Live From MLB All-Star: MLB Network Adds Full Media Day Coverage to Packed Live-Programming Slate

Live From MLB All-Star: MLB Network Adds Full Media Day Coverage to Packed Live-Programming Slate Tech innovations include launch of FATS' content-sharing system, full Dante IP audio, and new RF monitors for talent By Jason Dachman, Chief Editor

Tuesday, July 11, 2017 - 4:20 pm

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MLB Network's already extensive live coverage from the MLB All-Star festivities have expanded this year, with All-Star Media Day shifting to Marlins Park and live coverage extending on Monday. Traditionally held at a nearby hotel, Media Day at the ballpark added two hours to MLB Network's annual cavalcade of live All-Star programming: Sunday's All-Star Futures Game; onsite editions of MLB Tonight (pre/postgame), Intentional Talk, and High Heat; and the All-Star Red Carpet Show. Add in oversight of the world feed for the All-Star Game itself, and it becomes obvious just how big this week is for MLB Network.

This is a huge setup for us, definitely bigger than the World Series, says Susan Stone, VP, operations and engineering, MLB Network. This is baseball's big party, and we [cover] it that way. The big difference is Media Day coverage, which we think we are handling pretty creatively and are very excited about.

In addition to increasing overall live programming, MLB Network has rolled out innovative technology: a new FATS (feed another trailer something) system to streamline sharing of video feeds among onsite broadcasters, a full Dante IP audio system for on-field coverage, Zullavision RF monitors that allow talent to view live video feeds, Blast Motion Bat Metric Tracking, and the use of MLBAM's Statcast and Pitchcast for the Futures Game.

All-Star Media Day All About Robos

With the addition of All-Star Media Day, MLB Network's live coverage began two hours earlier than last year - at 2 p.m. ET. To cover the slew of player-interview podiums along the outfield wall, the network brought in eight Fletcher robotic cameras, which were also distributed to Fox and ESPN.

MLBN enlisted Fletcher Sports to provide eight robotic cameras to cover the player podium at Media Day in the Marlins Park outfield.

In the past, we had two cameras in the press-conference room and a podium for announcers and for Q&A, but everything else was ENG coverage, Stone notes. But baseball really wanted to make Media Day bigger and more part of the whole event. And we've all felt for years that it was crying out to be on the field in the ballpark, so we're really excited about bringing it live to the fans.

It's the Good Kind of FATS

With ESPN, Fox, MLBN, MLBAM, the MLBN world feed, and international rightsholders like NHK onsite, there is a massive amount of video-feed sharing. In an effort to centralize mass distribution of all these feeds, Jason Hedgcock, senior manager, remote technical operations, MLB Network, has pioneered the launch of a FATS system. Although such systems have been used on large events in the past to help alleviate the strain of distributing feeds to individual networks for long periods, having a different main host broadcaster each day at All Star creates unique challenges.

Engineer Jeff Leonard (left) mans the FATS station (right) inside the primary All-Star production compound at Marlins Park.

There is already more than 30,000 ft. of fiber to connect all the compound lots to the main I/O. Using a FATS model, each broadcaster has been able to fully utilize resources without additional fiber connecting truck to truck.

If you need [a feed], you can just go talk to the dedicated engineer at the [FATS] tent, and they get you want you need since they have it all in one place, explains Hedgcock. The other part that's nice is, [at] game time, somebody always realizes they need something that they don't have. Now, instead of trying to pull video [resources] away from the show that just came on-air, they can go to the FATS tent and get the right feed. There is a standalone entity to get that out to everybody without any issues.

A Game-Changer': Moving to Dante IP Audio

As in years past, MLB Network has its traditional pregame field set on the third-base side at Marlins Park and a secondary set in the promenade for postgame. This year, for the first time, audio for MLB Network studio shows is based entirely on Dante IP. This significantly reduced the weight the fiber cart (launched last year) that is rolled out onto the field to serve the pregame show's audio needs.

MLBN has rolled out its primary set at its traditional All-Star location on the third-base line.

We looked at the fiber[-cart] model after last year and decided it was great but it was too heavy, says Hedgcock. By going to Dante, we reduced all the power supplies and dropped the weight substantially. It's been great for us, and we've ironed out a few wrinkles. The clarity and quality are better than what we've gotten from anything else; you can hear the difference in audio.

The Dante-based system was tested at World Baseball Classic and fully deployed for NHL Network's Stanley Cup Final coverage (which is handled by MLBN). Since the set and fiber cart must be broken down extremely quickly between signoff and first pitch, the lighter-weight fiber cart has substantially improved MLB's pregame operation.

The fiber [cart] was a game-changer for us because, when we first launched, we needed a large section in a [fiber] well at the ballpark, says VP, Remote Operations, Tom Guidice. For big events like All-Star and the World Series, there just isn't room for that. At a place like Wrigley Field [for the World Series], I don't know what we would have done without that [fiber cart]. And now it's just plug and play. We used to run two TAC-12 [fiber cables]; now it's just eight strands - and that's with spares b

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