WWE Embraces IP, Expands Footprint with New Trio of NEP Trucks

When it comes to live remote television production, schedules don't get more packed than WWE. Fifty-two weeks a year, its team produces a live event on Mondays (Raw on USA) and a taped event on Tuesdays (Smackdown on USA, which will be broadcast live beginning July 19), as well as a dozen PPV events per year (including the Super Bowl-size WrestleMania). Throw in the ever growing content needs of the burgeoning WWE Network, and it's easy to see why WWE had outgrown its NEP Red and Black mobile units and opted to roll out a trio of state-of-the-art NEP production trucks last month.

WWE new mobile unit features a significantly larger footprint with two double expandos and a supporting C unit.

It's very exciting, and it's very rewarding to have these new platforms. We knew that we had maxed out Red and Black and needed to expand. Now we can give production the professional workspace and technical firepower that they deserve, says Duncan Leslie, SVP, event technical operations, WWE. It was a very organic build and a real team effort between WWE staff, NEP, freelancers, and vendors from start to finish because of the complexity involved. That allowed a pretty seamless transition and some brand-new systems to be introduced.

WWE 1, 2, and 3 - the third set of WWE mobile units built by NEP since 2001 - are built around an Evertz EXE IP router, a Grass Valley Kayenne K-Frame switcher (192 inputs, 9M/E, two control panels), a 40-GBps fiber backbone, and Dante IP-based audio/comms. The trio also boasts a massive footprint, with two double expandos and a C unit, that houses two control rooms and four audio-mixing rooms. The trucks roll with three Sony HDC-4300 cameras operating at 240 fps (4X slo-mo) and a battalion of Sony HDC-2500s (set to be upgraded to HDC-4300s at some point this year) - all outfitted with new Canon lenses.

The big question was IP or no IP. Ultimately, we decided to go with [an IP router], says Mike Grossman, SVP, television operations, WWE. IP allowed expansion for larger shows and different types of shows, and we also understood that was the way of the future. There are always challenges when embracing any new technology, but, in this case, those decision were obviously correct. The IP routing scheme and adoption of Dante audio have been a real sea change for us.

Gigantic PPV Events, Non-Stop Schedule, Digital Network Need Complex Trucks

Much of the need for a new mobile unit centered on the gargantuan needs of WrestleMania, which has become one of the largest annual live events in the U.S. and demands a growing arsenal of production resources. In addition to the PPV linear telecast and WWE network live-streamed content, WWE's trucks drive the massive videoboard show at the venue.

The overall WrestleMania scope has grown outside of just one show; it's now a number of shows across the region where it is held, and they are managing dozens of inbound and outbound [feeds], says Glen Levine, co-president, U.S. Mobile Units, NEP. So the trucks started to explode at the seams over the past couple years, and the infrastructure just wasn't supporting it. After lots of discussion, it became apparent that there were better-streamlined ways to do things for future growth with an IP router.

WWE's new trucks are based on an Evertz EXE IP router, the third NEP truck to feature an IP router.

However, at the same time, WWE's non-stop schedule necessitated a seamless transition for the production team - meaning that the new trucks had to look and feel like the Red and Black, with significantly beefed-up backend technology.

The WWE does an awful lot of television shows throughout the year, notes Levine. They don't like change because they're a very well-oiled machine:. They go into venues in the morning, do massive productions, and then get out in the evening and go to another city. So, from a production standpoint, they were looking for minimal change. There was a lot of focus on keeping things very similar for the producer and the director but still adding to the areas that were in need of expansion, especially graphics and replay, which have become a big part of their show.

On top of all that, the domestic and international growth of WWE Network, the 2 -year-old subscription-based streaming service, has drastically increased WWE's production needs both onsite at events and at its broadcast center in Stamford, CT.

WWE Network had a big impact on [the truck design], says Grossman. The network requires a pretty significant amount of shoulder programming, and we also had to expand our production capabilities in terms of multi-languaging. We're even expanding what we do with our core product as well as all these other ancillary shows we're adding. The new trucks have helped us accommodate a lot of that.

Jumping Aboard the IP and Tapeless Bandwagon

WWE's trucks, which debuted April 25, mark NEP's third unit to feature an IP router, following SSCBS and SS24. In addition to the Evertz EXE IP router, WWE relies on a 100%-fiber infrastructure throughout the trucks and into each venue (all copper has been eliminated) and Dante-based IP audio and comms. The unit features a 40-Gbps infrastructure within the trucks and 10-Gbps connectivity to drops throughout the venue. In addition, WWE leverages an enterprise-class Cisco network throughout the trucks, allowing the IT team to more easily integrate with each venue and manage the massive event that WWE delivers on top of the linear telecast.

NEP and WWE worked to make the primary control room as ergonomically similar to the previous truck's as possible.

The IP router allowed us to put a lot of that router I/O remote and go right out of the router at each of these locations whether it be in the trucks or spread out into the venue, says Joe Signorino, VP, sy

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