Live From Super Bowl LIX: Inside the Big Game (and Studio) Production with Mike Davies of Fox Sports By Ken Kerschbaumer, Editorial Director
Thursday, February 6, 2025 - 3:21 pm
Print This Story | Subscribe
Story Highlights
When it comes to producing a Super Bowl in recent years, the reality is that the efforts are increasingly not just about the game on Sunday (and the pre-game) but how the event has become a true cultural touchstone complete with dozens of hours of coverage and plenty of innovations, both technical but, more and more, creative. And this weekend's Fox Sports production of Super Bowl LIX at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans is a perfect example.
Every year, one network is the steward of this seminal event. says Mike Davies, Fox Sports, EVP, technical and field operations. It is our mantra to elevate this game to the state of the art, making sure that every angle is covered and every moment on the field is available for replay after the fact in crisp, clean motion.
Despite the fact that each of these games has literally hundreds of cameras, our mantra is to very much keep things as similar to the regular season as possible so our lead producer Richie Zyontz, our lead director Rich Russo, as well as our full team are comfortable and in a familiar environment.
Mike Davies of Fox Sports says the production efforts have been months in the making for Super Bowl LIX.
For example, by the time Zyontz and Russo settle into their chairs on Sunday afternoon Fox Sports will have already delivered 67 hours of programming all week across Fox, FS1, and Fox Deportes as well as other initiatives planned for this weekend. And while there is always plenty of focus on the numbers like 149 cameras for the game and pre-game, 48 microphones, 53 miles of fiber and, of course, things like 2,783 Po boys set to be served up for lunch to the Fox Sports crew on Super Bowl Sunday, numbers don't tell the true story of a Super Bowl which is always a multiple month (or years) long project that involves plenty of planning designed not only to capture the game but also the story of the teams, players, and the host city from all angles.
We've been planning this daily for 14 months, says Davies. With New Orleans-hosting its first intracity' Super Bowl in years-playing a central role, our President of Production & Operations and Executive Producer, Brad Zager, challenged us to find the city's most iconic location. That had to be the French Quarter, and more specifically, Bourbon Street at St. Peter-arguably its cultural heart, surrounded by legendary spots like Maison Bourbon.
Having the French Quarter just a stone's throw from the stadium is a game-changer, shaping our entire approach to the Super Bowl beyond the Xs and Os. For example, we'll be using drone coverage to seamlessly connect the different areas of interest.
The end-product of the efforts involved not only Fox Sports but also state and local government officials, the New Orleans Police Department, and local civic leaders and business owners in the French Quarter and Bourbon Street. And that product will be on full display when the Fox Sports Super Bowl Sunday Pre-game Show takes to a parade float (a tribute to Mardi Gras) in the intersection of Bourbon and Mason Streets on Sunday morning.
When we first mentioned the idea of setting up on Bourbon Street, the reaction was, You're going to do what?' says Davies. But after some thought, they came back and said, Let's make this a reality'-after all, this city knows how to throw a party.
For this Super Bowl, Fox Sports fully embraced the local scene. The Solomon Group was instrumental in planning and production, and I can't say enough about Gary Solomon and his incredible team for making it all happen. Chris Young was a key piece of the puzzle, leveraging his relationships to help us communicate effectively with business owners.
We also owe a huge debt of gratitude to the New Orleans Host Committee, whose connections and support opened doors across the city.
That focus on Bourbon Street was of course put to the test a little more than a month ago when 14 people were killed and 57 injured when a terrorist drove down Bourbon Street on the morning of January 1.
The attack on January 1 put everything into perspective, forcing us to view it through both the lens of loss and resilience, says Davies. Operationally, this event could not have continued without the support of the Governor's office, City Officials, and the invaluable assistance of the New Orleans and State Police, along with so many others. One of the greatest privileges of this show has been working with such incredible people-people I will always consider friends.
Game Time
With respect to the game itself, Davies thinks the game is going to be defined by instant replay and how good a job Fox Sports does getting the right looks.
Our ethos is a little different than other networks in that we don't really seek technology that might get used once or twice or that the audience really isn't going to see a lot, he says. We like to get the technology in the hands of the producers and directors so they can have multiple chances to work with it and see how it can be integrated.
Example one this year? The high SkyCam which features a Sony HDC-P50A 4K HFR box camera. Davies says because the camera has a 4K sensor it can fly a lot higher than previous second SkyCam but also do a lot more than just be a SkyCam.
One of the great things about 4K replay is that it can be used for many different things, especially on a SkyCam, he says. It can be used as a high all-22 where you can get both guards in the image and it's also a really great telestration device for [analyst] Tom Brady and others to show how a play is unfolding. And it can also ope
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
04/08/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
04/07/2026
April 7 2026, 19:00 (PDT) Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in...
01/06/2026
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...
08/05/2026
For the second straight year, Miri Technologies Inc. has been honored with a pair of coveted awards at the broadcast, media and entertainment industry's pre...
08/05/2026
Nine Alumni Nominated for Tony Awards More than 20 alumni contributed to this year's Tony-nominated productions.
May 7, 2026
By
Tori Donahue
Boston Co...
08/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
08/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
08/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
08/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
08/05/2026
Liberty University on why broadcast technology isn't just a technical invest...
08/05/2026
COW Jobs: UGC, On-Camera Video Content
Brie Clayton May 7, 2026
0 Comments
UGC, On-Camera Video Content
April 17, 2026Documentary Editor - US,......
07/05/2026
Journalists reporting on Sudan are working in one of the most complex and fast-m...
07/05/2026
Multi-year partnership positions Victory+ as a free home for Dallas Cowboys orig...
07/05/2026
From sideline reporting to directing and producing, the talented sophomore is building a well-rounded foundation for a career in live sports production
In the ...
07/05/2026
Cobalt Digital has received two Future Best of Show awards at NAB Show 2026. The COBALT blueCORE platform was recognized by TV Tech, and the COBALT PACIFIC ULL-...
07/05/2026
ESPN analyst Mina Kimes will host the televised semifinals and finals of the 202...
07/05/2026
Bitmovin has announced that MUBI, the global film streaming platform, has selected Bitmovin as its cloud VOD encoding partner. Bitmovin's encoding infrastru...
07/05/2026
NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises and the U.S. Soccer Federation have announced...
07/05/2026
Angel City Football Club (ACFC) and Victory have announced a regional broadcast partnership bringing live match coverage to fans across the greater Los Angeles...
07/05/2026
Spiideo has announced the launch of AI Highlights inside Spiideo Play, its automated sports production platform. AI Highlights combines video, event data, audio...
07/05/2026
Leostream Corporation has announced a unified remote access ecosystem for high-p...
07/05/2026
The Atlanta Dream has partnered with Victory to stream all locally broadcast Dream games for free, expanding the team's digital distribution strategy and g...
07/05/2026
Riedel Communications has announced the appointment of Marc Engroff as Chief Fin...
07/05/2026
SES and ARD, Germany's largest public broadcasting network, have announced a long-term extension of their satellite distribution partnership through 2039. U...
07/05/2026
UpLight Technologies delivers a flexible video and lighting system for a new televised sportLaunching the Pro Cheer League required more than creating a compell...
07/05/2026
Full Day Productions and GSE Worldwide have announced Spikes Under the Lights, a...
07/05/2026
Seit dem Start im Jahr 2023 hat DJ (Beta) das personalisierte H rerlebnis von 94...
07/05/2026
Da quando stata presentata nel 2023, DJ (beta) ha aiutato a definire un'esperienza d'ascolto pi personalizzata per 94 milioni di utenti Spotify Premi...
07/05/2026
Since launching in 2023, DJ (beta) has helped shape a more personalized listenin...
07/05/2026
Desde o lan amento em 2023, o DJ (beta) j ajudou a deixar a experi ncia de ouvi...
07/05/2026
From our earliest days, Spotify has been built on a simple principle: Great audio should be easy to reach. It's what's driven us to expand from music to...
07/05/2026
Asian and Pacific Islander artists continue to shape the global soundscape, pushing creative boundaries and connecting with fans worldwide. This Asian & Pacific...
07/05/2026
Company announce long-requested choir instrument
In the latest expansion of their Symphonic Elements series, UJAM have introduced an all-new vocal instrumen...
07/05/2026
Modular-inspired sound generation with digital control
Buchla have introduced Ziggy, a new compact synthesizer built around the company's complex oscill...
07/05/2026
Combines analogue voices with digital synthesis and sequencing
Polyend have announced Drums, a new hybrid analogue and digital drum machine that combines sy...
07/05/2026
Control surface now officially supports four DAWs
When Nektar launched the Panorama CS12 control surface, it worked exclusively with Apple's Logic Pro, ...
07/05/2026
In the first quarter 2026, SGL Carbon generated consolidated sales of 184.5 million, which was 49.8 million, or 21.3%, lower than in the prior year (Q1 2025: ...
07/05/2026
Rohde & Schwarz and Greenerwave achieve precise and fast ESA antenna characteriz...
07/05/2026
Two multi-role L3Harris products - the Red Wolf launched effects vehicle and SK...
07/05/2026
L3Harris will be developing key features of a secure and resilient digital infra...
07/05/2026
Alysa Liu and Shohei Ohtani Help Drive Viewership as 91 of the Top 100 Broadcast...
07/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
07/05/2026
Cobalt Digital Wins Two Future Best of Show Awards at 2026 NAB Show
Manufacturer Recognized by TV Tech and TVBEurope for Innovation in signal processing
Cobal...
07/05/2026
Software and hardware platforms, AI power and user-friendliness on show...
07/05/2026
Intinor will demonstrate its latest technical enhancements for the Direkt series at BroadcastAsia 2026. With a continued focus on reliable contribution and remo...
07/05/2026
Bitmovin has announced that MUBI has chosen Bitmovin as its cloud VOD encoding partner, replacing MUBI's legacy on premises encoding setup to improve scalab...
07/05/2026
Meet Graduates from Berklees Class of 2026 Members of this years graduating class reflect on their proudest moments at Berklee and look ahead to whats next.
...
07/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
Live From Super Bowl LIX: Inside the Big Game (and Studio) Production with Mike Davies of Fox Sports By Ken Kerschbaumer, Editorial Director 
