
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...
02/05/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
01/05/2026
January 5 2026, 18:30 (PST) NBCUniversal's Peacock to Be First Streamer to ...
30/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
30/04/2026
Scalable broadcast-grade production over public internet, replacing traditional OB workflows...
30/04/2026
Live demonstrations highlight LCEVC ecosystem momentum, AI-powered video pipelines, and expansion across broadcast, streaming, and social media.
DTV (TV 3.0) ...
30/04/2026
Student Spotlight: Matthew Leon The dual major shares his path from community college to Berklee, and how his heritage influences his work.
April 29, 2026
B...
30/04/2026
Berklee Artists to Perform at Major Global Music Festivals As part of the Berklee Popular Music Institute, students will perform at Lollapalooza, Governors Ba...
30/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
30/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
30/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
30/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
30/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
30/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
30/04/2026
A flexible monitoring platform designed to simplify ST 2110 operations, consolidate vendor tools, and support modern live production environments. See it at NAB...
30/04/2026
Sundance-premiering Run Amok is an expressive, unconventional take on today's teen experience, replete with musical numbers. When cinematographer Shachar ...
30/04/2026
JACKSONVILLE, AL, APRIL 29, 2026 Jacksonville State University, known as Jax State and a proud NCAA Division I member of Conference USA, has transformed its a...
30/04/2026
Transforming viewer and content data into real-time intelligence to deliver relevant streaming experiences at scale
ThinkAnalytics, the global leader in AI-pow...
30/04/2026
Sports Production, Delivery is Big Biz at NAB
Andy Marken April 29, 2026
0 Comments
Hero image source: NAB
One of the neat things about trade shows i...
30/04/2026
Rian na Fola airs on RT One and RT Player on Monday May 4
Rian na Fola is a o...
30/04/2026
It's gonna be May - and the cloud's in full festival mode.
16 games ar...
30/04/2026
Scripps Research ranks third in 2026 Cure Innovation Index
April 29, 2026
LA JOLLA, CA Scripps Research ranked third in the inaugural 2026 Cure Innovation In...
29/04/2026
It was a delicate job in a 150-year-old venue laden with traditions. Begun at th...
29/04/2026
In annual event, the league gives startup companies the opportunity to prove the...
29/04/2026
Panel discussions, networking, and a facility tour will take place in the renova...
29/04/2026
(L-R) Derek Drescher, Coss Marte, and Syretta Wright have each other's backs. (Micheal Hurcomb/Shutterstock for Sundance Film Festival)
By Veronika Lee Cla...
29/04/2026
Combines EQ and harmonic distortion
Techivation's latest release is a simple EQ designed to offer quick control over a source's overall tonal balanc...
29/04/2026
Two new MPE controllers announced
Expressive E caused quite a stir when they released the Osmose, making the sort of expression that was once reserved for p...
29/04/2026
New modules & enhanced machine-learning
The latest version of iZotope's flagship restoration suite is now available, and now offers over 50 tools design...
29/04/2026
Surgeon Dr Jasmina Kevric wins 2026 Les Murray Award
29 April, 2026
Media releases
Australia for UNHCR and SBS are proud to announce that Dr Jasmina Kevric...
29/04/2026
Some people stumble into their passion. Julissa Padilla walked straight into a film vault. For her, entertainment was never just about the movies themselves. It...
29/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/04/2026
Clear-Com has appointed Brian Grahn as Market Outreach Manager of the Americas and Ben Turnwell as Business Development Manager for EMEA live, expanding their ...
29/04/2026
nxtedition is bringing its range of consolidated production tools to MPTS 2026, with new developments spanning transcription, editing, graphics and AI-assisted ...
29/04/2026
Quortex Switch to boost the streaming experience for Telxius customers, reaching millions of viewers worldwide
Synamedia and Telxius, the leading global connec...
29/04/2026
freispace, the leading ERP-as-a-Service platform for media and entertainment production, and Projective, a leading provider of post-production collaboration tec...
29/04/2026
DHD reports strong interest in its broadcast audio product range, exhibited at the April 19th-22nd NAB Show in Las Vegas. The event attracted a claimed 58,000 a...
29/04/2026
Student Spotlight: Alan Catz The Argentine film and game composer talks about working on League of Legends, receiving Berklee's BMI Award, and the lifelon...
29/04/2026
Jay Jennings Builds the Worlds You Hear on Screen The supervising sound designer behind A Minecraft Movie, The Meg, Letters from Iwo Jima, and dozens of other...
29/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/04/2026
Voting opens at 4pm today
RT 's Today show have announced the eight finalists for their TV Home Cook competition. Amateur cooks from Cork, Dublin, Galway ...
29/04/2026
29 Apr 2026
VEON and Kyivstar Fulfill Commitment to Invest USD 1 Billion in Ukr...
29/04/2026
Rhod Gilbert, Harriet Kemsley, Kae Kurd, Sara Pascoe and Vicki Pattison to take part in brand new series on free streaming service U
London, 29th April 2026: F...
29/04/2026
Wednesday 29 April 2026
Katie Price: Nothing to Hide, a Sky Original documentar...