MLB Local Media Hits Its Stride in Year 2 With Diamondbacks, Padres, Rockies Broadcasts Tech highlights include WireCam, Ump Cam, RF gimbal system, and STATS Insights graphics By Jason Dachman, Editorial Director, U.S.
Tuesday, April 2, 2024 - 3:13 pm
Print This Story | Subscribe
Story Highlights
After taking over San Diego Padres and Arizona Diamondbacks broadcasts on the fly in the middle of last season, MLB will also be producing and distributing Colorado Rockies games this season. With last season under its belt, the league's Local Media team is looking to level-up broadcasts for all three teams with a full arsenal of production tools and technological innovations.
The key to the 2024 season has been the ability to plan, says Doug Johnson, SVP/executive producer, local media, MLB. Last year was more about getting our feet under us and ensuring these games were on the air and at a high production level. Now, with a full offseason to prepare, we were able to add things and make changes to the productions where appropriate. [We're] also continuing to build great relationships with the clubs as a partner in all of these broadcasts.
At Colorado Rockies front bench in Arizona for opening series: Producer Alison Vigil (left) and Director Erica Ferrero
Tech Touches: WireCam, Ump Cam, RF Gimbal System DEFY Wire Cam at Chase Field
MLB Local Media has partnered with DEFY Products to add a WireCam system to Petco Park in San Diego, Chase Field in Phoenix, and Coors Field in Denver. At Chase Field and Coors Field, the system runs up and down the third-base line; at Petco, it starts on the first-base line.
We experimented with the WireCam last year and quickly realized what a game-changer it was for our shows, says Johnson. With its versatility, it was like adding five cameras to the show.
MLB Local Media is also working closely with MLB SVP, Broadcasting, Ryan Zander and the broadcasting department to implement Ump Cam in some broadcasts. The Ump Cam made its local-broadcast debut last year with the Diamondbacks, and Johnson hopes to increase its deployment across all three teams' games this year.
It was a huge success, and fans loved it, he says. We are always striving to show the speed and movement of these amazing pitchers, and this look shows you both. The other thing I like is, it replicates the view most kids are used to when they play MLB videogames.
Closeup of WireCam at Chase Field
For home games, all three teams' productions will deploy an enhanced version of the wireless RF DJI Ronin gimbal camera system that debuted last season on Diamondbacks and Padres broadcasts.
We believe this package gives us the same great on-air look as last season with a more intuitive and flexible operating system, says Kendall Burgess, VP, operations, MLB Local Media. Based on the lessons we learned last year and with the engineering guidance of MTVG, we have upgraded several of our camera systems this season.
Working with facilities provider Mobile TV Group and NEP's Fletcher Sports division, Burgess and her team have also upgraded several home-park robotic and PTZ cameras for this season.
All About Access: In-Game Interviews Bring Fans Closer to the Action Like many national and regional broadcasters these days, MLB Local Media is making a concerted effort to work with all three clubs to enhance player access during the game broadcast.
Down-the-wire look of DEFY WireCam at Chase Field
MLB Local Media is working with MTVG to deploy a customized player-mic and IFB package this season. The highlight of the gear is a Q5X PlayerMic that debuted during Spring Training games and will be incorporated throughout the season for all three teams.
Fans crave these kinds of production elements, says Johnson. With increased access, you give more exposure to these great athletes through the biggest megaphone, which is the game broadcast.
For example, Johnson and company are working with the clubs to arrange in-game interviews with the starting pitcher after a good start. It just makes way more sense, he says, to celebrate that start with the pitcher during the highly rated game broadcast versus making fans wait for a postgame show to hear from him. All three of our clubs have been great to work with, and I am looking forward to seeing what we can accomplish this year.
Going Deeper With Data: STAT Insights' and Hot Corner' Graphics; Plus Umps in the Booth Besides its stats provider Sportradar, MLB has partnered with Stats Perform on its STATS Insights platform. All three clubs will have a dedicated Stats Perform statistician on a Slack channel providing deeper statistical insights to the announce booth and the truck. Instead of depending on stats provided before the game, says Johnson, we are able to expound on in-game storylines as they happen in real time.
All three teams' broadcasts also feature new specialty graphics leveraging the STATS Insights platform dubbed the Hot Corner. The graphic, which runs directly off the overall Vizrt graphics systems, slides onto the screen with a chime sound and displays deep statistics and information during the live broadcast. The direction for the Hot Corner is, it is only high-end stats and interesting information when it goes in, says Johnson. When viewers hear that chime, there is a real payoff.
To further provide deeper insights to viewers, Padres broadcasts will offer a new twist with the addition of former MLB Umpire Mike Winters as a rules expert in the booth on selected games. With all the new and exciting changes to the game, says Johnson, it will be great to get an umpire's perspective/analysis live on the air. Based on how this goes, we will look to implement this in all our regions.
New Year, New Look: MLB Network, Local Production Teams Pitch In The overall on-air l
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...
06/05/2026
Gravity Media Chief RF Communications Engineer Glenn Willems uses Wisycom RF over Fiber and wireless solutions across major cycling events and international mar...
06/05/2026
A Sennheiser Spectera module is now available in Bitfocus Companion and Buttons, enabling direct integration of Spectera with the two software platforms. The mo...
06/05/2026
Ted Turner, the visionary media entrepreneur whose appetite for disruption helpe...
06/05/2026
Peacock is going all-in on the beautiful game - streaming all 104 FIFA World Cup...
06/05/2026
New pricing tiers for vocal/dialogue restoration tool
NoiseWorks Audio's AI-powered vocal and dialogue processing plug-in is now available in three diff...
06/05/2026
Popular mixing & routing software overhauled
Following a recent public beta test, RME have launched the final release version of the powerful mixing and rou...
06/05/2026
New SOS Video Feature
Focusrites ISA C8X is a milestone product that brings together the companys analogue heritage and their expertise in digital audio. Yo...
06/05/2026
Polands Miecznik-class frigates are part of the largest contract in Polish shipbuilding history. (Image Credit: PGZ Stocznia Wojenna)...
06/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
06/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
06/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
06/05/2026
Riedel Communications today announced the expansion of its leadership structure as part of a strategic initiative to strengthen both its operational management ...
06/05/2026
For nearly three decades, Veteran Production Sound Mixer and Five-time Emmy Award Winner Dirk Sciarrotta has helped define the sonic identity of the long-runnin...
06/05/2026
ZEISS CinCraft LensCore: Cinema Lens Looks for Compositing
Brie Clayton May 6, 2026
0 Comments
ZEISS announces the launch of CinCraft LensCore, a nove...
06/05/2026
Wisycom Solves Extreme RF Challenges Across Miles of Live Action for Gravity Med...
06/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
06/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
06/05/2026
Narrative Entertainment has partnered with Encompass to deliver high-quality subtitling of its Great! network content using the Altitude Intelligence AI assiste...
06/05/2026
SipRadius, widely recognized for making content processing and connectivity secure and seamless, is proud to launch a dramatic new approach to AI content creati...
06/05/2026
When the broadband and media industry gathers at ANGA COM in Cologne from May 19 to 21, Big Blue Marble will be at the forefront. The international broadcast an...
06/05/2026
Cinegy GmbH, a leading developer of software-defined television technology, is proud to exhibit at MPTS for the first time. Visitors to the stand will discover ...
06/05/2026
Val Jeanty Receives 2026 Doris Duke Artist Award Jeanty, a composer, percussionist, and turntablist, is the fourth Berklee recipient of the prestigious award ...
06/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
06/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
06/05/2026
When live cycling races and international marathons stretch for miles across cities and countryside, there is no margin for RF failure in live broadcast. As Chi...
06/05/2026
Oberkochen/Germany, May 5, 2026
ZEISS announces the launch of CinCraft LensCore, a novel solution for creating physically based cinematic lens looks for visual...
06/05/2026
Wednesday 6 May 2026
Sky commissions feature documentary to mark 10th anniversa...
06/05/2026
Wednesday 6 May 2026
Sky and Formula 1 agree long-term partnership across UK, Ireland and Italy
Sky in the UK & Ireland to remain the home of Formula 1 until ...
06/05/2026
Sky Zero Footprint Fund-backed TV campaign launches nationwide, supported by new...
06/05/2026
Wuppertal May 6, 2026
Riedel Expands Leadership Structure, Appoints Marc Engro...
06/05/2026
SAN JOSE, Calif. - May 6, 2026 - Harmonic (NASDAQ: HLIT) today announced its latest broadband innovations for ANGA COM 2026, highlighting its vision for a new e...
06/05/2026
Statement from Rupert Murdoch, Chairman Emeritus, Fox Corporation on Ted Turner&...
06/05/2026
Friday 8 May on RT One and RT Player
Meet the NSPCA team caring for and protecting animals in need in this six-part series
Fly on the wall, six-part series...
06/05/2026
The race to build the world's most powerful AI factories demands networking ...
06/05/2026
How changes to proteins can alter drug interactions for new precision therapies Scripps Research team maps how chemical modifications to proteins affect drug bi...
05/05/2026
Experts from the world of academia, tech, business, politics and media convened for a Thomson Talks at the Cambridge Disinformation Summit in April. It's th...
05/05/2026
Three phones were hardwired for power and transmission to the truck; camera feat...
05/05/2026
The creative studio behind campaigns for the NBA, Fanatics Sportsbook & Casino, ...
05/05/2026
Nielsen has announced results from a co-viewing pilot program covering February&...
05/05/2026
viztrick AiDi, an on-device AI solution developed by Nippon TV, delivered global...
05/05/2026
ARRI has announced Omnibar, a battery-powered, IP65-rated multi-color LED linear...
05/05/2026
Imagine Communications has announced that France T l visions is the first broadc...
05/05/2026
The Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) and Bell Media today announced a multiyear agreement to broadcast and stream WNBA games in Canada beginni...
05/05/2026
SVG is proud to announce Warner Bros. Discovery's Techwood Studios in Atlant...
05/05/2026
With no operator required, AutoMic workflow automates talent identification on U...
MLB Local Media Hits Its Stride in Year 2 With Diamondbacks, Padres, Rockies Broadcasts Tech highlights include WireCam, Ump Cam, RF gimbal system, and STATS Insights graphics By Jason Dachman, Editorial Director, U.S. 
