ESPN Bulks Up Onsite Studios, Cameras, Player Mics for WNBA All-Star Weekend Besides the game, four studio shows will be produced onsite By Jason Dachman, Editorial Director, U.S.
Friday, July 18, 2025 - 2:22 pm
Print This Story | Subscribe
Story Highlights
Despite the absence of the league's biggest star, ESPN is pulling out all the stops for its coverage of the WNBA All-Star Weekend beginning tonight in Indianapolis.
The broadcaster will pack Gainbridge Fieldhouse with 26 cameras and deploy several player mics to add an extra layer of access to its coverage of tonight's WNBA Skills Challenge and WNBA STARRY 3-Point Contest (8 p.m. ET on ESPN) and Saturday's AT&T WNBA All-Star Game (8:30 p.m. on ABC and, for the first time, streaming live on Disney and ESPN ). In addition, ESPN has rolled out a sizable onsite studio presence to lend a big-event feel to its coverage of the festivities.
We want to surround our biggest games and events with onsite studio shows, says Jarrett Baker, senior manager, remote operations, ESPN. The energy in the arena elevates our coverage. An additional day of onsite content is a layup once the technical resources and crew are in place.
ESPN is deploying 26 cameras for WNBA All-Star festivities at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis this weekend.
With ESPN's REMCO production model in place, the graphics team, Libero telestration operator, and three of the seven EVS operators are working remotely at the broadcaster's Bristol, CT facility. With REMCO productions, communications between the replay, graphics and telestration teams in Bristol and the production team onsite become extremely important.
The REMI comms specialists work diligently to make sure those lines of communication are solid, explains Jeff McGuire, supervisor, REMI operations, ESPN. It adds to the magic of TV when you know that the game is in Indianapolis and our graphics, telestrations, and many of the replays are coming from Bristol.
Our Bristol-based REMCO staff, he continues, love contributing to the WNBA and bringing our viewers the players, moments, and stories that make this league special. The bright lights of All-Star Weekend only strengthen that excitement.
ESPN's production in Indy is on par with its regular-season complement for ABC broadcasts, with several additional iso cameras on the game side. The most noticeable difference is the robust studio presence, with SportsCenter, WNBA Countdown, Hoop Streams, and Vibe Check produced onsite.
F&F GTX-19 A and B and B19 are in the compound at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. GTX-19, which will be ESPN's core truck for the remainder of the WNBA season, is handling game coverage, and B19 houses the studio programming. Redundant compound power with inline UPS protection is provided by Saunders Electric.
The studio switcher is a 2 M/E Grass Valley Korona panel attached to the second suite of the Kayenne K Frame switcher in GTX-19. In addition, the audio team has two Calrec Brio console surfaces - one for studio, one for game submix -networked to the main Apollo console in GTX-19.
F&F GTX-19 A and B and B19 are on hand to produce the WNBA All-Star Game and studio programming.
Our team is intimately familiar with Gainbridge Fieldhouse, and the staff here is tremendous, says Baker. We have produced three WNBA games at the venue leading into the All-Star Weekend. We parked on July 11 to install our REMCO support equipment before the Dallas vs. Indiana game on Sunday, July 13, and the trucks were able to stay in place for the All-Star Game.
Of course, ESPN was recently at Gainbridge Fieldhouse for another major pro-hoops event during the Indiana Pacers NBA Finals run.
The All-Star Game compound is much smaller than what was required for the NBA Finals; everything is inside the loading dock instead of two blocks away, notes Baker. We were given access to multiple back-of-house areas as well, which is crucial for our studio-production groups to be successful.
Although the event is drastically different from the NBA Finals, that event did help ESPN identify the best location for its WNBA Countdown set. We originally planned for it to be positioned in one of the upper levels of the stadium bowl, he says. But we pivoted to the Atrium because of its electric atmosphere during the NBA Finals.
In addition to ESPN's own onsite studio programming, Good Morning America co-anchor Robin Roberts is broadcasting live from Indianapolis today to tip-off AT&T WNBA All-Star 2025 from Morris Bicentennial Plaza. You know an event is big when Robin Roberts is onsite, says Baker. We are thrilled that GMA is here, and they are managing all their onsite needs directly with the local organizing committee.
ESPN will be covering All-Star Weekend with 26 cameras. Of them, 20 will be dedicated to on-court action: six hards (one running in 4X super-slo-mo), five cabled handhelds (one in 4X, one in 6X super-slo-mo), one RF handheld, one RF M VI shallow-depth-of-field rig, two above-the-rim robos, and five Marshalls. In addition, ESPN has deployed four cameras on its Gainbridge Fieldhouse Atrium set (three studio build-ups and one jib), and two studio build-ups at its on-court set for SportsCenter and game wraps.
ESPN and ABC coverage will feature extensive player access throughout the weekend, including additional in-game interviews and players' wearing microphones during the action.
NEP Specialty Capture (formerly Fletcher) is providing all robos and Marshall cameras. Lighting, terminal gear, and primary RF audio are supplied by NEP Rentals (formerly Bexel), and CP Communications is handling RF camera links and RF comms. Faction Media Group supplied the M VI camera and operator, Jaybird Jibs is supporting the studio jib, and West River Light & Sound is onsite for staging and PA support in the Atrium.
Most recent headlines
11/12/2025
Dalet, a leading provider of cloud-native, end-to-end media workflow solutions, ...
28/11/2025
Nadia Fall attends the 2025 Sundance Film Festival premiere of Brides at the Egyptian Theatre on January 24, 2025, in Park City, Utah. (Photo by Donyale West/...
28/11/2025
It's easy to ignore those little red update available badges. But when it ...
28/11/2025
WASHINGTON Federal Communications Commission has released a tentative agenda for the December Open Commission Meeting scheduled for Thursday, December 18, 2025 ...
28/11/2025
The Professional Fighters League is looking to super-serve fans of mixed martial...
28/11/2025
Fubo has released in beta on select Roku devices a new feature that lets users display up to four simultaneous streams at once....
28/11/2025
The WNBA playoffs and Week 4 of the NFL regular season highlight the list of live sports events airing on television this weekend....
28/11/2025
The 32nd class of honorees to the B+C Hall of Fame took to the stage at New York's Ziegfeld Ballroom on September 26 for a gala induction event. Click below...
28/11/2025
We hold in our hands the very last Next Text for Next TV, the weekly back-and-fo...
28/11/2025
DirecTV said it made a deal with EchoStar to buy EchoStar's video businesses, including satellite-TV provider Dish TV and virtual MVPD Sling TV, for $1 plus...
28/11/2025
The Broadcasting+Cable Hall of Fame, the premier industry event paying tribute to the influencers, innovators and shining lights of broadcast, cable and streami...
28/11/2025
Friday 28 November 2025
Sky Sports x Slawn drop limited-edition football jersey...
28/11/2025
Rohde & Schwarz shows resilience in a challenging environment, revenue exceeds t...
28/11/2025
Unwrapped: The Toy Show Appeal - airing this Sunday on RT One and RT Player- s...
27/11/2025
LONDON Vizrt has added several AI-driven advanced features offering improved speed, intelligence and accuracy in the newest version of its media asset managemen...
27/11/2025
Prime Video has launched AI-powered video season recaps in a beta version for select English-language Prime Original series in the U.S., a move Amazon is callin...
27/11/2025
Back to All News
Netflix's Raat Akeli Hai: The Bansal Murders Marks a Grand...
27/11/2025
27 Nov 2025
GSMA brings M360 Eurasia 2026 to Samarkand in partnership with VEON...
27/11/2025
Tahar Rahim and Izuka Hoyle star in the gripping six-part Sky Original from Acad...
27/11/2025
Thursday 27 November 2025
Sky Arts Reveals the Nation's Greatest Basslines - and Queen Reign Supreme
The UK's most iconic basslines have been revealed...
27/11/2025
Back to All News
Stranger Things 5': Prepare for One Last Adventure With O...
27/11/2025
The media industry has a paradox at its core. It's an industry built on light, color and imagination, yet behind the scenes, it's powered by one of the ...
27/11/2025
Rating reflects rating progress across areas including policies, diversity & inclusion, health & safety and Net Zero leadership
Winchester, UK, 27 November 202...
27/11/2025
What are the industry standards for Retail Media? Kathryn explains that certification is based on the IAB Europe Retail Media Measurement Standards and the IAB ...
27/11/2025
World champion boxer and Irish sporting icon Katie Taylor will be in studio this...
27/11/2025
Roblox, one of the world's most popular online gaming platforms for primary ...
27/11/2025
Black Friday is leveling up. Get ready to score one of the biggest deals of the season - 50% off the first three months of a new GeForce NOW Ultimate membership...
26/11/2025
SVG Sit-Down: Prime Video EP Mike Muriano Previews Massive Black Friday Slate Fe...
26/11/2025
A cinematic snow sculpture at the 1995 Sundance Film Festival. Photo by Randall Michelson...
26/11/2025
Book podcasts are booming. On Spotify, you'll find everything from celebrity book clubs to deep dives with bestselling authors. And in markets where audiobo...
26/11/2025
Mumbai, November 24, 2025: In a first-of-its-kind initiative, JioStar, in collab...
26/11/2025
LONDON Factual content producer ITN Productions has launched a new low-latency IP gallery for news bulletins....
26/11/2025
MIAMI TelevisaUnivision said it struck a new multiyear distribution agreement with YouTube TV that includes distribution of TelevisaUnivision's U.S. network...
26/11/2025
OpenDrives, Inc., a leader in software-defined data storage and data services, today announced the launch of the Atlas Corporate Creative Solution. This new Atl...
26/11/2025
Disguise, the industry-leading company powering the world's biggest live performances, is partnering with pioneering LED wall manufacturer DVS to give atten...
26/11/2025
HighField AI, the pioneer in agentic and multimodal automation for broadcast and media production, today announced the expansion of its global channel partner n...
26/11/2025
As high-stakes Premier League fixtures approach and additional premium content launches, with MONO positioning themselves to dominate Thailand's sports stre...
26/11/2025
Hosting a wide variety of events from high-intensity NHL games to complex live music concerts and major entertainment productions, Montreal's 21,000 capacit...
26/11/2025
Vizrt, the leader in live production technology revolutionizing viewer engagement and experience, releases AI-driven advances focusing on speed, intelligence, a...
26/11/2025
ITN Productions, an award-winning factual content producer, today launched a new low-latency IP gallery for news bulletins. Responsible for delivering a leading...
26/11/2025
Ikegami reports ongoing advances throughout 2025 in developing and delivering coordinated television production solutions that maximize quality, versatility and...
26/11/2025
Following the Nov. 21 blackout of NBCUniversal channels on Fubo, the two sides have traded barbs about their inability to reach a new carriage deal....
26/11/2025
LONDON As TV sports rights become increasingly important for both broadcasters and streamers, Ampere Analysis predicts global investment in the genre will surpa...
26/11/2025
LOS ANGELES Vubiquity said it has achieved the Amazon Web Services (AWS) Media & Entertainment Competency as part of the AWS Partner Network (APN). This designa...
26/11/2025
WASHINGTON The Federal Communications Commission's Enforcement Bureau said it has entered into a consent decree with Comcast calling for the cable company t...
26/11/2025
Berklee Named to the Hollywood Reporters Top Music Schools List The publication highlights the college's screen scoring program, industry partnerships, and ...
26/11/2025
Back to All News
Animated Series Love Through a Prism' Casts New Light on ...
26/11/2025
Back to All News
NALIP Unveils Fifth Cohort of Director Incubator
Social Impact
26 November 2025
United States
Link copied to clipboard
The National Assoc...
26/11/2025
YouView Achieves Greenly Gold Certification for SustainabilityNov 26, 2025
YouView is proud to announce a Gold Certification award from Greenly for our perform...
ESPN Bulks Up Onsite Studios, Cameras, Player Mics for WNBA All-Star Weekend Besides the game, four studio shows will be produced onsite By Jason Dachman, Editorial Director, U.S. 
