NESN Goes Fast and Light' on Radio Row for Multiplatform Coverage of Patriots' Super Bowl Return

How the podcast-turned-studio-show Boston Has Entered The Chat became an anchor for the Big Game

For regional sports networks, the Super Bowl can be a tricky needle to thread: deliver meaningful coverage for a local fanbase but do it in a way that fits an RSN's day-to-day operating model.

This week at Super Bowl LX, NESN is doing exactly that: extending its New England Patriots-centric programming footprint to the Media Center (more traditionally referred to as Radio Row ) at San Francisco's Moscone Center while mastering the shows at home in Massachusetts and pushing content across NESN, NESN 360, and NESN National.

Anchoring the week is NESN daily interactive show Boston Has Entered The Chat and its partnership production The Boston Globe Sports Report.

For David Koppett, executive producer, live sports and studio, NESN, Boston Has Entered The Chat represents a modern kind of RSN tentpole, a program that can flex between linear, streaming, and social while keeping a clear editorial focus.

The main program we're serving across platforms is Boston Has Entered The Chat, says Koppett. That started in more of a podcast mode but has become a full-fledged show across all our platforms. At many times of the year, we're focusing on the Red Sox or the Bruins, but right now, if you're a Boston sports fan, it's all Patriots.

NESN's schedule reflects that all-in posture. Boston Has Entered The Chat airs live daily during Super Bowl Week, including a two-hour pregame edition on Sunday morning before kickoff. The Boston Globe Sports Report broadcasts live from San Francisco on Monday, Feb. 2 and Monday, Feb. 9, with Ben Volin hosting and Globe journalists joining the conversation across platforms.

Small But Mighty' Onsite, Master Control at Home

On the production side, NESN is leaning into a model many networks are chasing right now: keep the onsite footprint tight, prioritize flexibility, and rely on trusted connectivity to feed a home-based show environment.

We're actually pretty fast and light at the Super Bowl, says Koppett, noting that signals are sent to the broadcaster's Watertown, MA, headquarters, where the final show is mastered and delivered.

In practice, that means a streamlined onsite team focused on what Radio Row does best: live inserts, quick-turn interviews, and scenic coverage that makes the audience feel the noise and energy of the event. What we're providing from site, besides scenic and B-roll, are recorded interviews, says Koppett, noting that reporter Lucy Burdge is delivering interviews and live shots into the program.

NESN's core tech kit reflects the fast and light philosophy. The crew is using LiveU for contribution and incorporating an Osmo gimbal for walk-and-talk shooting and clean B-roll around the city.

LiveU is the workhorse for us, Koppett explains, adding that much of the live material has been hitting the air at about a second-and-a-half delay and working flawlessly.

Divide, Conquer, and Share With the Boston Globe

One twist to NESN's Super Bowl effort is how closely it's paired up onsite with the Globe, a collaboration that blends programming goals with practical field-production efficiency.

The other piece of the puzzle is our collaboration with the Boston Globe, says Koppett. We share footage, we share interviews, and that collab has worked really well.

With the two brands operating side by side at Radio Row, the partnership becomes a force multiplier. NESN and the Globe can split coverage across multiple locations, swap assets, and book guests in a way that would be difficult for one team alone - especially at an event where guest availability is, as Koppett describes it, a constantly shifting kaleidoscope of who's in the building and when.

Planning Early, Then Staying Opportunistic

Even with a small onsite footprint, pulling off a weeklong Super Bowl push doesn't happen on vibes alone. Koppett cites planning - from content strategy to footprint decisions to technology choices - as the differentiator.

Advanced planning is the key, he says. The further you can get ahead of it and start conceptualizing what you want to do is what will enable success.

At the same time, Radio Row has a way of rewarding the teams that stay loose. You do some planning, but you're also opportunistic, Koppett says. That's kind of the fun. You almost can't plan [it] in advance.

The People Behind the Patriots Week Push

NESN's onsite and studio operation is driven by a tight, high-output roster of producers, directors, tech ops, and talent. Boston Has Entered The Chat is produced by Coordinating Producer Mike Coppola and show producer Athan Hristodulu, with onsite photographer Bobby Swan supporting field coverage from Moscone Center.

In the studio, Directors Gregg Poth and Jennie Arud are leading the show, with Associate Director, Operations, Colin Sheehan overseeing the technology that keeps the end-to-end workflow humming. On-air, regular hosts Travis Thomas and Joe Murray anchor the coverage, with Burdge serving as onsite reporter throughout Super Bowl Week; Kasey Hudson and Adam Pellerin have also contributed from the studio.

LINK:	https://www.sportsvideo.org/2026/02/06/nesn-goes-fast-and-light-on-rad...
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