Leagues' Approaches to Augmented Crowd Sound Offer Variety of Lessons
11/11/2020
Tuesday, November 10, 2020 - 7:00 am
Print This Story | Subscribe
Story Highlights
With four months of artificial crowd sounds under its collective belt, televised sports looks back at what has been a largely successful experiment under the pressure of a pandemic-driven lockdown.
The NBA was the first U.S. league to deploy a significant crowd-sound system: a multi-speaker PA focused on the courts at the Wide World of Sports complex in Walt Disney World near Orlando. The crew had the advantage of a highly controllable environment, a bubble that brought 22 teams to a single location to keep COVID out, which meant that the sound inside could be fine-tuned on an almost daily basis.
For a truncated season, the NBA created crowd noise from virtual fans inside a bubble at the Wide World of Sports complex in Orlando.
Nonetheless, says Mark Dittmar, VP, Firehouse Productions, which designed and implemented the system there, it could have been taken even further.
If and when we do this next time, we would make changes to the speaker design, he explains. A line array such as the one we used is designed to make everything sound the same everywhere in the room, but that's not how the human voice and crowd dynamics work. We'd shape the arrays so that they would drop off naturally and smoothly at the ends of the room.
The sounds used were an amalgamation of audio tracks from previous NBA games and tracks that Firehouse had amassed from its productions of the NBA All-Star event (some audio from Sega Sports' NBA 2K videogame was tried early on but was quickly discarded), and they drew praise for their authenticity. But the execution of playing those sounds - by up to three crowd-sound mixers, many of whom had never mixed for television before, and by audio producers who had to balance the right choices and intensities of a variety of audio files ranging from muted annoyance at a missed free throw to a winning 3-pointer at the buzzer - left room for improvement.
Dittmar attributes that to the novelty of the use of artificial crowd sounds and the fact that the system was developed and implemented in barely four months.
The most important element, he says, is excellent-sounding content, in the form of clean and highly authentic sound files: The PA systems now are so good and accurate that, if something does sound bad, there's nowhere to hide it. It's out there.
Aside from specific issues, he adds, the main lesson of this unique and strange situation was that the folks mixing the crowd sounds must be able to tell the story of the game, just as the rest of the television production needs to.
It's all about the story, telling the narrative, he says. We had our [NBA] game directors acting like audio directors, setting up the mixers for what was coming next so they could be on it: If this next bucket goes, it's gonna be huge!' And, even if the game is boring - if it's a lopsided score and the crowds are leaving before the end of the game - you have to tell that story, too.
Changing Sounds Midseason Although all the major leagues began their season restarts with some type of self-developed crowd-sound solutions - the NBA contracted with Firehouse Productions for its system; the NFL built its own in-house, relying on NFL Films' stock of team- and venue-specific audio tracks - other solutions appeared in the interim.
UK-based Salsa Sound, which had been providing broadcast crowd sound for the English Premier League, did the same for CBS's NWSL Challenge Cup broadcast, as well as several MSL and USL games, using its vCROWD hardware and software. CBS also deployed that system for several college football games where no fans were allowed at all. According to Salsa Sound CEO Rob Oldfield, vCROWD will be used for basketball games on Big Ten Network.
Arizona Diamondbacks' Chase Field was the first MLB stadium to experiment with fake crowd noise.
SonoFans, which had pitched itself to baseball in the middle of the season and to the NFL ahead of its first games, ended up as the MLB's vendor for the service during postseason play; the league had begun its restart with a self-developed system using sound files from videogame developer San Diego Studios, a branch of Sony Interactive Entertainment. Fox Sports chose to use SonoFans for broadcasts of NFL games, while other networks continued to use the NFL-supplied crowd sounds.
SonoFans CEO Fred Vogler says the leagues wanted some standardization for crowd-sound systems, one that would work both for the limited number of venues that baseball's postseason used and for NFL games played in teams' own venues.
[Both leagues] liked our approach to that and felt that that was what we could provide them, he says, adding that SonoFans was also able to provide its services either onsite at games or remotely from studios in Los Angeles.
A1s Speak For broadcast A1s, fake crowd noise in a fan-less stadium has been bit of a head-shaker. Some voiced concerns about having to balance the augmented crowd-sound mix coming into their consoles, in some cases directly and in others through open microphones in the venue. Phil Adler, who has mixed NFL on CBS for two decades, says the experience was similar to having to adapt to the league's control over the quarterback microphone when it was introduced in 2012.
That took a while for everyone to get used to, too, he says. We have no control over that. With the crowd sound, what we get is just what we get.
Compounding that, he adds, is that the crowd-sound mixers haven't found a consistent location on games from which to work: In Cincinnati, they were on the loadi
LINK: | https://www.sportsvideo.org/2020/11/10/leagues-approaches-to-augmented... |
See more stories from svg |
Most recent headlines
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...
28/04/2024
Mediahaus delivers the first SRT live-streaming sports production over 5G with URSA Broadcast G2
Mediahaus delivers the first SRT live-streaming sports production over 5G with U...
29/03/2024
XenData Announces Media Portal for its LTO and Cloud Archive Solutions
XenData Announces Media Portal for its LTO and Cloud Archive Solutions Brie Clayton March 29, 2024 0 Comments XenData, the provider of cutting-edge da...
29/03/2024
Autodesk Maya and 3ds Max 2025 Released With Time-Saving New Toolsets
Autodesk Maya and 3ds Max 2025 Released With Time-Saving New Toolsets Brie Clayton March 29, 2024 0 Comments Autodesk Flow Production Tracking and Flo...
29/03/2024
Dalet to Demo AI-Enabled Production, Automation and Monetization at NAB Show
PARIS Dalet has announced that during the 2024 NAB Show (booth #W1713), attendees can experience firsthand Dalet's collaborative, AI-enabled workflows that ...
29/03/2024
DirecTV Inks Deal to Carry 2024 Colorado Rockies Games
DENVER AND EL SEGUNDO, Calif. DirecTV has announced a new agreement with Major League Baseball that will allow Colorado Rockies fans to see this season's ga...
29/03/2024
S&P: Media, Telecom M&A Plunges to 13-Month Low
S&P Global Market Intelligence has released new data showing that dealmaking in the North America for media and telecom companies remains in the doldrums....
29/03/2024
NAB Show: Pebble Launches PRIMA Software Platform
EPSOM, Surrey, UK The automation, content management, and integrated channel specialist Pebble, has announced that it will be launching a new software platform ...
29/03/2024
Gray Television to Air Arena Football League Local Games
ATLANTA Gray Television Inc. has inked a multi-year agreement with the Arena Football League to bring Saturday arena football games over-the-air to local audien...
29/03/2024
Scandal!: Thursday's episode, 28 March 2024 [VIDEO]
Scandal!: Thursday's episode, 28 March 2024 [VIDEO]Stay up to date with the latest episodes of your favourite South African soapie on The South African webs...
29/03/2024
Generations: The Legacy - Thursday's episode, 28 March 2024 [VIDEO]
Generations: The Legacy - Thursday's episode, 28 March 2024 [VIDEO]Stay up to date with the latest episodes of your favourite South African soapie on The So...
29/03/2024
Uzalo: Thursday's episode, 28 March 2024 [video]
Uzalo: Thursday's episode, 28 March 2024 [video]Stay up to date with the latest episodes of your favourite South African soapie on The South African website...
29/03/2024
Meet the busker aiming to play at every London tube station
Meet the busker aiming to play at every London tube stationAustralian singer-songwriter Dan Tredget is aiming to become the first person to busk at every London...
29/03/2024
Streaming today: The Wages of Fear' on Netflix - 29 March 2024
Streaming today: The Wages of Fear' on Netflix - 29 March 2024Looking for something to watch tonight? Check out all the new streaming releases from all you...
29/03/2024
Tonight on Uzalo: Minenhle makes a huge mistake, because of nerves
Tonight on Uzalo: Minenhle makes a huge mistake, because of nervesDon't miss Friday, 29 March's riveting episode of South African soapie Uzalo on SABC 1...
29/03/2024
Tonight on Umkhokha: Nokubonga learns the devastating news about her womb
Tonight on Umkhokha: Nokubonga learns the devastating news about her wombDon't miss Friday, 29 March's riveting episode of South African soapie Umkhokha...
29/03/2024
Tonight on House of Zwide: Soka shares a job opening with Nkosi
Tonight on House of Zwide: Soka shares a job opening with NkosiDon't miss Friday, 29 March's riveting episode of South African soapie House of Zwide on ...
29/03/2024
Tonight on Scandal: A mother is torn between history and truth
Tonight on Scandal: A mother is torn between history and truthDon't miss Friday, 29 March's riveting episode of South African soapie Scandal! on e.tv on...
29/03/2024
Tonight on Muvhango: Reneilwe discovers some damning evidence proving her suspicion
Tonight on Muvhango: Reneilwe discovers some damning evidence proving her suspic...
29/03/2024
Tonight on Skeem Saam: Lehasa turns on the one guy he should be leaning on
Tonight on Skeem Saam: Lehasa turns on the one guy he should be leaning onDon't miss Friday, 29 March's riveting episode of South African soapie Skeem S...
29/03/2024
Tonight on Generations: Palesa proves she still has some heart
Tonight on Generations: Palesa proves she still has some heartDon't miss Friday, 29 March's riveting episode of South African soapie Generations: The Le...
29/03/2024
Thales Announces Partnership with Saporo in Belgium to Empower Organizations with Enhanced Cybersecurity Resilience
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn This collaboration brings together Thales' e...
29/03/2024
Avoid Collaboration Concerns
By Craig Anderton As the universe of Studio One users grows, so do opportunities for collaboration. But your collaborator may not be using the same version of ...
29/03/2024
Muvhango: Thursday's episode, 28 March 2024 [VIDEO]
Muvhango: Thursday's episode, 28 March 2024 [VIDEO]Stay up to date with the latest episodes of your favourite South African soapie on The South African webs...
29/03/2024
Gqeberha: The Empire - Thursday's episode, 28 March 2024 [VIDEO]
Gqeberha: The Empire - Thursday's episode, 28 March 2024 [VIDEO]Stay up to date with the latest episodes of your favourite South African soapie on The South...
29/03/2024
My Brother's Keeper: Thursday's episode, 28 March 2024 [VIDEO]
My Brother's Keeper: Thursday's episode, 28 March 2024 [VIDEO]Stay up to date with the latest episodes of your favourite South African soapie on The Sou...
29/03/2024
Umkhokha: The Curse - Thursday's episode, 28 March 2024 [VIDEO]
Umkhokha: The Curse - Thursday's episode, 28 March 2024 [VIDEO]Stay up to date with the latest episodes of your favourite South African soapie on The South ...
29/03/2024
Skeem Saam: Thursday's episode, 28 March 2024 [VIDEO]
Skeem Saam: Thursday's episode, 28 March 2024 [VIDEO]Missed an episode of Skeem Saam? No problem! Watch the latest episode of your favourite South African s...
29/03/2024
House of Zwide: Thursday's episode, 28 March 2024 [VIDEO]
House of Zwide: Thursday's episode, 28 March 2024 [VIDEO]Stay up to date with the latest episode of South African soapie House of Zwide on The South African...
28/03/2024
No votes for all
Out of an estimated 20,000 journalists in Pakistan, less than one thousand are women according to a recent Gender Disparity Report published by the Internationa...
28/03/2024
Give Me the Backstory: Get to Know 8 Women Filmmakers With Shorts at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival
A still from Jasmin Baumgartner's Bye Bye, Bowser, which screened as part ...
28/03/2024
The Best Shared Storage For Video Production
alt= class=wp-image-12214 data-lazy-src=/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Best-Shared-Storage-EVO-logo-960x540-1.jpg/> Embarking on a cinematic journey or crafting a ...
28/03/2024
Future-Proofing the B-52
L3Harris is upgrading critical electronic warfare systems to ensure the iconic aircrafts spectrum superiority for decades to come....
28/03/2024
Supporting the RCAF for more than 25 Years with L3Harris' WESCAM MX-Series
L3Harris' WESCAM MX-Series EO/IR systems have supported the RCAF for more than 25 years....
28/03/2024
ENCO to Add AI News Anchor to Qimera Virtual Production Set
NOVI, Mich. During the 2024 NAB Show, ENCO will be showcasing an AI-driven virtual anchor delivering live news from a realistic 3D virtual news set....
28/03/2024
Johan de Nysschen Named President and CEO of ARRI Americas
MUNICH ARRI has announced that Johan de Nysschen has been put in charge of the ARRI Americas team as president and CEO ARRI Americas Inc....
28/03/2024
Fubo Inks Carriage Deal with YES Network
NEW YORK The YES Network and FuboTV have reached a multi-year carriage agreement that will allow Fubo to launch YES in its Pro base channel plan in time for YES...
28/03/2024
Dalet to Demo AI-Enabled Production, Automation and Monetization at NAB 2024
PARIS Dalet has announced that during its 2024 NAB showcase (booth #W1713), attendees can experience firsthand Dalet's collaborative, AI-enabled workflows t...
28/03/2024
Blackmagic Design Used on 2024 Oscar Nominated Films
Blackmagic Design Used on 2024 Oscar Nominated Films Brie Clayton March 28, 2024 0 Comments Blackmagic Design congratulates the many film professional...
28/03/2024
Arkona to Introduce BLADE//master Control and Orchestration Service at NAB 2024
Arkona to Introduce BLADE//master Control and Orchestration Service at NAB 2024 Brie Clayton March 28, 2024 0 Comments New option for BLADE//runner ke...
28/03/2024
Join Maxon for NAB 2024
Join Maxon for NAB 2024 Brie Clayton March 28, 2024 0 Comments Maxon returns to NAB with presentations by artists from around the world and demos of t...
28/03/2024
Boston Conservatory to Present Center Stage Production of A Midsummer Night's Dream at The Huntington
Boston Conservatory to Present Center Stage Production of A Midsummer Night'...
28/03/2024
The 4K cameras giving audiences an astronaut's view of Earth
TVBEurope meets Charles Black, founder and CEO of Sen, which has sent a payload of 4K cameras to the ISS to livestream images of Earth to audiences around the w...
28/03/2024
2024 Big Night In Raises $145k to Support Triangle Arts Councils
Capitol Broadcasting and WRAL-TV once again proudly supported our local arts community with the broadcast of Big Night in for the Arts Thursday, March 7, 2024. ...
28/03/2024
JIC, MRC Announce Accord On Roles In Judging Measurement Companies
With more companies offering different approaches to measuring television viewing and campaign effectiveness, two of the groups that evaluate potential media bu...
28/03/2024
Hulu Added to Disney Plus App for Bundle Subscribers
The Walt Disney Co. said that it launched Hulu on Disney Plus, which makes Hulu programming available via the Disney Plus app....
28/03/2024
GroupM To Double Ad Spending On Women's Sports Programming
Giant media buyer GroupM said it plans to double its media spending on women's sports....
28/03/2024
Scripps Renews State Farm As Sponsor of Friday Night WNBA on Ion
Scripps Sports said that State Farm has signed a new multi-year agreement to continue as the title sponsor of Ion's Friday night WNBA telecasts....
28/03/2024
Elisabeth Moss, Kerry Washington Sign On for Imperfect Women' on Apple TV Plus
Elisabeth Moss and Kerry Washington will star in, and executive produce, Imperfe...
28/03/2024
Telemundo Station Group Addresses Climate Change With Month-Long Initiative
Telemundo Station Group launches the month-long climate change initiative Our Planet Thursday, March 28. The multiplatform campaign ends on Earth Day, April 22,...