Sony Pixel Power calrec Sony

SVG SportSound Year in Review: COVID Continued To Drive Innovation

05/01/2022

SVG SportSound Year in Review: COVID Continued To Drive Innovation Sports returned to home venues, but REMI still played a major role By Dan Daley, Audio Editor

Wednesday, January 5, 2022 - 7:00 am

Print This Story | Subscribe

Story Highlights

2021 was supposed to be the year that wasn't 2020. Instead, it became the year that broadcast-sports audio learned to live with COVID.

No sport better exemplified that than basketball. The previous year's NBA season debuted the use of enhanced ambient crowd sounds by U.S. sports to make games played under pandemic lockdown feel more authentic. The 2021 NBA season aimed to replicate the success of that effort as teams returned to their respective arenas.

Last season was challenging, and this season is going to be even more so, Dave Grundtvig, lead A1 for Turner Sports' NBA coverage, said as the season was about to commence.

A1 Dave Grundtvig: We learned that doing a show from an empty arena was like working on a sound stage.

Among the changes for the 2021 NBA season was full REMI audio production, with mixes done from Turner Sports' Atlanta studios and the use and operation of augmented crowd sounds left to individual teams' discretion.

The NHL, which in 2020 deployed a crowd-sound system developed by EA Sports and other partners, last year used the same Launchpad-based controller as the NBA, with audio sources based on venue- and team-specific recordings. The sound was played through the hockey arenas' existing PA systems. Both leagues also mandated that the virtualized crowd sound be played as part of game-broadcast audio.

The 2021 NCAA March Madness event showed how sports audio could be a hybrid of real and augmented crowd sound. About 6,000 spectators were allowed into Lucas Oil Field House, and actual crowd noise from six ambience microphones was mixed in with Firehouse Productions' crowd-sound system fed into the venue's PA system.

Augmented crowd sound is arguably the most notable audio development of the current century (sorry, AutoTune). Although it came about because of the pandemic, it will likely leave a lasting impression, both because the arrival of the Omicron variant late in 2021 meant that sports venues might once again limit audiences and because COVID-emptied venues allowed an entirely new soundscape to emerge, one that viewers would come to want more of.

We learned in Orlando that doing a show from an empty arena was like working on a sound stage, explained Grundtvig. It's not the same sound as when all of the microphones are open: the key mic, the net mic, the bench and camera mics.

Effects on Other Audio As the pandemic drove REMI-type production techniques, it also affected evolution of the technologies underpinning them. For instance, intercoms moved much deeper into IP environments as broadcast technicians were increasingly compelled to work from locations other than the venue.

REMI got REMI-ed is how Rick Seegull, manager, system consulting, Riedel Communications, expressed it. IP-based and, more recently, app-based intercom solutions moved from interim, temporary solutions to more-established elements of suddenly disrupted broadcast workflows. And that'll be the case for a while to come, he added, so our remote offerings are based on keeping the workflow identical, whether in the control room or at-home/remote.

Said Pliant VP, Global Sales, Gary Rosen, There were fewer productions earlier in the year and more people working remotely with less onsite technical staff, which increased the need for reliable, high-quality, easy-to-use intercom. Before, you might have been able to [talk directly] to a nearby colleague; now, suddenly, you had to stay distanced, even in the same room.

Immersive Sound The accelerated arrival of immersive audio was the year's other significant note. In February, the Audio Engineering Society presented the first-ever AES Immersive Audio Academy, a one-day online event that looked at the diverse applications of immersive-audio production.

Produced by Olympic Broadcasting Services, the 2020 Tokyo Summer Games were the first-ever Olympics to use artificial crowd noise.

But the star of the immersive show was the Tokyo Olympics, the first Olympics broadcast in 5.4.1 immersive audio, with four overhead channels adding an upper dimension to the indoor events.

Immersive sound is our biggest challenge, because it's new for 99% of the A1s and broadcast engineers, said Nuno Duarte, senior manager, audio, Olympic Broadcasting Services (OBS), from the International Broadcast Center (IBC) in Tokyo.

The OBS captured the sounds of the Olympics through an immersive 5.1.4 audio configuration whose overhead dimension came with the addition of four hanging ceiling microphones and with two new microphones - using 4.0 and 8.0 transducer configurations - specifically designed for immersive-audio production.

Because of last-minute COVID restrictions imposed by the Japanese government barring spectators from most venues, it was also the first-ever Olympics to use some form of artificial crowd noise. The implementation at the Olympics was minimal, limited to pre-recorded murmur tracks, whose content is derived from archived event sound tracks and played through the venue PA systems and also picked up by the broadcast microphones.

Last year's Summer Games also had a number of other innovations, such as placing contact microphones on the water-polo goalposts to catch the sound of the near misses and capture as much high-impact sound as possible.

Immersive audio wasn't forgotten during pandemic lockdowns either. For instance, the UK's Sky Sports used Dolby Atmos throughout Project Restart, the return of sports to television, broadcasting Premier League and English Football League (EFL) matches.

Training Takes Center Stag
LINK: https://www.sportsvideo.org/2022/01/05/svg-sportsound-year-in-review-c...
See more stories from svg

Most recent headlines

05/01/2027

Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be demoed at CES 2026

Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...

04/08/2026

Dalet Announces Commercial Availability of Dalia, Bringing Media-Aware Agentic AI to Enterprise Productions

Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...

04/07/2026

Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in Dolby Cinemas Across Japan, Presented in Dolby Atmos and Dolby ...

April 7 2026, 19:00 (PDT) Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in...

01/06/2026

Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 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...

02/05/2026

Dalet Flex LTS Delivers Smarter Search, Faster Editing, and an AI-Ready Foundation for Modern Media

Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...

01/05/2026

NBCUniversal's Peacock to Be First Streamer to Integrate Dolby's Full Suite of Premium Picture and Sound Innovations

January 5 2026, 18:30 (PST) NBCUniversal's Peacock to Be First Streamer to ...

08/04/2026

SVG College Sports Media Awards 2026: Entry Deadline is Monday, April 13

The deadline to enter the 18th Annual SVG College Sports Media Awards in association with NACDA is rapidly approaching! Submit your entries to this year's c...

08/04/2026

SVG Campus Shot Callers: Trever Sheets, Senior Director, ACC Network, Virginia Tech

The Pittsburgh product helps lead more than 100 annual ESPN broadcasts as part o...

08/04/2026

SVG Sit-Down: Harmonic's Jean Macher on Turning Live Sports Content Into a Smarter Monetization Engine

Dynamic ad insertion, AI-based technologies, programmatic advertising are some o...

08/04/2026

Announcing the 2026 Fellows for the Sundance Institute Cultural Impact Residency on Sundance Collab

Seven Fellows Selected for Second Year of Residency in Honor of Social Justice L...

08/04/2026

From Tokyo to the World: Watch Bad Bunny's Billions Club Live Concert on Spotify

On March 7, Bad Bunny made history with his first-ever performance in Asia, taki...

08/04/2026

De Tokio para el mundo: Mira el concierto Billions Club Live de Bad Bunny en Spotify

El 7 de marzo, Bad Bunny hizo historia con su primera presentaci n en Asia, subi...

08/04/2026

Tube Lab from Fuse Audio Labs

New channel strip plug-in revealed The latest plug-in to be added to the Fuse Audio Labs line-up emulates a selection of vintage hardware units, combining c...

08/04/2026

Blue Cat Audio release Axiom 2.3

Guitar & bass multi-effects software overhauled Blue Cat Audio's flagship guitar and bass multi-effects software has recently received a significant upd...

08/04/2026

Merging Technologies launch Pyramix 16

PanNoir mixer integration, Dolby Atmos Renderer & more Merging Technologies have just launched Pyramix 16, the latest major update to their renowned DAW sof...

08/04/2026

Updating QUARTZ Router Module Firmware Over-The-Air

Applicable Products Part number Description QUARTZ-22-LTE (EU) Dual Port Dual SIM LTE Router (EU) QUARTZ-COMPACT-11-LTE (EU) Single Port Compact LTE ...

08/04/2026

YEP September 2025 Newsletter (2)

The September 19, 2025 YEP Newsletter highlights a group visit to the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, where participants explored exhibits showcasing the art...

08/04/2026

Proven On Orbit: L3Harris Congratulates Missile Defense Agency for Receiving Top Defense Honor for HBTSS

The L3Harris HBTSS satellite is proven on orbit, successfully demonstrating trac...

08/04/2026

From Earth to Mars: Resilient Communications Powering the Space Economy

Image Credit: NASA. Artist rendering of a space communications satellite in orbit, representative of the resilient, multiband infrastructure supporting mission ...

08/04/2026

Precision in Practice: Flight Test Confirms Key Air-to-Air Capabilities

Latest evaluation validates image quality, Inertial Navigation System performance and long-range tracking in operational flight conditions....

08/04/2026

Gen Alpha Leads Shift to AI-Powered Entertainment Search, Discovery and Recommendations

New Gracenote study finds behavioral change well underway, but trust in AI-gener...

08/04/2026

Media Links to Focus on IP Transport Solutions at 2026 NAB Show

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

08/04/2026

Telestream and Mimir Integration Facilitates Real-Time Pr...

Integration eliminates ingest bottlenecks by ensuring content is immediately usable across cloud and hybrid editorial workflows. See it at NAB 2026. Nevada Cit...

08/04/2026

Dalet Announces Commercial Availability of Dalia Bringing...

Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, today announced the commercial availability of Dalia, its media-aware, agentic AI...

08/04/2026

Synamedia unveils Senza Ignite to transform deployed devi...

Leading video software provider Synamedia today announced Senza Ignite, a cloud-based platform that transforms existing connected devices through a single firmw...

08/04/2026

Appear works with Corus to transform national news contri...

Modernised architecture increases operational control and agility, while reducing cost and simplifying nationwide media transport across affiliates and news bur...

08/04/2026

LynTec to Showcase High Density Power Control Solutions f...

Company to Feature DMX Dual Relay, High-Density 48-Channel Relay Panels, and New Private Label Power Program LynTec, a leading manufacturer of innovative ele...

08/04/2026

BCE integrates BCNEXXT Vipe to power cloud playout in Med...

Broadcasting Center Europe (BCE), a European media technology and services partner, today announces a technology partnership with BCNEXXT, a Netherlands-based c...

08/04/2026

Encompass Strengthens Global Media Operations with Expans...

Encompass Digital Media today announced the expansion of its Master Control Room (MCR) facility in Riga, Latvia, establishing it as one of the most advanced and...

08/04/2026

Synamedia lights up Las Vegas with innovations that will...

Leading video solutions provider Synamedia is back at The 2026 NAB Show with innovations that connect tomorrows audiences today. On display will be a range of t...

08/04/2026

COW Jobs: Director Needed for WWII Indie Docudrama

COW Jobs: Director Needed for WWII Indie Docudrama Brie Clayton April 8, 2026 0 Comments Director Needed for WWII Indie Docudrama March 17, 2026COW ...

08/04/2026

ESPN Expands Global Reach on Disney+

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

08/04/2026

Broadcast Industry Initiatives Promise To Speed Adoption of ST 2110

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

08/04/2026

Remembering Television's Role in the U.S. Bicentennial

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

08/04/2026

Synamedia Unveils AI by Quortex

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

08/04/2026

Carrie Healey Joins NAB as Vice President of Communications

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

08/04/2026

Amagi Launches Newspulse

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

08/04/2026

Marshall Electronics Unveils CV376 NDI HX3 HDMI POV Camer...

Marshall Electronics introduces its latest POV camera with the new CV376 Compact NDI |HX3 HDMI POV Camera at NAB 2026 (Booth C8339). Designed for versatile 4K c...

08/04/2026

Zixi Showcases Interoperable Live Video Workflows and Sat...

Zixi, a leader in live video delivery and workflow orchestration, enables interoperable live video workflows across multi-vendor environments, helping broadcast...

08/04/2026

Official trailer released for Sky Original action thriller Prisoner, starring Tahar Rahim and Izuka Hoyle

All episodes available on Thursday 30 April on Sky Atlantic and NOWWednesday 8 A...

08/04/2026

Agent from Above' Celebrates Divine Ascent to Global Ranking With Exclusive Cast and Behind-The-Scenes Photos

Back to All News Agent from Above' Celebrates Divine Ascent to Global Rank...

08/04/2026

Official Poster Revealed for 'My Two Cents,' the New Animated Series Created, Written and Directed by Zerocalcare

Back to All News Official Poster Revealed for My Two Cents, the New Animated Se...

08/04/2026

Champions Awards 2026 Finalists & Northern Marketing Festival

ICG is gearing up for a busy day on 14th May in Manchester. First up, we'll be joining the Northern Marketing Festival as one of the event's marketing ...

08/04/2026

How DPA solutions keep the Teatro Coln sounding like itself

The Teatro Col n in Buenos Aires is not a venue that tolerates compromise. Built in 1908 and routinely ranked among the worlds finest concert halls, it has an a...

08/04/2026

Kathryn Thomas questions if we can be Young Forever in new RT documentary

Young Forever: The Death of Ageing? airs Monday 13 April and 20 April on RT One and RT Player Around the world, the race to beat ageing is on. From cutting ...

08/04/2026

April 07, 2026

Scripps Research scientists uncover new mechanism cancer cells use to survive DNA damage Discovery reshapes understanding of how tumor cells repair broken DNA, ...

07/04/2026

NAB 2026: Ikegami USA To Launch Two New Viewfinders, Refine UHD Cameras

Ikegami USA will launch a refinement to the UHK-X700 and UHK-X750 3-CMOS -in. UHD cameras in the UNICAM XE series plus two new 7-in. viewfinders at NAB 2026 in...

07/04/2026

NAB 2026: NAB Leadership Foundation to Host Technology Students Career Mixer

The NAB Leadership Foundation and NAB PILOT will host a career mixer for technology students at NAB Show 2026 on April 18, 5-6:30 p.m., North Hall, Room N225/22...

07/04/2026

Survey: AVoIP Adoption Accelerating, With Interoperability and Security as Key Drivers

Audinate Group Limited and Futuresource Consulting have published results from a...

07/04/2026

NAB 2026: Eluvio Announces Commercial Availability of Content Fabric Bucharest Release

Eluvio has announced the commercial availability of its Content Fabric Bucharest...