ACC Network Launch Day: Inside ESPN's New Sleek, Modern, Colorful ACCN Studio The 2,800-sq.ft. studio in Bristol, CT, features a load of technological capabilities By Brandon Costa, Director of Digital
Thursday, August 22, 2019 - 2:48 pm
Print This Story
Story Highlights
With the launch of the ACC Network on Thursday comes the debut of a sharp, sleek, and colorful new studio set on ESPN's Bristol, CT, campus.
Located in Studio G in ESPN's Digital Center 1, the 2,800-sq.-ft. home of the new college-conference network was no simple, templated build. This is a customized set designed to push the envelope in a few areas, including clever camera design and innovative graphics displays.
The ACC Network, which launches on Thursday, occupies a new 2,800-sq.-ft. studio at ESPN's Digital Center 1.
It's a space that not only is ready for launch today but has a lot of room to grow alongside the network over the next few years.
We're going to try to incorporate sort of the two tiers of storytelling, which is the human side, the human-interest side, but then also what is the next level of storytelling through data and analysis, says Amy Rosenfeld, senior coordinating producer, ESPN. We're virtual-ready. We are experimenting with our capabilities on augmented reality. We are going to be pretty aggressive in the execution of data and analytics as it relates to a storytelling device.
MORE:
ACC Network Launch Day: With Buy-In From ESPN and All 15 Schools, Newest College Sports Network Is Poised for Success
ACC Network Launch Day: Packer and Durham Morning Show Will Anchor Daily Programming - From Mark Packer's Basement
Among the studio's most notable tech features are a pair of fully robotic telescoping pedestal cameras in a box that can offer unique views of the various set locations. The boxes are developed by Rhode Island-based production company Creative Conners. They can serve as integrated scene pieces when not in use but can quickly rise into action and transition viewers from one point in the set to another, allowing fun and seamless transitions between segments.
The studio also houses four Grass Valley LDX 86 4K-capable cameras (set to shoot in 1080p), a pair of Grass Valley LDC 4K-capable cameras (also shooting in 1080p), three robotic Vinten cameras, two Vinten Vantage PTZ robotic camera heads, a MOSYS eCrane able to display augmented-reality graphics and StarTracker virtual data, five LED walls (one able to slide around to different positions), two 98-in. monitors, a pair of touchscreens for on-air talent to use for telestration and analysis, six mobile Pak Talent game-viewing monitors, and 262 LED lighting fixtures (including 38 color-changing moving lights and 116 LED controllers wired and networked to the lighting board for all LED set elements).
ESPN's ACC Network studio features a camera in a box that can quickly transition from a set piece into a fully operational mobile robotic camera.
The robust studio is just another demonstration of ESPN's commitment to putting its best resources behind this project. Although the network has learned lessons and has a nice template from the launches of both the Longhorn Network (2011) and the SEC Network (2014), it was a priority to give ACC Network a personality all its own.
We wanted to make a point to make ACC [Network] its own unique space, says Kristy Higgins, supervising director, ESPN, who helped oversee much of the studio's development. One of our goals, and something that the ACC as a whole really embraced, is pushing the individual schools, colors, and flavor. Each of the ACC schools speaks for [itself], and we want them to incorporate that, not only in our studio design but also in the graphic designs and in the colors that we use in some of the animations. I think we've captured a lot of each individual school in some of those designs.
Rosenfeld agrees that the ESPN graphics department outdid itself with the graphics package, which will be used heavily within this studio.
I don't say this lightly, and I'm definitely dating myself, she says, but I've been doing this a really, really long time, and I've worked on really, really big events. I've worked on Olympics, I've worked on World Cups. I have never been a part of an animation and graphics package that is as forward-thinking and innovative and cool as this ACC Network package.
North America Stories
04/06/2026
Sony Electronics is introducing the SRG-AS10, a 4K 60p-compatible PTZ auto-frami...
04/06/2026
This recent grad from Spring, TX, led creative-video output for the Aggies' men's basketball team last season and has been producing video and creating ...
04/06/2026
For the first time at a women's golf major, every player in the field will r...
04/06/2026
Three Panasonic PT-RQ45 40,000-lumen 3-Chip DLP projectors made their first live...
04/06/2026
Bitmovin and Akamai have announced a collaboration with NRJ Group, a French mult...
04/06/2026
Telestream will exhibit at InfoComm 2026 (Booth N7952), demonstrating media work...
04/06/2026
Sony has announced the development of RIALTO 65, a 65mm format image sensor block for the VENICE 2 digital cinema camera, targeting release in the first half of...
04/06/2026
KOKUSAI DENKI Electric America will exhibit at InfoComm 2026 (Booth N8025, June ...
04/06/2026
Bell Media's TSN and RDS are the exclusive Canadian broadcasters of FIFA Wor...
04/06/2026
The Challenge: Receiving Heavy Media Files From Road Games Quickly and ReliablyT...
04/06/2026
MASV, a managed file transfer platform used in broadcast and live sports product...
04/06/2026
NESN has announced the appointment of Fahad Haider as Vice President of Operations and Engineering. Haider returns to NESN, where he previously served as Vice P...
04/06/2026
David J. Halberstam, who spent almost 50 years in sports as a broadcaster and an executive, died June 2 after a years-long battle with brain cancer.
Over his l...
04/06/2026
Although collegiate production programs are tasked with delivering high-quality ...
04/06/2026
California studio, two production trucks, global distribution system are combine...
04/06/2026
New global program empowers and supports storytellers through scriptwriting course and access to industry experts
TikTok and Sundance Institute today announce...
04/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
04/06/2026
Bitmovin, a leading provider of video streaming infrastructure, and Akamai, the cybersecurity and cloud computing company that powers and protects business onli...
04/06/2026
American Underground (AU), the Startup Hub of the South and a community of mor...
04/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
04/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
04/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
04/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
04/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
04/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
04/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
04/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
04/06/2026
NVIDIA and Microsoft Reinvent Windows PCs for the Age of Personal AI
Brie Clayton June 3, 2026
0 Comments
RTX Spark - a 1-Petaflop Superchip, the Full...
04/06/2026
Inside the Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man Grade
Brie Clayton June 3, 2026
0 Comments
Simone Grattarola discusses shaping the look in DaVinci Resolve...
04/06/2026
Cine Gear Expo Announces 2026 Awards of Excellence Recipients
Brie Clayton June 3, 2026
0 Comments
Ed Lachman ASC, Caleb Deschanel ASC, and M. David M...
04/06/2026
St. Vincents Live with Orchestra Tour to Feature Berklee Alum Ruby Plume Berklee alumni St. Vincent and Ruby Plume will appear on the same bill across seven d...
04/06/2026
Back to All News
All the Truth in My Lies Coming to Netflix on August 28
Entertainment
04 June 2026
GlobalSpain
Link copied to clipboard
Download the imag...
04/06/2026
Back to All News
Larry Tanz, VP of Content, EMEA, Delivers a Keynote Speech at ...
04/06/2026
Back to All News
Turn Your Living Room into a Stadium With the New FIFA World ...
04/06/2026
Keeping conversations real on LinkedIn Published on Jun 4, 2026 Categories: Product News
LinkedIn Corporate Communications
Share
LinkedIn
Facebook ...
04/06/2026
June's forecast with GeForce NOW: 100% chance of gaming.
GeForce NOW is lining up new adventures for the month, from big-name blockbusters to quirky indies...
03/06/2026
SES and Viva, Mexico's ultra low-cost airline, have launched multi-orbit satellite inflight connectivity on Viva's Airbus aircraft. A total of 60 A320s ...
03/06/2026
The College Football Playoff, ESPN, and TNT Sports have announced kick times and...
03/06/2026
RED Digital Cinema will exhibit at Cine Gear Expo 2026 (Booth 33, June 5-6, Universal Studios Lot), hosting three panels and hands-on product demonstrations.
P...
03/06/2026
Roku has announced the Soccer Zone, a dedicated hub for FIFA World Cup 2026 content available across the United States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Colombia, Argent...
03/06/2026
Liverpool FC and Wasabi Technologies have announced a multi-year extension of their partnership, with Wasabi continuing as the club's official cloud storage...
03/06/2026
Grass Valley has announced that Australian News Channel (ANC), operator of Sky News Australia, has deployed Grass Valley AMPP as part of the relocation of its n...
03/06/2026
The Riedel Group has announced the appointment of Gudrun Scharler as CEO of Riedel Networks. She succeeds Michael Martens, who has led Riedel Networks since 201...
03/06/2026
Clear-Com has announced the deployment of its intercom solutions at Itaka Arena ...
03/06/2026
Scott Coker has announced six senior executive appointments for his new global MMA promotion, which launched earlier this year with $60 million in financing. Ad...
03/06/2026
Telemundo, the exclusive Spanish-language home of the FIFA World Cup 2026, has announced its digital and social media programming for the tournament, running Ju...
03/06/2026
The Bundesliga has announced the launch of Captain, an AI assistant built into t...
03/06/2026
Anthony James Partners (AJP) is serving as technology consultant for a moderniza...
03/06/2026
Audio-Technica has announced the recipients of its annual sales rep firm awards for the 2025-26 fiscal year. The awards were presented by Jim Schanz, Executive ...
ACC Network Launch Day: Inside ESPN's New Sleek, Modern, Colorful ACCN Studio The 2,800-sq.ft. studio in Bristol, CT, features a load of technological capabilities By Brandon Costa, Director of Digital 
