SVG All-Stars: Rob Hedrick, Senior Director, Production, NHRA The former Oklahoma storm chaser is innovating sports television in ways he never dreamed By Brandon Costa, Director of Digital
Tuesday, November 19, 2024 - 12:27 pm
Print This Story | Subscribe
Story Highlights
In an era when sports production is evolving faster than ever, a new generation of leaders is beginning to make its mark on the industry. Our new SVG All-Stars series explores the journey of the industry's rising executives, showcasing their experiences and career highlights in the business, overarching philosophy and leadership strategy, technological and creative innovation, and where they see the industry headed. Join us as we uncover the story behind their ascent and the impact they are having in an ever-evolving industry.
This past weekend, the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series championship was settled in a winner-take-all final round for the second straight year. It was must-see TV for fans watching the drama unfold on FOX and FS1.
Always a thrill to witness in person, drag racing's appeal as a television product has grown exponentially in recent years, thanks to the hard and innovative work of behind-the-scenes individuals like Rob Hedrick.
Rob Hedrick has worked in live sports television for nearly two decades. He is currently senior director, production, for the National Hot Rod Association.
From improving image quality to 1080p to enhancing visuals with more slo-mo and in-car cameras and capturing the heart-rattling sound of the Top Fuel cars, NHRA events on TV have never been more compelling and immersive. It's production people like Hedrick who put the tools in place to capture all the pieces necessary to assemble an exciting broadcast.
In this week's edition of SVG All-Stars, learn Hedrick's story, discover what industry innovations he has his eye on, and get his advice on what it takes to break into the live-sports-production industry.
Hedrick (foreground) in the truck with NHRA on FOX play-by-play announcer Brian Lohnes
What are the key responsibilities of your current role?
As senior director of production for the NHRA, the largest motorsports-sanctioning body in the world, I am responsible for technical operations for the NHRA on FOX as well as for designing our workflow and cloud strategy. I always tell people my job is to give people the tools to do their job.
What key industry trend do you believe is having a major impact on your organization right now?
We're all living through the evolution of Television 5.0 - or whatever version we're into now. We're seeing the linear model upended, and the streaming model is taking over, but a surge in FAST channels is proving that people still have an appetite for appointment television when the content is tailored to them. The special-sauce 4K/HDR will keep them returning to whatever platform they consume content on.
What core philosophy do you try to live by when managing your team/operation?
I always manage people the way I want to be managed. It's important to hear what everyone has to say and what they think is the solution, and then for me to decide. The smartest people in the world surround themselves with smart people who disagree with them.
Hedrick at an awards event with NHRA VP, Television, Stephen Reintjes
What is your favorite event(s) you've ever worked?
When I lived in D.C., I used to tech-manage the regional Emmy Awards. One year, after we finished our set day, the director called me and told me his wife had gone into labor and he wouldn't be able to direct the show. He said, You're up! I'd never directed the show before but had been in the control room for two or three years, and I had a blast! I had one of my favorite people in the world, Pam Chvotkin, as my AD, and we had a great time and a great show. It helped that my team won two Emmys that same night.
Hedrick in the truck during an NHRA on FOX production
How did you get started in sports production? What was your first real job in the business?
My first TV job was doing newsgathering and storm chasing for the ABC affiliate in Oklahoma City, and, as a news photojournalist, I covered the story of the Seattle Supersonics moving to Oklahoma. They hired one of my friends, Jay Beauchamp, to be their ENG photographer, and they asked him if he knew someone who could build postproduction facilities and edit and design control rooms. He recommended me, and they hired me. I never knew I would work in sports production, but now, 17 years later, I love every minute of it and have some of the most amazing experiences, building control rooms and TV trucks and editing show opens that air to millions of people.
What one piece of advice do you have for someone just starting their career in this industry?
Learn everything. Learn to do it all. The more you can learn about every aspect of production, the better you'll be as your career grows. It also helps you understand your team and makes you better at your job. I've done video shading, engineering, camera, TD, graphics, replay, editing, all of it. So when there is an issue, I know the pathway to solutions and can help. I also know what helps each person do their job better so I can be a step ahead to set them up for success.
To read more of the SVG All-Stars series, CLICK HERE.
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
04/08/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
04/07/2026
April 7 2026, 19:00 (PDT) Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in...
01/06/2026
January 6 2026, 05:30 (PST) Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026
Throughout the week, Dolby brings to life the latest innovatio...
30/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
30/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
30/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
30/05/2026
Zero in on one that says yes (and no)
Andy Marken May 29, 2026
0 Comments
Hero image courtesy of Deposit Photos
For content creators the most difficu...
29/05/2026
With InfoComm 2026 just weeks away, NDI is giving attendees plenty of reasons to...
29/05/2026
Reaffirming a partnership that has defined Canadian sports broadcasting since 19...
29/05/2026
Mobile/tablet is No. 2 device for watching TV, suggesting that the sports-production industry needs to take another look at the format
Ring Digital's Sprin...
29/05/2026
Berliner Ensemble, one of Berlin's five major theater companies, has expande...
29/05/2026
Solid State Logic will showcase its new compact, fly-away TCA Tour audio product...
29/05/2026
Gerald (Jerry) Pierce, a pioneering technologist who helped shape the digital transformation of the motion picture industry, passed away last month on April 12 ...
29/05/2026
Paramount+ will be the English-language U.S. home for Barclays Women's Super...
29/05/2026
Further strengthening its virtualisation strategy to fully support broadcasters ...
29/05/2026
Swiss broadcaster Canal Alpha has deployed Harmonic's award-winning, software-based XOS Advanced Media Processor to modernize playout operations across cant...
29/05/2026
PTZOptics will showcase a new generation of intelligent video workflows at InfoComm 2026, June 17-19, Las Vegas. Visitors to booth N8227 will see how PTZOptics ...
29/05/2026
Arizona's Family has launched the Arizona's Family Sports (AZFS) streaming app, a new direct-to-consumer destination for live, local sports. The app is ...
29/05/2026
Starting in 2027, DAZN will be the exclusive home of The Canadian Football Leagu...
29/05/2026
Comcast Business has detailed the advanced network infrastructure it has deploye...
29/05/2026
In two-day event, leaders from academia and industry explored solutions to chall...
29/05/2026
The Basketball Tournament (TBT), now entering their 13th year of competition, ha...
29/05/2026
Roku has launched FOX One as a Premium Subscription on The Roku Channel in the U.S. Roku customers can now subscribe to FOX One using their Roku account for liv...
29/05/2026
In its sixth year, the broadcaster's coverage has become a global brand and ...
29/05/2026
Ratings Roundup is a rundown of recent ratings news and is derived from press re...
29/05/2026
The days are getting longer, the temperatures are rising, and playlists are filling up for the season. With summer around the corner, Spotify's global edito...
29/05/2026
New retro-inspired MPC announced
There are few devices that have gained the status held by Akai Pro's MPC range, and in recent years, the company have s...
29/05/2026
Save up to 30 on acclaimed titles
Following a successful launch at Superbooth 2026, Bjooks have revealed that they will be continuing the Kickstarter campa...
29/05/2026
Binaural monitoring application improved
Genelec have just released an update that brings some powerful new features to their HRTF-based binaural headphone ...
29/05/2026
6 June 2026 at SAE Institute, London, UK
IMSTA FESTA 2026 is almost upon us, with some of the biggest names in pro-audio set to descend upon SAE Institute i...
29/05/2026
Gerald (Jerry) Pierce, a pioneering technologist who helped shape the digital transformation of the motion picture industry, died April 12, 2026, at his home in...
29/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/05/2026
Comparing 5 AI Video Enhancers for Restoring Old Video Quality
Kate Luvis May 29, 2026
0 Comments
Digitizing VHS, MiniDV, and other legacy formats doe...
29/05/2026
Studio Hamburg Builds New Post Pipeline with DaVinci Resolve Studio
Brie Clayton May 29, 2026
0 Comments
Workflow replaces a patchwork of legacy tools...
29/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/05/2026
At the Intersection of Music and Dance, an Epic Collaboration Boston Conservatory musicians and dancers found creative parallels in their recent performance o...
29/05/2026
Back to All News
Latino Film Institute Fellows Screen Their Short Films at the Egyptian Theatre
The Inclusion Fellowship and Spark Animation Grant uplifts 15 ...
29/05/2026
GLOOKAST LAUNCHES CINNAFILM TACHYON PLUGIN FOR MEDIA PRODUCER AND MEDIA SERVICES
This release first appeared here.
Visit our Tachyon product page or contact...
29/05/2026
May 29 2026, 09:00 (PDT) Dolby and rednote Bring More Immersive Storytelling to...
29/05/2026
Something fundamental has shifted in how people consume media. Audiences aren't abandoning television or radio content; they're just expanding how, wher...
29/05/2026
Youtube exclusive special drops today
Watch now
UKTV today announces another e...
29/05/2026
Back to All News
The Official Trailer of Physical 100 Italy, on Netflix From Se...
SVG All-Stars: Rob Hedrick, Senior Director, Production, NHRA The former Oklahoma storm chaser is innovating sports television in ways he never dreamed By Brandon Costa, Director of Digital 
