Sony Pixel Power calrec Sony

Building the OGN Super Arena

29/11/2019

ES Broadcast technical director Jonathan Lyth outlines how his company designed, specified and built the backend video and audio infrastructure for the OGN Super Arena in California, discussing the challenges faced and sharing the lessons learnt along the way.

It's hard to overestimate the impact that eSports is having on the video games market.

Indeed, the impact is being felt across the entertainment sector with the scale of competitive playing, the level of sponsorship and the associated prize money impossible to ignore.

Then there's the plethora of Twitch TV and YouTube influencers. According to a recent report by DataReportal, almost one billion people around the world have watched eSports, with 22 per cent of internet users saying that they have watched an online tournament in recent months, with audiences growing by 50 per cent in the past year.

OGN is an eSports network and content producer based in South Korea and has a long-established reputation in the field. 2018 saw the initiation of a new project by OGN: the 35,000-square-foot OGN Super Arena in Manhattan Beach, California. It's specifically designed for Battle Royale eSports games like Fortnite and PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG).

ES Broadcast was initially contacted about this project at NAB 2018. OGN has a longstanding relationship with systems integrator De Tune Company and had worked on several projects with them. De Tune already had previously worked with ES Broadcast for their equipment hire needs, and so turned to us as a key partner on this systems integration project.

In essence, we worked with them to design, specify and build the backend video and audio infrastructure, while De Tune also focussed on the complex and very impressive front-of-house systems. This includes an Astro Spatial Audio 3D surround system.

Having met with the key people involved at NAB 2018, we then set about designing the system.

Lyth: eSports content producers are using kit in ways that broadcasters simply wouldn't think of

One of the key requirements was that it had to be designed and built as a modular system, allowing it to be moved from venue to venue if required. A second key point, one that we had to learn and adapt to, was that this wasn't a broadcast install.

While it may feature much of the same technology, the way that it's being used, particularly the sheer number of I/Os in relation to the small technology footprint, is quite something else. OGN - along with other eSports providers - also sometimes thinks differently as to how a particular piece of kit can be used compared to more traditional workflows.

We went through the suggested kit list and made significant changes to it. On the video side we selected key technology from Sony, EVS, Evertz, Ross, Adobe, Elements and TSL. When it came to specifying the audio requirements, ES Broadcast had worked with Calrec on several other projects and so we have a good understanding of the flexibility of Calrec audio consoles in combination with its Hydra2 networking technology - not to forget the sound quality and mixing options available.

Bearing in mind the levels of audio complexity eSports demands, it made sense to specify an Artemis console as well as a Brio, which is now used for front-of-house (FOH). Of course, we deployed the Calrec Hyrda2 network too.

Once formalised, we then built and tested the system in the UK and we also completed the furniture design and layout for the building. We worked closely with De Tune throughout the whole process as they have a huge amount of eSports experience.

Once we were happy with the testing we did in the UK, the equipment was shipped to LA and as the control areas for the arena were still under construction (despite the arena opening in December 2018), the system was initially installed in an OB unit, with De Tune completing the final move into the building in April 2019.

In addition, De Tune installed an NDI network for collecting game screen and POV camera content for use with in-venue coverage, driving the huge wraparound screen, desk and floor LED display. This system also allows the host broadcaster to convert some of these feeds for use in their own output.

As mentioned, because this venue - at the time the largest fixed eSports technology install globally - is designed to handle huge multiplayer events, it's the way that the technology is used in terms of the volume of feeds that really stands out. It's a bit like covering two major, non-virtual, sports events at the same time, for many hours at once - again, not something you see every day.

Taking the example of an 80-player Battle Royale event, there are 10 full system cameras, though there's capacity for a little more. Then there are 20 team cameras, which are concentrated on the team captain and team members down the line. At the end of each of the 20-team desks there's an SDI mini-cam.

There's a primary vision mixer (Sony XVS-7000X) which is fed by the 10 system cameras, sub-mix outputs, replay, graphics and VR. We then have one sub-mix handling the selection of feeds from the 20 team cameras (POV) and then feeding that into the main mix. Via the NDI layer, there are feeds from every gamer's screen and every gamer's webcam, which gives another 160 sources.

This is used mainly to drive the FOH big screen content. But we can take SDI out from any eight of those 160 feeds into the main mix. Excluding the NDI content, that's 160 discrete sources.

A second sub-mixer, directed by two supervisors, cuts feeds from the Observer pen - there are a further 12 game machines being operated in spectator mode by experienced gamers. They can use their knowledge to predict the best places to position themselves, providing an array of perspectives for the director to choose in-game action from. The nearest comparison
LINK: https://calrec.com/news/building-the-ogn-super-arena/...
See more stories from calrec

Most recent headlines

05/01/2027

Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be demoed at CES 2026

Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...

07/10/2026

Dalet Flex LTS Delivers Smarter Media Operations from Ingest to Distribution

Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, today announced the latest Long-Term Supported (LTS) release of Dalet Flex. Build...

06/09/2026

Dolby and MagentaTV Bring Fans Closer to the FIFA World Cup 2026 in Germany with Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos

June 9 2026, 23:00 (PDT) Dolby and MagentaTV Bring Fans Closer to the FIFA Worl...

20/08/2026

MS Now to Launch $7.99 DTC Service

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

20/08/2026

Nielsen Details Improvements to Audience Measurement Capabilities

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

20/08/2026

Study: 174 Billion Illegal Streams During FIFA World Cup 2026

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

20/08/2026

Prasad Opens New 8K/4K Film Preservation & Restoration Center

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

20/08/2026

IPC Expands Brazilian Presence with New Channel Partner C...

IPC Expands Brazilian Presence with New Channel Partner CCATech Industry veterans Carlos Abrah o and Bruno Lopes strengthen local support and expand IPCs prese...

20/08/2026

Zixi Enters Mauritius Market Through Strategic Deployment...

Zixi Enters Mauritius Market Through Strategic Deployment with MTC Jockey Club Worlds Oldest Horse Racing Club in the Southern Hemisphere Selects Zixis Softwar...

20/08/2026

Scripps Research scientist to receive $2.76 million NIAID New Innovators Award

LA JOLLA, CA-Scripps Research assistant professor Tiantian Liu has received a five-year NIAID DP2 award from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Di...

20/08/2026

Audiences reveal appetite for multicultural Australia on-screen

Audiences reveal appetite for multicultural Australia on-screen 20 August 2026 Dr Georgie McClean, Dr Rebecca Huntley (L-R) By Dr Georgie McClean and Dr Rebec...

20/08/2026

How Mavis Studio Is Expanding Live Production Teaching at Sussex

How Mavis Studio Is Expanding Live Production Teaching at Sussex Brie Clayton August 19, 2026 0 Comments Hero image displays a student about to mix be...

20/08/2026

Vertical Unscripted Series Legal Queens Captured with Blackmagic Design

Vertical Unscripted Series Legal Queens Captured with Blackmagic Design Brie Clayton August 19, 2026 0 Comments Reality TV veteran Eric Gardner create...

19/08/2026

Imagine Communications Steve Reynolds on Kaseya Centers Hybrid IP Build and the Growth of ST 2110

As the cost of IP nears price parity with traditional SDI, Reynolds argues that ...

19/08/2026

European Athletics Championships 2026: BBC, Event Organizers Bring Birmingham Action to Viewers in Style

A private 5G bubble was chosen instead of traditional broadcast RF for the race ...

19/08/2026

Filipiana Sets the Class Divide on a Golf Course in the Philippines

(L-R) Rafael Manuel and Isabel Sicat attend the Filipi ana premiere during the 2026 Sundance Film Festival at The Ray Theatre on January 23, 2026, in Park Cit...

19/08/2026

MPG launch Save Our Studios survey

Studio owners invited to have their say on rates cuts The Music Producers Guild (MPG) are inviting UK-based studios to take part in an in-depth survey that ...

19/08/2026

Harrison unveil the Flex-10

Vintage-inspired desktop interface revealed Harrison's latest hardware offering sees them head into the world of audio interfaces, delivering a 10-in/12...

19/08/2026

Minimal Audio release Lucid

Granular effect remains locked to scale and tempo Described as your dream granular effect , Minimal Audio's latest creation is capable of turning any s...

19/08/2026

Audio Modeling open PolySWAM pre-orders

First polyphonic SWAM instrument incoming Audio Modeling's latest physical-modelling orchestral instrument is just around the corner, and is now availab...

19/08/2026

FOX and NBCUniversal Score with FIFA World Cup 2026 Success in Nielsen's June Gauge Reports

World Cup Games Generate 84 Billion Minutes Across FOX, Fox Sports 1 and NBCU...

19/08/2026

The Gauge: Poland | July 2026

July brought typical peak-holiday drops in viewership, driven primarily by viewers stepping away from screens and a visible decline in reach across both traditi...

19/08/2026

Carr Calls ABC Suit 'Meritless

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

19/08/2026

Henry Alexander Joins BCE as Sales Director

Henry joins BCE as the company accelerates its commercial strategy and expands its international presence across the media, broadcast and technology markets. He...

19/08/2026

iWedia Announces Advanced Android DRAM Optimisation Proce...

iWedia, a leading provider of software solutions for connected TV devices, today announced a major milestone in Android platform optimization with the successfu...

19/08/2026

NTP Technology announces ST 2110-30-RAVENNA 128-channel A...

NTP Technology announces that ST 2110-30 audio-over-IP connectivity with AES67 and RAVENNA capabilities is now available for the brand's world-class audio i...

19/08/2026

ORF goes full IP with Net Insight in nationwide network o...

Net Insight has been selected to provide its Nimbra platform by the service provider Big Blue Marble, formerly ORS Group, as the core media transport solution f...

19/08/2026

Coventry City Trophy Parade Extends LiveU LIQ Beyond the...

LiveU has supported Coventry City FC and several other top-flight UK football clubs through one of their most demanding live production challenges of the year, ...

19/08/2026

Nature Seekers Documentary Shot with Blackmagic URSA Cine 12K LF

Nature Seekers Documentary Shot with Blackmagic URSA Cine 12K LF Brie Clayton August 18, 2026 0 Comments Filming endangered turtles required camera...

19/08/2026

Neyrinck Brings D-Control Consoles Back to Life on Apple Silicon with D-Control Basic

Neyrinck Brings D-Control Consoles Back to Life on Apple Silicon with D-Control ...

19/08/2026

ABC Files First Amendment Lawsuit Against FCC

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

19/08/2026

Nielsen: Fox and NBCUniversal Score with FIFA World Cup 2026

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

19/08/2026

ESPN Co-Founder Bill Rasmussen Dies At 93

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

19/08/2026

Study: NBA Ad Revenue Hit $2.1 Billion Last Season

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

19/08/2026

Nexstar's WNCN Donates ENG Van for Training

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

19/08/2026

Riedel Brings Professional Live Production Into the Class...

Riedel Communications today announced that Edith Cowan University (ECU) in Perth, Australia, implemented a comprehensive communications infrastructure that brin...

19/08/2026

QuickLink Showcases New 4K Capabilities Across StudioEdge...

QuickLink, a leading provider of award-winning video production and remote guest contribution solutions, will spotlight a major leap forward in remote guest con...

19/08/2026

EMAM together with PlayBox Neo and SNEWS launch combined...

Integrated platform melds media asset management, playout automation and newsroom workflows EMAM, PlayBox Neo and SNEWS have officially launched Nuvex, a conne...

19/08/2026

Screen Australia releases the Private Investment Toolkit to strengthen screen industry financing pathways

Screen Australia releases the Private Investment Toolkit to strengthen screen in...

19/08/2026

Do Aussies truly value local content? Unpacking Screen Currency 2026 with Deirdre Brennan

Do Aussies truly value local content? Unpacking Screen Currency 2026 with Deirdr...

19/08/2026

U&alibi re-commissions Bookish for Christmas Special and Series 3

There's an early Christmas gift for Bookish fans, as UKTV confirms the re-commission of the hit U&alibi drama, created by and starring Mark Gatiss. Viewers ...

19/08/2026

Sky gives sports fans the chance to watch multiple live sports events simultaneously on the big screen for the first time

Wednesday 19 August 2026 Sky gives sports fans the chance to watch multiple liv...

19/08/2026

RT TO AIR HISTORIC KATIE TAYLOR FIGHT IN CROKE PARK

On Saturday September 5 Katie Taylor will step into the ring for the fight of her life against Flora Pili in front of 80,000 fans in Croke Park. A legendary fig...

18/08/2026

SportStream 2026 Virtual Event Set for September 15-17

SportStream 2026, a free three-day virtual event, will take place September 15-17. One registration provides access to all three days of live programming and on...

18/08/2026

IBC 2026: BeckTV to Debut BeckFlow Documentation Platform

BeckTV will introduce BeckFlow to the European market at IBC2026, demonstrated on the Providius stand (10.F53). BeckFlow is a web-based schematic documentation...

18/08/2026

IBC 2026: Boland Communications to Introduce ST 2110 Option for 4K Monitors

Boland Communications will introduce a SMPTE ST 2110 input option for its 4K monitors at IBC2026, along with a new 55-inch super-narrow bezel display for video ...

18/08/2026

Seattle Seahawks Integrate Dolby OptiView with Dolby Vision for Fan Streaming

Dolby Laboratories and the Seattle Seahawks have announced a partnership integrating Dolby OptiView into the Seahawks' live streaming coverage, making the S...

18/08/2026

Insights from BMG's Graham Taylor on the Role of a Sports Producer in Live Broadcast Production

For BMG Executive Producer of Sports Production, Graham Taylor, producing live s...

18/08/2026

TMRW Sports Names Rufus Hack as President of Golf

TMRW Sports has appointed Rufus Hack as President of Golf, a newly created role in which he will lead the company's golf businesses including TGL presented ...