Live From the NFL Draft: College GameDay Joins the Party for ESPN in Arlington Among other innovations will be the Draft debut of the DigiBoom camera system By Jason Dachman, Chief Editor
Thursday, April 26, 2018 - 5:51 pm
Print This Story
Story Highlights
There's a new kid on the block in ESPN's NFL Draft coverage this year, with College GameDay added to the mix at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, TX. Now in its 39th consecutive year covering the Draft, ESPN will deliver its first dual-network coverage of tonight's Round 1, with primary coverage airing on ESPN and a college-themed presentation on ESPN2. As a result, ESPN is rolling out its largest NFL Draft production to date, complete with several innovations, including a DigiBoom gimbal-stabilized camera rig.
ESPN has deployed a pair of two-point aerial SupraCams - one inside and one outside - for the NFL Draft.
This is really a massive show. I don't think people realize just how big the Draft really is, says Senior Ops Manager Steve Carter. Every year for us is a new chapter, in the sense that we come into these new facilities - whether it be Chicago or Philly or now here in Arlington - and we're starting with a blank piece of paper. There are always new concepts, ideas, and things that the NFL is looking to do, and then we build out the show from there. It's a huge challenge, but it's also very exciting.
ESPN Splits Compound in Two
The addition of GameDay brings essentially a second production to what was already one of ESPN's largest shows of the year. The GameDay team has its own dedicated set in the NFL Draft Experience area outside AT&T Stadium (adjacent to ESPN's outdoor set), which will be used for pre-Draft editions of GameDay Thursday and Friday (both at 5 p.m. ET) on ESPN, as well as its simultaneous Draft coverage - dubbed College Football Primetime at the NFL Draft - Thursday night on ESPN2.
ESPN is using NEP's EN1 set of production units once again for its NFL Draft coverage.
Although the primary show is being produced out of NEP EN1 (A, B, C, D, and E units) and GameDay is operating independently out of its normal Game Creek Video Maverick unit, the two shows are still heavily intertwined.
I think this is, by far, the biggest technical challenge that we've ever faced at the draft, says Coordinating Director Mike Feinberg, especially in terms of truck interconnects and the shared comms. We wanted both shows to be able to run independently yet also to communicate with each other at certain points when it's necessary.
ESPN is using its outside set not only for its Draft coverage but also for onsite shoulder programming like SportsCenter and NFL Live.
EN1 is located in the traditional truck compound inside AT&T Stadium; Maverick is outside at the overflow compound in Lot 2. The two trucks are fibered together, enabling them to share 24 camera feeds and have fully integrated communications.
We're able to swing comms and tallies between the two, Carter explains. So [the GameDay production team] can have full control of these cameras at various times when the [primary] production agrees it is needed.
ESPN is also using EN1's second control room, located in its D unit, which is typically used for Monday Night Countdown, to produce live editions of NFL Live and SportsCenter on Thursday and Friday.
A Trio of Sets: Two for Main Show, One for GameDay
ESPN has deployed both an outdoor and an indoor set for its coverage, as has become customary at the Draft. The ESPN desk inside the stadium will serve as its primary host location during Days 1 and 2, and the outdoor set in the NFL Experience area will serve as its main home on Day 3 (Rounds 4-7), when picks will be announced from teams' facilities around the country and the coverage airs on ABC for the first time.
College GameDay, occupying this outdoor set in Arlington, is on hand at the NFL Draft for the first time.
We have two matching desks on both sets because we wanted to replicate the look of the desk when we are outside on Saturday. We call them our Stealth desks, and they are used for many of our signature events.
The GameDay set is located immediately next to ESPN's outdoor set in the NFL Experience area, along with a demo-field set that allows the GameDay team to conduct demonstrations throughout the coverage. This set will serve as home to both pre-Draft editions of GameDay on Thursday and Friday and its simultaneous coverage of Round 1 on ESPN2 on Thursday.
DigiBoom Rig Headlines Camera Complement
ESPN has deployed 31 of its own cameras at AT&T Stadium and is sharing an additional five at NFL Network's positions. In addition, GameDay has eight dedicated cameras.
ESPN's Brie Michaels (right) is operating the DigiBoom camera rig, while RedRock Micro's Alejandro Selman is on-site for tech support
Included in ESPN's complement are two RF Steadicams and two RF handhelds (provided by BSI), two SupraCam two-point cable systems (one inside, one outside), five jibs (two integrated for AR virtual graphics), three robos (provided by Fletcher), and an aerial camera (provided by AVS).
The highlight of this year's Draft camera complement is surely the DigiBoom gimbal-stabilized camera rig provided by RedRock Micro. Unveiled this month at NAB 2018, the system is designed to combine the best elements of a gimbal, jib, Steadicam, and handheld camera into a single tool. With the DigiBoom, which features a long pole with a powered gimbal on the end that keeps shots smooth and steady, the operator can shoot from ground level to more than 8 ft. (or up to 12 ft. with an optional extension). The version debuting for the Draft features a Blackmagic Video Assist and Micro Studio Camera 4K and is being operated by ESPN Coordinating Studio Operator Brie Michaels.
Feinberg de
Most recent headlines
04/08/2024
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, is excited to announce Santiago Solanas as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO)....
03/06/2024
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, a...
04/05/2024
NEW YORK As the Asian Pacific American Heritage Month kicks off in May, Nielsen has released an extensive new report diving into their media habits with data sh...
04/05/2024
PHILADELPHIA As National Military Appreciation Month gets underway, Comcast has announced several new initiatives to help veterans, service members, and their f...
04/05/2024
WASHINGTON, D.C. Federal Communications Commission chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel has announced a tentative agenda for the May Open Commission Meeting scheduled...
04/05/2024
The Broadband Forum has announced major enhancements to key 5G convergence standards that the group said will help advance next-generation applications, improve...
04/05/2024
Spotify Wrapped Campaign Spot Graded With DaVinci Resolve Studio
Brie Clayton May 3, 2024
0 Comments
Blackmagic Design today announced that Colorist M...
04/05/2024
Three Boston Conservatory at Berklee Alums Nominated for Tony Awards An additional eight alums and two current students performed in nominated productions.
...
03/05/2024
An innovative learning tool to help media and civil society better understand ho...
03/05/2024
PARK CITY, UTAH - JANUARY 21: (L-R) Actors K stutis Cic nas and Greta Grinevi i t , Director Marija Kavtaradze and Producer Marija Razgute attend the 2023 Sunda...
03/05/2024
If you aren't familiar with Danny Ocean's music, it's only a matter ...
03/05/2024
Spotify has an unwavering commitment to supporting emerging artists across all genres, to helping them launch and thrive in their careers, and to connecting the...
03/05/2024
Como uno de los sonidos de mayor expansi n en el mundo, la M sica Mexicana va m ...
03/05/2024
As one of the fastest-growing sounds worldwide, M sica Mexicana is more than jus...
03/05/2024
NEW YORK FuboTV reported that it lost 110,000 subs in Q1 2024 but it exceeded its guidance for the quarter with double digit year-over-year increases across key...
03/05/2024
Only 3 Weeks Left To Enter The Creative Industries Most Award
Brie Clayton May 3, 2024
0 Comments
Creativepool is giving a last call to the creative i...
03/05/2024
WePlay Studios Transforms the Future of Live Event Storytelling with AJA Gear
Brie Clayton May 3, 2024
0 Comments
By 2032, the esports market is expec...
03/05/2024
WASHINGTON Shannon Bream, Fox News Sunday anchor and chief legal correspondent, sat for a keynote chat at The Business of TV News, with Tom Umstead, senior co...
03/05/2024
WASHINGTON Asked how important is local news, Martha Raddatz, who has covered foreign conflicts for decades and moderated presidential debates for ABC News, s...
03/05/2024
Sony Pictures and Apollo Global Management have made a $26 billion cash offer fo...
03/05/2024
CBS announced its 2024-2025 primetime schedule, which features the new dramas NCIS: Origins, Matlock and Watson, and new comedies Poppa's House and Georgie ...
03/05/2024
Sports-focused streaming service Fubo said it reduced its red ink in the first quarter, despite losing 110,000 subscribers since the end of the year....
03/05/2024
Walmart is reportedly about to release a new 4K streaming box/smart speaker hybrid device for Google TV that could retail for as low as $50, according to a repo...
03/05/2024
Enhancements to its Delivery Workspace solution provide increased content delivery robustness and security
By Matthew Corrigan
Published: May 3, 2024
Enha...
03/05/2024
According to reports, if the bid is successful, Sony would be the significant majority shareholder of the new private company
By Jenny Priestley
Published: M...
03/05/2024
Located in Manchesters Spinningfields district, the course aims to equip students with the skills, knowledge and industry insight for a career in the creative s...
03/05/2024
Lightbridge has created a new Cine Reflect Lighting System kit, dedicated to enabling artistic lighting with consideration of today's productivity practical...
03/05/2024
Broadcast media systems integrator BeckTV and Lawo worked together on a large-scale AES67 build of radio control rooms at KPBS, San Diego's NPR and PBS memb...
03/05/2024
Raleigh, NC, April 12, 2024 SmallHD announces PageOS 6, a powerful software update free for owners of SmallHD monitors, featuring increased functionality, exp...
03/05/2024
SmallHD announces the Quantum 32 a new 31.5 OLED monitor designed to provide reference HDR/SDR images for post-production final color grading, as well as cri...
03/05/2024
By 2032, the esports market is expected to grow to $9.29 billion, bolstered by a global player count and fan following that both continue to climb. The 2023 Lea...
03/05/2024
Amagi, the global leader in cloud-based SaaS technology for broadcast and connected TV (CTV), today announced that the 11th edition of the Amagi Global FAST Rep...
03/05/2024
Riedel Communications today announced that Westdeutscher Rundfunk (WDR) is relying on a media and intercom network based on Riedel technology for the renewal of...
03/05/2024
Broadpeak , a leading provider of content delivery network (CDN) and video streaming solutions for content providers and pay-TV operators worldwide, announced t...
03/05/2024
Media technology innovator Limecraft will exhibit the latest updates to its online platform on stand G79 at the 15-16 May 2024 Media Production & Technology Sho...
03/05/2024
Audio interface specialist Prism Sound is partnering with console manufacturer Solid State Logic, professional monitor manufacturer PMC and acoustic panel and d...
03/05/2024
Intinor, Sweden's leading developer of products and solutions for high-quality video over the internet, is set to join forces with its UK partner Zest Techn...
03/05/2024
NAKIVO Inc., a fast-growing software company dedicated to protecting physical, virtual, cloud, and SaaS environments, announced its Q1 2024 financial results to...
03/05/2024
Hiltron Communications announces an addition to its range of satellite communication products and systems: a field-upgradable motorisation kit specifically desi...
03/05/2024
Visit LiveU at Stand D30
With this year an exceptional one for major sporting events alongside multiple, key elections, the power and flexibility of LiveU'...
03/05/2024
Agile Content, the leader in the development of technology and solutions for the provision of television services over the Internet, announces Koldo Unanue as i...
03/05/2024
Eight co-signers representing streaming services, pay TV operators and public interest groups have sent a letter to Congressional leaders urging their Committee...
03/05/2024
BOSTON Brightcove has announced that it has implemented Amazon Q Business, a new generative AI assistant on Amazon Web Services (AWS)....
03/05/2024
NEW YORK CBS has declared that it will finish the 2023-24 season as Americas Most-Watched Network in primetime for the 16th consecutive season....
03/05/2024
A new survey indicates that U.S. businesses and consumers had an overall positive attitude towards their technology spending plans in the first quarter of 2024,...
03/05/2024
Sony and Apollo Global Management have sent an offer letter to Paramount Global's board of directors making an $26 billion all cash offer for Paramount Glob...
03/05/2024
EMG / Gravity Media has appointed Charlie Cubbon chief operating officer (COO) and Jamie Hindhaugh regional CEO for the U.K., U.S., Australia and the Middle Eas...
03/05/2024
Final 2024 Season Games to Air Saturdays on WRAL at 10:30am in May, Championship on June 1
Taping for the final episodes of the 2024 season of WRAL-TV's Br...
03/05/2024
Estrella MediaCo said it is expanding its connected TV portfolio by launching three new channels with Curiosity that will first appear on Samsung TV Plus....
Live From the NFL Draft: College GameDay Joins the Party for ESPN in Arlington Among other innovations will be the Draft debut of the DigiBoom camera system By Jason Dachman, Chief Editor 
