Sony Pixel Power calrec Sony

Super Bowl LVII: Phoenix, State Farm Stadium Raise RF Coordination to New Level

18/01/2023

Super Bowl LVII: Phoenix, State Farm Stadium Raise RF Coordination to New Level Sieve-like venue in RF-dense town makes for challenging RF environment By Dan Daley, Audio Editor

Wednesday, January 18, 2023 - 11:36 am

Print This Story

As NFL teams vie to go to Super Bowl LVII on Feb. 12, a different kind of battle is taking place behind the scenes and could determine the quality of the event's overall broadcast production.

Every year, sports production depends more heavily on wireless systems for audio and video. In terms of RF operations, however, State Farm Stadium in the Phoenix suburb of Glendale is described by experts in the field as perhaps the most challenging of all NFL stadiums. That's due to a combination of the venue's construction materials and design and the density of its immediate RF neighborhood.

[Super Bowl at this venue] is a parking lot that has fewer spaces than the number of cars that want to park there, says Cameron Stuckey, RF engineer, Professional Wireless Systems. The city has no vacant TV channels for wireless-microphone operations, and the stadium has minimal RF shielding. That's what our scans showed in October, and that's what everyone else has been experiencing [during] the rest of the regular NFL season. PWS is contracted by ATK Clair Global to manage the wireless systems for Super Bowl LVII's entertainment elements: the iconic halftime show, headlined this year by Rihanna, and the opening and closing performances.

PWS's Cameron Stuckey: [Super Bowl at this venue] is a parking lot that has fewer spaces than the number of cars that want to park there.

Stuckey attributes the stadium's recent increase in RF challenges to an influx of broadcast operations in the wake of the FCC frequency repack, which was completed in 2020 and incentivized RF users to move to 600 MHz spectrum, the portion recently vacated by a spectrum auction by the agency to free up RF space for consumer mobile devices. The spectrum repack moved nearly 1,200 U.S. TV stations to new UHF and VHF frequencies.

They rolled the dice, says Stuckey, and a lot of Phoenix-area broadcasters took that opportunity to continue broadcasting [in those bands]. He adds that the Super Bowl increases the amount of RF needed beyond what is usually required for a typical regular-season game: Super Bowl is a high-stress, high-focus environment. There's zero margin of error.

Tools and Techniques For Minimizing Interference Frequency managers have many tools and techniques to use, including multiplexing microphones, carefully positioning highly directional antennas, and coordinating the opening and closing of adjacent frequencies at certain points in the event. None of them, though, may be more useful than the Special Temporary Authority (STA), through which the FCC grants provisional access to additional radio frequencies in a specific time and place.

It should be called the standard temporary authority, because it has to be used so often now, says Joe Ciaudelli, director, spectrum and innovation, Sennheiser, noting that he has seen PWS's RF scans of the stadium. There are virtually no major professional or collegiate sports events that do not require one or more STAs, depending on location. But Phoenix is the most challenging of all of them.

It's the one market that does not have a single vacant UHF channel available, he continues. It does have some low-power channels that can be used, and the STAs can be used to scope those out. There's also some VHF available, but there's very little in the way of VHF-compatible equipment left that can use it, and [it's] best-suited for less critical, off-air/off-stage communication channels, such as intercom systems. It's going to be the diligent planning and resourcefulness of the RF engineers that will make this fly.

(However, Ciaudelli adds, success can bring its own challenge: No one should conclude, looking in from the outside on this Super Bowl, that there is no spectrum crunch, even though this may make it look like that. )

Inside the Venue State Farm Stadium presents its own problems. PWS GM Jim Van Winkle cites the stadium's high degree of RF reflectivity and lack of shielding, which makes isolating indoor and outdoor RF signals from each other more difficult. That, he says, is a function of construction materials and architectural design.

PWS's Jim Van Winkle: You can [use] all the tricks that professional coordinators and RF engineers have, but, at some point, you're going to run up against FCC regulations that say you can't operate on these frequencies in this city.

No one expects a Faraday cage, he explains, but some buildings have solid walls with big steel beams; sometimes, a lot of flat sheet metal; sometimes, even wire mesh - all of which can shield RF. We won't have any of that in Phoenix. The design of the building is not to our benefit.

Furthermore, adds Stuckey, wireless microphones are subordinate to DTV stations in the DTV UHF spectrum, per the FCC. And rightsholders for any event's broadcast are generally given deferential treatment by its RF coordinators.

Entertainment frequencies at a sporting event are second among equals, he explains. Sporting and entertainment, as secondary users, have to fit into the spectrum unused by [FCC] Part 73 broadcast DTV stations.

If a DTV channel is occupied above -84 dBm, Stuckey continues, we are not authorized to use that channel. In places like Phoenix and Orlando, another city that has a pretty high post-repack density, there's not a lot of spectrum between 470 and 608 [MHz] that's legal for Part 74 secondary users. You can try to avoid the interference by using all the tricks that professional coordinators and RF engineers have, but, at some point, you're going to run up
LINK: https://www.sportsvideo.org/2023/01/18/super-bowl-lvii-phoenix-state-f...
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...

19/05/2026

Cobalt Digital and SineSix Media Partner to Transform Accessibility Compliance into a More Engaging Viewer Experience at NAB Show 2026

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. April 16, 2026 - Cobalt Digital today announced a partnership ...

19/05/2026

Cobalt Digital Announces Launch of blueCORE at NAB Show 2026: Compact Powerhouse Signal Processors for SDI and ST 2110 Workflows

Las Vegas - April 18, 2026 Cobalt Digital, the leading designer and manufactur...

19/05/2026

Advanced HDR by Technicolor and Cobalt Digital Address Live Production Gap as HDR Adoption Collides With Legacy Workflows

LAS VEGAS April 18, 2026 - Advanced HDR by Technicolor and Cobalt Digital are ...

19/05/2026

Cobalt Digital Wins Two Future Best of Show Awards at 2026 NAB Show

LAS VEGAS - May 4, 2026 - Cobalt Digital, the leading designer and manufacturer of signal processing products, and a founding partner in the openGear initiativ...

19/05/2026

Cobalt Digital Brings Flexible End-to-End IPMX/ST 2110 Ecosystem to MPTS

London - 11 May 2026 Cobalt Digital, the leading designer and manufacturer of award-winning signal processing products, and a founding partner in the openGear...

19/05/2026

Clear-Com Enhances Musikal Perahu Kertas with Eclipse HX and FreeSpeak II

eds3_5_jq(document).ready(function($) { $(#eds_sliderM519).chameleonSlider_2_1({ content_source:......

19/05/2026

Ross Production Services Flexes Infrastructure with Console Switch

Celebrating its ability to quickly adapt to changing requirements, Ross Production Services (RPS) has put its flexible infrastructure to good use, switching one...

19/05/2026

NFL Pushes Back Against Critics of Games on Streaming

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

19/05/2026

NEP Group Rolls Out Two New Mobile Production Units In U.S.

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

19/05/2026

Phoenix Broadcast Solutions Raises its Live Production Ga...

Grass Valley has entered into a three-year enterprise agreement with Phoenix Broadcast Solutions as the Singapore-based company expands its live production oper...

19/05/2026

Clear-Com Enhances Musikal Perahu Kertas with Eclipse HX...

Clear-Com supported Musikal Perahu Kertas, a large-scale musical theater production in Indonesia adapted from the acclaimed novel by Dee Lestari, through the d...

19/05/2026

METEO CONSULT and La Chaine Meteo Select Actus Digital fo...

Actus Digital, a LiveU company, and a leading provider of intelligent media monitoring and broadcast compliance platforms, announced today that METEO CONSULT ha...

19/05/2026

Transforming Broadcast Operations - Globecast Unveils Sta...

Globecast, a leading provider of managed services for the broadcast and media industry, today announced the completion of a major renovation of its Singapore fa...

19/05/2026

Calrec Console Switch Helps Ross Production Services Fle...

Following a major upgrade to its Connecticut remote production centre with the installation of three 60-fader Argo S consoles in 2023, RPS has switched one of t...

19/05/2026

PlayBox Technology Launches a Modular Media Orchestration...

PlayBox Technology today announced the launch of Celebro Play, a browser-based media orchestration platform designed specifically for broadcast facilities and p...

19/05/2026

Publicis Groupe to Buy LiveRamp for $2.2 Billion

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

19/05/2026

Tubi Launches 2026 FIFA World Cup Fox Hub

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

19/05/2026

Viamedia Introduces a New Geographic Intelligence Layer

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

19/05/2026

NFL Pushes Back Against Shift of Games to Streaming

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

19/05/2026

LYNX Technik Brings SDI IP Integration and High-Density F...

LYNX Technik, provider of modular signal processing solutions for broadcast, post, and professional AV will showcase its latest signal processing solutions at B...

19/05/2026

Media Links Integrates Xscend IP Transport Platform with...

Media Links, a leading developer and manufacturer of IP media transport solutions, has announced the integration of its Xscend platform with Skyline Communicat...

19/05/2026

Media Links Expands in Southeast Asia with Clearcast Asia...

Collaboration expands regional partner ecosystem as Media Links showcases IP media transport solutions on stand 4M4-4 and alongside Clearcast Asia on stand Me...

19/05/2026

LynTec to Deliver Scalable Power Distribution and Integra...

Company Highlights Labor-Saving Control and Custom Branding Opportunities Designed to Increase Integrator Profitability LynTec, a leading manufacturer of ele...

19/05/2026

Mago Studio Moves AI Video Beyond Prompts with New Production-Focused Tools

Mago Studio Moves AI Video Beyond Prompts with New Production-Focused Tools Brie Clayton May 18, 2026 0 Comments New Capabilities Bring Controllable, ...

19/05/2026

It May be Time to Stop and Take an AI Breather

It May be Time to Stop and Take an AI Breather Brie Clayton May 19, 2026 0 Comments If the rock you stay on starts to roll, jump clean. Or you'll...

18/05/2026

For PPI, New Patents and ProCrewz App Development Portend Positive Outlook for 2026

Despite a bumpy start to the year, the provider of event-production support and ...

18/05/2026

Daktronics to Install 11 LED Displays at UNCs Kenan Stadium in 2026

Daktronics has partnered with the University of North Carolina to manufacture and install 11 LED displays totaling more than 10,000 square feet and more than 14...

18/05/2026

CBS LA and Los Angeles Rams Announce Multi-Year Local Television Partnership

CBS LA has announced a multi-year partnership with the Los Angeles Rams, covering exclusive local broadcasts of Rams preseason games, weekly year-round programm...

18/05/2026

Skyline Communications Integrates DataMiner xOps with AWS Elemental MediaConnect Router

Skyline Communications has announced an integration between its DataMiner xOps p...

18/05/2026

eCLUTCH Expands International Distribution and Content Partnerships

eCLUTCH, the hybrid esports platform powered by iKOMG, has announced an expansion of its distribution across Europe, MENA, Africa, and Asia, along with new cont...

18/05/2026

Behind The Mic: Yankees Legends Reunite to Call Game Against Red Sox with Kevin Burkhardt

Behind The Mic provides a roundup of recent news regarding on-air talent, includ...

18/05/2026

NBC Sports Brings the WNBA Back Home After 23 Years Away

With 22 games this season, the production team looks forward to tweaking and enhancing the coverage After 8,660 days off the air, the WNBA returned to NBC yest...

18/05/2026

A Morbid Weight Loss Trick Triggers an Insatiable Ghost in Saccharine

(L-R) Midori Francis and Natalie Erika James attend the Saccharine premiere during the 2026 Sundance Film Festival at The Ray Theatre on January 22, 2026, in ...

18/05/2026

And the Winners of the 2026 Spotify Podcast Awards in Mexico Are. . .

Last night, the Spotify Podcast Awards in Mexico returned to the country's capital. Now in its second year, the evening honors creators whose voices are hel...

18/05/2026

Roland launch Zenology GX for iPad

ZEN-Core synth goes mobile Roland's powerful ZEN-Core software synthesizer has just been introduced to the iPad, offering a convenient entry point into ...

18/05/2026

leONE from fedDSP

Versatile new limiter plug-in announced Based in Sheffield, UK, fedDSP offer a range of plug-ins that span the music production, live sound and high-end med...

18/05/2026

Viiri Audio launch Aava

A new use for convolution? Viiri Audio's debut plug-in aims to do something a little different with convolution processing, allowing users to adjust all...

18/05/2026

Delta Goodrem shines for SBS as more than 3.27 million Australians tune in for Eurovision

Delta Goodrem shines for SBS as more than 3.27 million Australians tune in for E...

18/05/2026

L3Harris Delivers Life-Saving Robotic Systems to Keep Australian Defence Personnel Out of Harm's Way

The Australian Defence Force uses L3Harris T4 and T7 robots for explosive ordnan...

18/05/2026

CVP strengthens commitment to the DACH broadcast market w...

Continued investment across Europe and Germany is expanding local teams and improving access to stock, regional expertise, and specialist broadcast support. CV...

18/05/2026

NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang at Dell Technologies World: Demand Is Going Parabolic, Utterly Parabolic'

Agentic AI inference at one-tenth the cost per token with NVIDIA Vera Rubin NVL7...

18/05/2026

VEON Announces Investor Meetings for a Potential Dual Tranche USD Notes Offering and Related Tender Offer for 2027 Notes

18 May 2026 Dubai and New York, May 18, 2026 - VEON Ltd. (NASDAQ: VEON), a glob...

18/05/2026

Sky News offers ad-free podcasts and bonus episodes for just 2.99 as listening surges 102%

Monday 18 May 2026 Sky News offers ad-free podcasts and bonus episodes for just...

18/05/2026

Comscore March 2026 Consumer AI Chatbot Usage Rankings Show Claude Gaining Share

Comscore March 2026 Consumer AI Chatbot Usage Rankings Show Claude Gaining Share OpenAI's ChatGPT maintains lead while Anthropic's Claude continues to c...

17/05/2026

Delta Goodrem's Eurovision Eclipse marks end of a stellar run

Delta Goodrem's Eurovision Eclipse marks end of a stellar run 17 May, 2026 Media releases Bulgaria wins Eurovision 2026 Relive every spellbinding mome...