NBA Finals: ESPN Operations Team Looks To Tie a Bow on Peculiar NBA Bubble in Orlando In a once crowded compound, ESPN is the last network standing By Kristian Hernandez, Associate Editor
Wednesday, September 30, 2020 - 1:49 pm
Print This Story | Subscribe
Story Highlights
After an interesting playoff format inside the NBA bubble at the Wide World of Sports complex, the NBA will finally crown a champion within the next two weeks. One of the main broadcasters to set up shop in Orlando in late July, ESPN is poised to put a proper ending on this unique scenario. During the two-month period, the broadcaster's operations team has gained a wealth of experience and knowledge after an arduous planning process.
When we first laid out the design, says Eddie Okuno, senior remote operations specialist, ESPN, the goal for all of us was to build a robust compound and broadcast environment. We had to endure the summertime weather, thunderstorms, and all of the different things that would normally come in a remote setting but over a long stretch of time. Along with Turner and the NBA, it paid off for all of us because we were all on the same page on how everything was stable throughout [the postseason].
In the Rearview: Lessons Learned From an Olympic-Style Production In August, ESPN was joined by Turner Sports and others in a congested television compound at the Wide World of Sports complex in Orlando.
When you're stuck in one spot for a long time, a fair amount of that time is used in outward and internal reflection. Prior to Turner Sports' exit from Orlando, the two broadcasters established a strategy for a smooth departure to ensure that the correct infrastructure was broken down and crews would remain safe. A similar strategy was used internally when ESPN disconnected from Court 3 after games were concluded at that site.
We had a layered exit plan, so that, when Turner left, there was no disruption to how [cabling] was pulled out and how [sets] were struck, says Okuno. It was a clean break, but the most important part is that everybody is abiding by the rules, protocols, and safety measures. The bubble has created an incredible sense of safety and security that everybody needed during this very challenging time.
The broadcaster's NBA team is accustomed to constant travel and getting to different cities before executing a broadcast. Without games' being played in alternating arenas, the team had to deal with a situation more typical of international contests like the FIFA World Cup or the Olympics.
A closeup look at ESPN's position outside the venue
While there are no headaches with travel, Okuno notes, two months is a long time to stay in one place. It's a huge sacrifice made by families and everybody to work pretty much every day in an unusual environment. It's more of an Olympic-style [production], but from an NBA perspective, we've never had to do that.
Dealing with a single location means dealing with a specific set of weather concerns. With the sports calendar flipped on its head, the entire postseason and upcoming Finals are being played in Florida during the heart of hurricane season. In the event of inclement weather and potential safety hazards to the crew, Okuno and company needed to take those possibilities into account.
We had to leave extra space within the compound if bad weather came through, he explains. All of this was planned in advance, but we would have to remove the truck tents if a Category 5 storm came by.
In retrospect, there might have been a few elements that would have provided an even smoother production from the beginning. Despite the various unknowns and unresolved questions, the ESPN operations team would be more aggressive with the technology if it had a second chance.
We already knew how to produce television, Okuno points out. We did have technology in mind, but, since everything went smoothly, it would've been nice to have played with a little bit more of some of those elements.
What's New: Team Upgrades Cameras to HFR, Tries Different Angles and Lenses At the height of hurricane season in Florida, extra spacing was provided at the compound at Wide World of Sports in case trucks had to be moved when inclement weather arrived.
As the last network left in Orlando, ESPN is implementing extra technologies to cover this year's championship series. After the departure of Turner Sports, NEP EN2 and EN3 are the two mobile production units outside the venue, and equipment congestion is no longer a factor inside. Some additions include new camera angles and a handful of cameras that had been used in previous rounds.
We've boosted a lot of our regular cameras to high frame rate for better clarity, says Okuno. We also had an opportunity to try out some new lenses.
Besides upgrading cameras to high frame rate, ESPN is experimenting with several new lenses during the Finals, including Canon's CJ20ex5B 4K UHD portable lens, which simultaneously extends both extremes of the focal range (a wide 5mm and a telephoto 100mm). The lens is being used for handheld shots under the basket, as well as in other handheld situations and on robos.
The lens came to the Finals soon after being evaluated on Monday Night Football in several configurations, including SkyCam and Steadicam.
The Greater NBA Family: ESPN Succeeds Through Collaboration With Turner Sports, Other Partners In 18 NBA Finals at ESPN, Okuno has never had to produce the completion of an NBA campaign under these circumstances. When there is no blueprint to follow or playbook to rely on, answers and solutions are found through ingenuity and assistance from those around you. After enduring the highs and lows that the NBA bubble has presented, all involved have helped ESPN get to tonight's Game 1.
I'm extremely proud of
North America Stories
16/07/2026
This recent graduate and Georgia native has turned an early fascination with live production into a growing passion for camera work
In the live-sports-video in...
16/07/2026
TNDV is marking the first anniversary of Aspiration 35, a mobile production truck built around ARRI Alexa 35 Live camera systems. Over its first year, the truck...
16/07/2026
ATSC has completed a major revision to its A/85 Recommended Practice: Techniques...
16/07/2026
FloSports has announced an exclusive global media partnership with CrossFit for the 2026 CrossFit Games, presented by Air National Guard, beginning July 21 in S...
16/07/2026
Sennheiser has released firmware version 1.4 for its Spectera wireless system and announced the Spectera Command Button (Cat. No. 701014). The update adds comma...
16/07/2026
ESPN and the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) have announced a multi-year...
16/07/2026
Audio-Technica has announced the 20 Series Control Application, a Stream Deck plug-in for compatible Audio-Technica USB microphones. The application is compatib...
16/07/2026
The fifteenth season of The Voice - La plus belle voix on TF1 used four Solid St...
16/07/2026
Gray Media and the Atlanta Hawks have announced a broadcast partnership that wil...
16/07/2026
Season 3 of Netflix's docuseries, which dropped this week, follows Jayden Da...
16/07/2026
The Texas Rangers and Rangers Sports Network presented by Progressive (RSN) have announced BZZR as the new direct-to-consumer distributor for Rangers game broad...
16/07/2026
With England's FIFA World Cup 2026 team getting ready to fly home after losi...
16/07/2026
In a return to Royal Birkdale, the team enjoys partnering with ETP and Gravity M...
16/07/2026
Along with a new studio at Ball Arena, the Colorado-based RSN is working with XR...
16/07/2026
Austria was back at the World Cup for the first time in 28 years, and the team d...
16/07/2026
With 42 RF cameras and high-power radio mics deployed, the spectrum environment ...
16/07/2026
June brought stabilization to the television market. Poles spent an average of 3 hours and 36 minutes a day in front of their TV screens exactly the same as i...
16/07/2026
Glensound returns to IBC with a major new addition to its intelligent loudspeaker range, the Greater Divine Supernal studio monitor, alongside recent developmen...
16/07/2026
33 leading exhibitors are taking part in the GREAT Britain and Northern Ireland Pavilions and linked locations across IBC2026 (Amsterdam RAI, 11 14 September)...
16/07/2026
Hitomi Broadcast will introduce Spectra, a new HDR colour verification solution measured in picture, not using VPID, at IBC2026 (Hall 10, Stand A40). Expanding ...
16/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
16/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
16/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
16/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
16/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
16/07/2026
Zixi, a leader in live video delivery and workflow orchestration, and Comcast Technology Solutions (CTS) today announced a strategic new integration to deliver ...
16/07/2026
Blackmagic Design Cameras Capture Immersive Flight for New Cirrus App
Brie Clayton July 15, 2026
0 Comments
Leader in Personal Aviation taps URSA Cin...
16/07/2026
XenData Announces LTO Archive Appliances with both File and S3 Object Storage In...
16/07/2026
Onimusha: Way of the Sword is coming to GeForce NOW at launch, with the playable...
15/07/2026
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is a big deal for DAZN, which has distribution rights in three markets: Italy, Spain, and Japan. Each requires a different editorial app...
15/07/2026
As sports-media organizations manage rapidly growing content libraries and incre...
15/07/2026
HBS director of digital Johannes Franken talks SVG Europe through the operation built to serve FIFA World Cup 2026 rights holders remotely from Stratford, east ...
15/07/2026
IBC has unveiled the conference program for IBC2026, with this year's event ...
15/07/2026
Software-defined wideband RF platform supports 96-kHz monitoring, streamlined fr...
15/07/2026
New AI-powered module enables broadcasters and content owners to extract dialogu...
15/07/2026
Weeklong gathering at EBU headquarters will test new IPMX capabilities and expand certified product ecosystem...
15/07/2026
Force Tech has announced the appointment of Bryan Adams, CTS, as Vice President of Integration. Adams will oversee AV and broadcast integration project delivery...
15/07/2026
USA Sports has announced an exclusive English-language agreement with the Bundes...
15/07/2026
ITV Sport's FIFA World Cup 2026 coverage has been produced from one of the m...
15/07/2026
Program will provide professional camera kits, training, and technical support to participating local newsrooms...
15/07/2026
San Francisco church becomes first U.S. deployment of the 2 M/E production switcher...
15/07/2026
Former ESPN and NFL Network executive to advise startup league on media, distribution, technology, and fan engagement...
15/07/2026
The Houston-based RSN is the live-game home of the Astros and Rockets...
15/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
15/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
15/07/2026
GigaCloud, a leading Ukrainian cloud service provider, and Cubbit, the first geo-distributed cloud storage enabler, today announced a new Business Alliance Part...
15/07/2026
SMPTE, the global society for media professionals, technologists, and engineers, has announced the launch of the SMPTE 110th Anniversary Campaign, a fundraising...
15/07/2026
Studio Technologies, a leading manufacturer of high-quality audio, video, and fiber-optic solutions, unveils the new StudioComm Model 762 Stereo Level Control, ...
15/07/2026
COW Jobs: Producer, Virtual Events - Hybrid, Full Time, Salaried
Brie Clayton July 15, 2026
0 Comments
Producer, Virtual Events (Hybrid | Full-time | ...
NBA Finals: ESPN Operations Team Looks To Tie a Bow on Peculiar NBA Bubble in Orlando In a once crowded compound, ESPN is the last network standing By Kristian Hernandez, Associate Editor 
