Sony Pixel Power calrec Sony

NBA Finals: ESPN Operations Team Looks To Tie a Bow on Peculiar NBA Bubble in Orlando

30/09/2020

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
LINK: https://www.sportsvideo.org/2020/09/30/nba-finals-espn-operations-team...
See more stories from svg

North America Stories

06/08/2026

USA Sports Rolls Into 2026 NASCAR Season With First Pace-Car Analyst on Selected Races

The broadcaster's 14-race schedule begins in Iowa and ends in November with ...

06/08/2026

SVG GameDay, Ep. 25: Chicago Bears Katlin Strange - Serving the Masses in the Windy City

In-venue and creative video staffers at the professional and collegiate level ha...

06/08/2026

Warner Bros Discovery's Anne Graham Details the Organization's Media-Ops and Metadata Consolidation Across Sports and Entertainment

As media organizations consolidate teams, technology platforms, and content libr...

06/08/2026

Dolby Vision 2 Begins Rollout on Selected 2026 Hisense TVs

Firmware updates introduce Dolby's next-generation picture engine, content-aware optimization, and new motion and ambient-light tools...

06/08/2026

TNT Sports Preps Wall-to-Wall Coverage of FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup 2026 from Sept. 4-13

TNT Sports will have wall-to-wall coverage of the upcoming FIBA Women's Bask...

06/08/2026

IBC 2026: swXtch.io Introduces groundSwXtch Software-Defined Multicast Overlay

swXtch.io (Stand 5.MR13) has unveiled groundSwXtch for Audio over IP (AoIP), a software application that lets broadcasters and media organizations move audio in...

06/08/2026

IBC 2026: Riedel Communications Showcases Integrated IP Production Workflows

At IBC2026, Riedel Communications (Stands: 10.A24, 10.A31, 10.A38) will bring modern media production to life with the Live Production Experience - a connected ...

06/08/2026

Sandy Grossman's Legacy as a Pioneering Director Earns Pro Football Hall of Fame's Pete Rozelle Award

The first live-sports director to receive the prestigious honor, eight-time Emmy...

06/08/2026

NBC Sports, Maryland Jockey Club Continue Partnership To Present Preakness Stakes Through 2032

NBC Sports will continue to present the Preakness Stakes on NBC and Peacock thro...

06/08/2026

IBC 2026: Cobalt Digital Brings New Practical Solutions to Evolving Broadcast Workflows

Cobalt Digital (Stand 8.F90) continues to reinforce its commitment to delivering...

06/08/2026

Wave Central Elevates Jeff Daubert to Director of Sales, Americas

Wave Central has promoted promotion Jeff Daubert to Director of Sales, Americas. In his expanded role, Daubert will lead Wave Central's sales strategy and ...

06/08/2026

KMH Integration Adds Architect Keith Hanadel to Expanding Full-Services Team

KMH Integration is expanding its ability to serve media, broadcast, and IT organizations by adding Keith Hanadel, an accomplished architect with decades of indu...

06/08/2026

Advanced Systems Group Promotes Michele Ferreira to Chief Business Officer

Advanced Systems Group (ASG) has promoted Michele Ferreira from Vice President of its Systems Integration team to the newly created position of Chief Business O...

06/08/2026

IBC2026: Appear Expands X, VX Platforms for Hybrid Live-Production Workflows

Demonstrations will include new JPEG XS, Dolby audio, cloud-gateway, stream-processing, and distribution capabilities...

06/08/2026

Live Media Group Acquires Gravity Media's U.S. Mobile-Production Assets, Adds Eight Units to Fleet

The deal includes three premium mobile units, engineering personnel, existing br...

06/08/2026

Broadcast Management Group, LiveU Power Vertical REMI Production for Amazon Prime's Obsessed Fest on TikTok

Broadcast Management Group produced Amazon Prime's inaugural Obsessed Fest a...

06/08/2026

IBC2026: Ikegami to Showcase Expanded UNICAM Camera and Monitoring Lineup

Exhibit will feature new variable-ND functionality, OLED viewfinders, remote-camera tools, and UHD production monitors...

06/08/2026

Sony Introduces FE 100-400mm Super-Telephoto Zoom Lens

Compact full-frame E-mount lens targets sports, wildlife, and other long-range shooting applications...

06/08/2026

Tennis Channel Lands Exclusive U.S. Coverage of 2026 International Tennis Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony

Live broadcast will honor Roger Federer and Mary Carillo on Aug. 29, with onsite...

06/08/2026

UTEP Upgrades Sun Bowl Stadium Video Display With Daktronics

End-zone board receives higher-resolution LED technology and an updated Show Control system ahead of the 2026 football season...

06/08/2026

FCC Votes to Modify TV Station Ownership Caps

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

06/08/2026

LTN Showcases Live Event Master Control Capabilities for...

Proven offering builds on more than 20,000 live sporting events with greater automation, flexibility, and operational control LTN , the industry leader in tran...

06/08/2026

Hornets Tech brings new encoder and decoder range to IBC2...

Hornets Tech, a specialist in broadcast connectivity and IP video, is bringing a new range of encoders, decoders and an IPTV platform to IBC2026. Broadcast in...

06/08/2026

Introducing Adobe for ChatGPT: Create, edit and get work done - all in ChatGPT

Introducing Adobe for ChatGPT: Create, edit and get work done - all in ChatGPT Deepti Pradeep August 6, 2026 0 Comments The Adobe plugin in ChatGPT br...

06/08/2026

Hisense Adds Dolby Vision 2 to Select Models

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

06/08/2026

MediaKind to showcase one unified portfolio at IBC2026

At IBC2026, MediaKind will make its first major appearance as a unified global powerhouse in video, showcasing one of the world's most comprehensive video i...

06/08/2026

Big Blue Marble to unveil AI-assisted piracy detection an...

Big Blue Marble (#5.A63) will demonstrate how its integrated technology and operational expertise help media companies scale premium services with less complexi...

06/08/2026

NIH expected to award Scripps Research nearly $4.2 million over 5 years to advance tools for vaccine design

LA JOLLA, CA-Scripps Research has received more than $500,000 in first-year fund...

06/08/2026

Improving vaccine design for Ebola, HIV and more

LA JOLLA, CA-Viruses are masters at invading our cells thanks to specialized proteins that coat their surfaces. When scientists design vaccines, they often crea...

06/08/2026

How a chemical reaction triggers brain inflammation in Alzheimer's disease

LA JOLLA, CA-The brain has its own immune system, which detects threats and mounts a defense. A growing body of evidence has shown that in Alzheimer's disea...

06/08/2026

Jin-Quan Yu elected to the National Academy of Sciences

LA JOLLA, CA-Scripps Research chemist Jin-Quan Yu has been elected to the National Academy of Sciences (NAS), one of the highest honors a scientist can achieve....

06/08/2026

Scripps Research ranks third in 2026 Cure Innovation Index

LA JOLLA, CA-Scripps Research ranked third in the inaugural 2026 Cure Innovation Index recognizing the top-performing institutes and centers across the United S...

06/08/2026

Scripps Research chemist Benjamin Cravatt elected to American Philosophical Society

Benjamin Cravatt, the Gilula Chair of Chemical Biology and a professor of chemis...

06/08/2026

Scripps Research immunologist Dennis Burton elected to American Academy of Arts and Sciences

LA JOLLA, CA-Dennis Burton, professor and the James & Jessie Minor Chair in Immu...

06/08/2026

How changes to proteins can alter drug interactions for new precision therapies

LA JOLLA, CA-Inside every human cell, proteins are constantly being tagged with small chemical modifications after they're produced. Known as post-translati...

06/08/2026

Scripps Research establishes endowed chair honoring renowned structural biologist Ian Wilson

LA JOLLA-Scripps Research has established the Ian Wilson Endowed Chair, a new fa...

06/08/2026

Scripps Research's Skaggs Graduate School awards doctoral degrees to 34th graduating class

Scripps Research's Skaggs Graduate School of Chemical and Biological Science...

06/08/2026

Scripps Research chemist Jin-Quan Yu is named a Fellow of the Royal Society

LA JOLLA, CA-Professor Jin-Quan Yu of Scripps Research has been elected to the Fellowship of the Royal Society, the U.K.'s national academy of sciences and ...

06/08/2026

Experimental HIV vaccine achieves a long-sought goal

LA JOLLA, CA-For years, researchers have been hoping for vaccines that protect people against not just one strain of HIV, but every strain of the quickly mutati...

06/08/2026

Calibr-Skaggs advances CLF065, a regenerative GLP-2 therapy, into two Phase 2 IBD studies

LA JOLLA, CA-The Calibr-Skaggs Institute for Innovative Medicines, the nonprofit...

06/08/2026

Chemists snap together complex 3D molecules from highly reactive radicals'-without losing their shape

LA JOLLA, CA-Building the complex 3D molecules needed for new medicines has alwa...

06/08/2026

A fentanyl countermeasure that adapts to combat future black-market drugs

LA JOLLA, CA-Fentanyl and related variants of the synthetic opioid kill more Americans each year than car accidents and gun violence combined. In too-high doses...

06/08/2026

Two Scripps Research assistant professors named 2026 Baxter Young Investigators

LA JOLLA, CA-What do decoding communication between organs and reimagining the future of genome editing have in common? They're among the scientific questio...

06/08/2026

Calibr-Skaggs awarded $5.1M by NIH to develop long-acting hepatitis B virus therapy

LA JOLLA, CA-Of the 1.2 million people living with HIV in the United States, app...

06/08/2026

Lab studies explain how new cancer drug works as it enters patient testing

LA JOLLA, CA-For some people, cancer immunotherapies are life-changing. These treatments can turn the body's own immune system against a tumor, either elimi...

06/08/2026

Newly identified molecule strengthens the eye's response to damage in retinal disease

LA JOLLA, CA-Many conditions that cause vision loss share a common feature: the ...

06/08/2026

Molecular scissors caught in action: A structural blueprint for RNA therapeutics

LA JOLLA, CA-RNA interference is a natural mechanism for living cells to control whether specific genes are being used or not. Crowned with the 2006 Nobel Priz...

06/08/2026

Immune molecule may drive excessive drinking in alcohol use disorder

LA JOLLA, CA-The drugs that keep rheumatoid arthritis in check may one day help people stop drinking. A new Scripps Research study shows that an anti-inflammato...

06/08/2026

Back in action: Researchers make drug-resistant bacteria vulnerable again

LA JOLLA, CA-Antibiotic resistance is one of the most urgent threats to global health, linked to an estimated 4.7 million deaths worldwide in 2019 alone. As mor...

06/08/2026

Scripps Research scientists demonstrate a faster, cheaper route to making critical drugs using common table sugar

LA JOLLA, CA-Some of the world's best-selling diabetes drugs depend on a che...