon Nichols and Will Trickett to find and prepare more classic cars for budget conscious would-be owners from Wiser Films
UKTV have recommissioned the clas...
15/10/2025
Wednesday 15 October 2025
Nick Cave
JPEG (275 KB)
Explore the creative univer...
15/10/2025
Wednesday 15 October 2025
From breaking up with your partner to quitting your job - new polling shows some messages are just too scary to send
Over a fifth (...
15/10/2025
Rohde & Schwarz unveils compact MXO 3 oscilloscopes with 4 and 8 channels: Advan...
15/10/2025
Back to All News
Revenge Series The Resurrected' Captivates Audiences Across Asia
Entertainment
15 October 2025
GlobalTaiwan
Link copied to clipboard
...
15/10/2025
Back to All News
Bringing the Best in VFX and Virtual Production Together as Eyeline
Jeffrey Shapiro
CEO, Eyeline
Business
15 October 2025
GlobalCanadaInd...
15/10/2025
Deployed by Astound Business Solutions, Harmonic's Primary Distribution Solution Ensures Outstanding Video Quality and Seamless Ad Insertion at the Edge
SA...
15/10/2025
Collaboration extends a trusted relationship as RMC BFM invests in scalable, fut...
15/10/2025
Series coming in 2026 stars Tom Vaughan-Lawlor, Justine Mitchell and Jason O'Mara released today
RT today released first look images of new comedy-drama ...
14/10/2025
SVG Europe Summit 2025: All Sessions Now Available to Watch on SVG PLAYNetworking event that preceded IBC2025 shone a light on elite live sports innovation acro...
14/10/2025
SVG Sit-Down: Author Rich Podolsky on Writing Madden & Summerall: How They Revo...
14/10/2025
SVG All-Stars: Michael Reiners, Coordinating Producer, FloRacingThe Illinois State grad steers a vast schedule of motorsports events at tracks across the countr...
14/10/2025
Content protection: Getting the right management for your DRM By Neal Romanek
Friday, October 10, 2025 - 10:11
Print This Story
Eluvio power the EPCR'...
14/10/2025
As League Takes Over Ops, NBA TV and NBA App Add 60 Games, Weekday Studio Show, ...
14/10/2025
Time and effort: World's largest student-led broadcast prepares to go On Air...
14/10/2025
(L-R) Guest, Kimberly Robinson Jones, Geeta Gandbhir, Pamela Dias, and Takema Ro...
14/10/2025
Lossless ist jetzt mit Spotify Premium verf gbar.
Verlustfreies Audio war eine...
14/10/2025
La qualit Lossless est disponible sur Spotify Premium.
Le format sans perte de...
14/10/2025
For the seventh edition of Spotify and FC Barcelona's artist jersey series, ...
14/10/2025
Spotify is committed to bringing the best listening experience to all our users, and that includes parents and families. That's why we're expanding mana...
14/10/2025
Since its debut, the Spotify Original podcast Caso 63 has been more than just a story; it's been a cultural sensation. The science fiction thriller captivat...
SMT Leverages ROOSTER' Workflow To Run Professional Fighters League Data, Graphics Ops Remotely SMT's team is stationed in Durham, NC, and the PFL fights are in Atlantic City By Jason Dachman, Chief Editor 
