Sony Pixel Power calrec Sony

NBA In-Season Tournament: League, ESPN, TNT Sports Team Up To Roll Out NBA Finals-esque Production for Semis, Championship

07/12/2023

NBA In-Season Tournament: League, ESPN, TNT Sports Team Up To Roll Out NBA Finals-esque Production for Semis, Championship RailCam, SkyCam, drones, PylonCams, dual onsite studios are part of the show in Vegas By Jason Dachman, Editorial Director, U.S.

Thursday, December 7, 2023 - 4:33 pm

Print This Story | Subscribe

Story Highlights

It isn't often that the annual U.S. sports calendar gets a new tentpole event on par with a major championship, but that's exactly what the NBA In-Season Tournament Semifinal and Championship games are shaping up to be this week in Las Vegas. With that in mind, the league, ESPN, and TNT Sports have combined their efforts to create productions that rival those of NBA Finals and NBA All-Star Game broadcasts.

The NBA In-Season Tournament broadcasts will leverage a total of 39 cameras during the semifinal and championship games.

The competitiveness of these games has set the stage for everything we do, says Paul Benedict, SVP, broadcast content management, NBA. So, shout-out to the players, the coaches, the teams for bringing this to life. That has led us here to Vegas on the cusp of an awesome network crossover with WBD and ESPN that's going to kick off the In-Season Tournament Semifinals in Vegas.

In addition to the two networks' side-by-side studio sets outside T-Mobile Arena, the game productions will feature numerous production technologies, including RailCam, Skycam, drones, and even PylonCams.

The Big Crossover: ESPN, TNT Collaborate in Front of, Behind the Camera The action kicks off tonight during the semifinals with ESPN and TNT each airing one game and producing a studio show live from T-Mobile Arena. TNT's Inside the NBA team will appear on ESPN's NBA Countdown for an extended pregame segment, and ESPN's crew will return the favor by appearing on TNT's NBA Tip-Off later in the evening.

ESPN and TNT have rolled out side-by-side studio sets outside T-Mobile Arena.

We're excited for what's to come, says Benedict. The integrated studio segments, the talent crossovers, Reggie (Miller) and Doc (Rivers) flipping, and a host of enhanced elements and activations for Thursday will take us across an entire night of NBA basketball across TNT and ESPN.

The networks' studio sets are located in Toshiba Plaza, the goal being to put both shows in the middle of the fray outside the arena to help showcase the energy created by the fans in Vegas.

That's the true innovation: the collective integration, says Craig Barry, EVP/chief content officer, TNT Sports. The idea is having dual sets that are operating individually but are together at the same time; being able to jump from set to set; being able to share talent - with Reggie and Doc, specifically; and, I would say, a seamless experience regardless of whether you're on ESPN or TNT. Hopefully, if it works the way it's supposed to, you'll float right from ESPN to TNT, and it will feel like a completely linear broadcast. For us, that's the true innovation, that's where we come together [to create] what's best for the fan.

ESPN's set outside T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas

TNT's Ernie Johnson, Kenny Smith, Charles Barkley, and Shaquille O'Neal will appear on ESPN's NBA Countdown for an extended segment within the 4 p.m. ET pregame show. NBA Countdown's host Malika Andrews, Stephen A. Smith, Michael Wilbon, Bob Myers, and Adrian Wojnarowski will appear on TNT's Inside the NBA pregame show for an extended segment in the 7:30 p.m. telecast.

I think the most interesting part, aside from the technology and all the innovative cameras [like the] RailCam, is the big-time personalities on the court and in the studios outside, says David Roberts, head of event and studio production, ESPN. When you have Charles Barkley, Shaq, Stephen A., Wilbon, Bob Myers, Kenny Smith, Ernie, Malika being able to interact, the curiosity factor is going to have a nice, appealing impact for the fans.

Benedict adds that viewers can expect plenty of pomp and circumstance for the red-carpet coverage on Thursday and Saturday.

We're taking it to a new level in terms of what we've done in the past, he says. I don't want to spoil anything, but it's going to be very picturesque. We'll have Richard Jefferson and Allie LaForce grabbing some players and celebrities for interviews, and that will be a great pregame element.

The NBA and its broadcast partners have big plans for the Red Carpet Show in Vegas.

Kitchen Sink of Cameras: RailCam, Skycam, Drones, PylonCams, and More A RailCam will be used in an NBA game for the first time since the pandemic-related 2020 NBA Bubble in Orlando. Working with Fletcher (an NEP company), the league and its broadcasters were able to extend the ground-level system to run the entire length of the court.

We didn't quite have that [full-court length] in the Bubble, notes Benedict. This is going to provide some tremendous pictures and moments for [viewers].

The NBA, ESPN, and TNT Sports worked closely with Fletcher to design a camera-system housing that was approved by both the league's game-operations team and the NBAPA.

A RailCam will be used by the NBA for the first time since the 2020 NBA Bubble in Orlando.

A lot of people have to sign off on something that is right on the court like that, explains Eddie Okuno, senior remote operations specialist, ESPN. We all worked together to ensure it met the necessary standards. We also built a custom structure right behind it, where there is a full-court-length VIP section, as well as both the ESPN and TNT announce tables, and a spot for our center-court handheld camera.

In addition to flying a Skycam as part of all three game productions at T-Mobile Arena, ESPN and TNT Sports will deploy drones both inside and outside
LINK: https://www.sportsvideo.org/2023/12/07/nba-in-season-tournament-league...
See more stories from svg

North America Stories

13/08/2026

LaLiga Renews Broadcast Agreements with ESPN and DSports in South America Through 2031/32

LaLiga has renewed broadcast agreements with ESPN and DSports covering Spanish-l...

13/08/2026

Rockstar Energy Open Builds Third Portland Show Around AI-Powered Vertical Feed, Remote Operators

Three days of skateboarding competitions, live music, and other programming will...

13/08/2026

IBC 2026: Matrox Video to Showcase IP and Software-Defined Technologies

Matrox Video will showcase its portfolio of IP and software-defined technologies at IBC2026 (Booth 7.B15, RAI Amsterdam, September 11-14). The portfolio includ...

13/08/2026

IBC 2026: SMPTE to Present Sessions, Workshops, and Networking Events

SMPTE will present expert-led sessions, professional workshops, and networking events at IBC2026. The organization will be located in the IBC2026 Owner Pavilion...

13/08/2026

IBC 2026: Clear-Com to Showcase Communications Solutions

Clear-Com will exhibit at IBC2026 (Stand 10.D29, September 11-14, Amsterdam), showcasing FreeSpeak Cell, Avalon IP Station, updates to Arcadia Central Station, ...

13/08/2026

Advanced Systems Group Appoints Eran Binyamin Zeitoun as Senior Technical Program Manager

Advanced Systems Group (ASG) has appointed Eran Binyamin Zeitoun as Senior Techn...

13/08/2026

2026 SVG Venues & Teams Summit Heats Up Kaseya Center in Miami

Miami HEAT, Florida Panthers, Orlando Magic, University of Miami join leading vendors for a day of gameday-production talk in South Florida The 2026 SVG Venues...

13/08/2026

MLB at Field of Dreams Returns as Netflix Joins the Effort, Leans Into Cinematic Look at Newly Permanent Ballpark

NBC Sports is producing the Twins-Phillies game alongside the streamer, which is...

13/08/2026

IBC 2026: Oracle to Showcase Cloud Media Workflows

Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) will exhibit at IBC2026 (Hall 5, Booth 5.A21, September 11-14, Amsterdam), demonstrating cloud-based workflows across low-late...

13/08/2026

IBC 2026: Dalet to Participate Accelerator Programme with AI Live Sports Workflow Demo

Dalet will participate in the IBC2026 Accelerator Media Innovation Programme, co...

13/08/2026

Cox Media Group Announces Local Broadcast Deals with Orlando Magic and Charlotte Hornets

Cox Media Group (CMG) has announced multi-year local broadcast rights agreements...

13/08/2026

Jnger Audio to Demonstrate Cloud-Based DTV+ Workflow at SET Expo 2026

J nger Audio will join Fraunhofer IIS and industry partners to showcase a cloud-based, DTV+-compliant workflow at SET Expo 2026 in S o Paulo, August 17-20. DTV+...

13/08/2026

IBC 2026: Olympic Broadcasting Services to Receive International Honour for Excellence

IBC has announced that Olympic Broadcasting Services (OBS) will receive the Inte...

13/08/2026

NESN Expands Red Sox Broadcast Distribution for Jimmy Fund Telethon

NESN has partnered with WSBK-TV38 to broadcast Boston Red Sox games on August 17 and 18 over the air, extending the reach of the 24th annual WEEI/NESN Jimmy Fun...

13/08/2026

LiveU and Panasonic LUMIX Launch Live Anywhere Mobile Production Workflow

LiveU and Panasonic LUMIX have announced the Live Anywhere workflow, demonstrated at NAB 2026 and InfoComm 2026 in collaboration with Social180Group. The work...

13/08/2026

IBC 2026: Chyron to Showcase Sports Workflow Solutions

Chyron will demonstrate its sports analysis, graphics, remote production, virtual production, and venue control solutions at IBC2026 (Booth 7.A23). This year...

13/08/2026

Ratings Roundup: Pro Football Hall of Fame Game Draws 7 Million During Quiet August for Sports

Ratings Roundup is a rundown of recent ratings news and is derived from press re...

13/08/2026

ESPN/ABC, NBC/Peacock, Prime Video Set National Slates for Year 2 of NBA Rights Deal

Season tips off Oct. 20 and runs through April 11; Christmas Day, NBA Cup, All-S...

13/08/2026

Tubi Media Group Partners with Gracenote to Unlock Additional Value in Content Discovery and Programmatic CTV Advertising

New Agreement Aims to Leverage Gracenote Infrastructure to Create More Relevant ...

13/08/2026

CMG Expands Local Sports Offering With Two NBA Deals

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

13/08/2026

Olympic Broadcasting Services to receive IBC2026 Internat...

IBC today announced that its most prestigious honour, the International Honour for Excellence (IHFE), will be presented to Olympic Broadcasting Services (OBS), ...

13/08/2026

Dalet Demonstrates the Future of AI-Orchestrated Live Spo...

Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, today announced its participation in the IBC2026 Accelerator Media Innovation Pro...

13/08/2026

dzjinius to showcase new dzjinius on-set application at I...

dzjinius, the all-in-one production management platform for the media and entertainment industry, will showcase its new application, dzjinius on-set , at IBC20...

13/08/2026

BCE Demonstrates Sovereign Cloud Media Workflows powered...

Broadcasting Center Europe (BCE), a leading European provider of media services, system integration and product development, will demonstrate an end-to-end sove...

13/08/2026

Clear-Com to Showcase Communications Solutions for Broadc...

Clear-Com is returning to IBC 2026, taking place September 11-14 in Amsterdam, Netherlands. At Stand 10.D29, Clear-Com will spotlight the award-winning FreeSpe...

13/08/2026

Leader to highlight advanced Test and Measurement solutio...

Test & measurement innovator, Leader Electronics of Europe, will showcase its comprehensive portfolio of Leader, PHABRIX and LeaderPhabrix test and measurement ...

13/08/2026

KRK Brings Advanced Wireless Control to Professional Monitoring With New V Series Five Studio MonitorsKRK Brings Advanced Wireless

KRK Brings Advanced Wireless Control to Professional Monitoring With New V Serie...

13/08/2026

Anthony Noack Captures Artist's Journey in Estonia with Blackmagic Design

Anthony Noack Captures Artist's Journey in Estonia with Blackmagic Design Brie Clayton August 12, 2026 0 Comments Solo filmmaker documents concept...

13/08/2026

ARRI Image Science makes its mobile debut in the HONOR Robot Phone

ARRI Image Science makes its mobile debut in the HONOR Robot Phone Brie Clayton August 12, 2026 0 Comments Hero image displays the HONOR Robot Phone, ...

13/08/2026

ASG Adds Eran Binyamin Zeitoun as Senior Technical Program Manager

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

13/08/2026

Vinten To Feature Manual, Robotic Camera Support Offerings At IBC 2026

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

13/08/2026

SMPTE Unveils IBC 2026 Plans

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

13/08/2026

IP Showcase on the Water Announces Schedule for IBC 2026

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

13/08/2026

Spectrum, Optimum Ink New Deals for News Carriage and Ads

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

13/08/2026

IAB Tech Lab Updates Privacy Standards

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

13/08/2026

Suitest Highlights New AI-Powered Device Testing and Qual...

Suitest's Test Automation Platform Simplifies Video Quality Assurance, Monitoring, and Device Certification Across the OTT Ecosystem At IBC2026, Suitest, a...

13/08/2026

Cinegy showcases powerful, agile, cost-effective media so...

Cinegy GmbH, the premier provider of software-defined television technology, will have its key software solutions ready to demonstrate at SET Expo 2026 (18 20...

13/08/2026

Scripps Research establishes endowed chair honoring Peter K. Vogt, influential pioneer in cancer research

Scripps Research has established the Peter K. Vogt Endowed Chair, a new faculty ...

13/08/2026

New research offers fresh insights for how to make better vaccines

LA JOLLA, CA-A vaccine's molecular structure plays a key role in determining how the immune system responds and prepares to protect the body from future exp...

13/08/2026

Class Is in Session: GeForce NOW Levels Up Linux, Chromebooks and More

GeForce NOW is giving cloud gaming an extra-credit upgrade just in time for back-to-school season. The native Linux app for GeForce NOW is officially out of be...

12/08/2026

Op-Ed: The Versioning Playbook - How Rights Holders are Getting More From Live Events

Traditional live sports production has focused on creating the best possible pro...

12/08/2026

IBC 2026: FOR-A to Demonstrate Production and Processing Solutions

FOR-A will showcase a range of broadcast and production products at IBC2026 (Stand 2.B53, Amsterdam RAI, September 11-14), including software-based switching, A...

12/08/2026

IBC 2026: AMWA and EBU to Demo NMOS BCP-008 Multi-Vendor IP Status Reporting

The Advanced Media Workflow Association (AMWA) and EBU will host live demonstrations of NMOS BCP-008 Minimum Status Reporting at IBC2026 (September 11-14) on th...

12/08/2026

IBC 2026: Dalet Launches Solution Suites for Media Production and Archive Management

Dalet has announced Dalet Solution Suites, a portfolio of cloud-native solutions...

12/08/2026

Net Insight Enables Centralized Remote Production of Blinkfestivalen 2026 for NRK

Net Insight has announced that DMC Production Norway has selected its Open Live ...

12/08/2026

Zixi Appoints Alyson Stewart as Senior Director of Sales

Zixi has appointed Alyson Stewart as Senior Director of Sales. Stewart will be responsible for direct sales and partnerships, with a focus on broadcasters, medi...

12/08/2026

LiveU Powers Host Broadcast Operations at 2026 Glasgow Games

LiveU's LU900Q intelligent production unit was deployed as part of the host broadcast operation for the Games in Glasgow (July 23-August 2, 2026). Host broa...

12/08/2026

Disney+ and ESPN Acquire Multi-Year Formula E Rights Beginning 2026/27 Season

Disney , ESPN, and Formula E have announced a multi-year deal bringing all Formula E races to Disney and ESPN in the U.S. and to Disney in most international...

12/08/2026

PSSI Launches X-LIVE Managed Service for Live Event Transmission

PSSI has launched X-LIVE, a managed service offering dedicated engineering resources and Appear encoding infrastructure for live event signal processing and tra...

12/08/2026

MoonPay X Games League Draws 18.3 Million Viewers in Inaugural Summer Season

The inaugural MoonPay X Games League Summer Season reached 18.3 million unique live viewers across three stops on ABC and ESPN, a 78.5% increase compared to the...