One of the great rivalries in international soccer is rekindled tonight as the United States Men's National Team hosts Mexico in a key World Cup Qualifying match, and ESPN - which airs the game tonight live at 8 p.m. ET - is giving the match the royal treatment.
Coordinating Producer of Production Amy Rosenfeld (left) and Remote Operations Manager Terri Dippolito run the show tonight for ESPN's big broadcast of USA-Mexico.
Short of a World Cup, the production compound outside Crew Stadium in Columbus, OH, is unlike anything ESPN has ever rolled out to cover a soccer match. More than 30 cameras, three on-site studio sets, and more than 200 personnel have descended on Central Ohio in a production compound that rivals that of any other big-game broadcast in size and scope.
For Coordinating Producer, Production Amy Rosenfeld, who has worked the soccer circuit for ESPN since the '90s, it's a thrill to see how far the sport has come at the network.
This compound is looking like a Monday Night Football compound, she says. Three sets, however many trucks we now have: it's a big show, and it's incredibly rewarding because there was a time when we were lucky to get anybody to give us a super-slow-mo.
F&F Productions and Columbus' own Lyon Video are at the center of the production compound outside Crew Stadium. This compound is looking like a Monday Night Football compound, says Rosenfeld.
F&F Productions' GTX-15 serves as the primary game truck, and Lyon Video's Lyon-6 supports additional studio programming from the new ESPN program, ESPN FC, which hits the road for the first time since its debut in August.
A total of 32 cameras are deployed inside Crew Stadium, 16 of which - a majority of the hard and handhelds - are Ikegami HDK-79ECs. The complement includes two Sony HDC3300R slo-mos: positioned in the far left low corner of the field and the far right low corner of the field.
There are two Fletcher robotic cameras, one behind the right goal and a second hanging above the left goal on the ceiling of a high awning that stretches out over end-zone seating. That required a successful bit of risky rigging that is giving ESPN a camera angle never before seen in this stadium.
ESPN's on-field game studio is covered by three Ikegami 79EC cameras, including this one mounted to a tracking device that uses metal piping and skateboard wheels. The crew calls it the MunDolly.
ESPN has also erected a main studio set on field level in the near right corner of the stadium. Three more cameras include a tracking camera that sits on two pieces of metal piping and travels along the track via a set of skateboard wheels. The crew has come to affectionately refer to the setup as a MunDolly, named for Jim Mundell, owner and operator of Jersey Jibs, which pieced together the device using pieces from a number of manufacturers.
The Jersey Jibs crew also has deployed three jibs - one inside the stadium behind the left goal, one by the entrance by the ESPN FC set, and one in the parking lot - and a set of selected POV cameras (LUX HD 1200s) right up behind the nets to grab shots of goals.
On the audio side, a variety of 26 field-effect mics are deployed throughout the complex, including a Holophone down on the field and 18 broadcast microphones that will be used on the field and throughout the three studio sets.
ESPN has deployed two LUX HD 1200 POV cameras to capture unique views of goals for replay.
As mentioned, three set locations will provide live coverage in and around the game. The Game Host Set is located inside the stadium on the field, and the ESPN FC set is positioned inside the stadium entrance in an outdoor concourse area. According to Remote Operations Manager Terri Dippolito, the crew is going for a College GameDay feel as fans enter the stadium, with the set live for a full hour before the match kicks off.
ESPN Deportes is also on hand. Although it has no broadcast rights to the game (the U.S. Spanish rights are held by Univision), that hasn't kept the network from covering the big game. Deportes has its own set and small production compound set up about a quarter of a mile away from the stadium in the parking lot. Despite seemingly being out on its own island, Deportes is still very much a part of the general ESPN production plans.
ESPN's newest studio show, ESPN FC, makes its first road trip to Columbus.
We work like family, says Dippolito. So, even though FC is not allowed onto the field and Deportes isn't allowed inside the stadium, they have access to everything that's in our main truck and all of the information that we're taking in.
To cover it all, ESPN is running more than 11,000 ft. of video cable and more than 8,000 ft. of audio cable.
What's interesting is, the stadium's not that big, says Rosenfeld. We have used every square inch; this stadium is maxed out. This would be far and away the biggest coverage we've had.
Crew Stadium was built in 1999 and was the first professional soccer-specific stadium built in the U.S. It can seat only just over 20,000, and, at times, it tends to show its age, but that hasn't tempered the ESPN crew's thrill at being here.
While not a rightsholder of the game, ESPN Deportes does have a studio set broadcasting live hits from the Crew Stadium parking lot.
I have a special place in my heart for Crew Stadium, says Rosenfeld, who worked for ESPN as a producer when the USMNT beat Mexico in a World Cup qualifier in February 2002. There's a certainly component that its simplicity actually is helpful. Sometimes, in a super-complicated stadium, TV is the last one to be taken into account, so, where there would be beautiful camera positions, there's now a luxury box. There is a little bit to Columbus that's great in that it's sort of a free-for
Most recent headlines
04/08/2024
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, is excited to announce Santiago Solanas as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO)....
03/06/2024
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, a...
03/05/2024
An innovative learning tool to help media and civil society better understand ho...
03/05/2024
PARK CITY, UTAH - JANUARY 21: (L-R) Actors K stutis Cic nas and Greta Grinevi i t , Director Marija Kavtaradze and Producer Marija Razgute attend the 2023 Sunda...
03/05/2024
If you aren't familiar with Danny Ocean's music, it's only a matter ...
03/05/2024
Spotify has an unwavering commitment to supporting emerging artists across all genres, to helping them launch and thrive in their careers, and to connecting the...
03/05/2024
Como uno de los sonidos de mayor expansi n en el mundo, la M sica Mexicana va m ...
03/05/2024
As one of the fastest-growing sounds worldwide, M sica Mexicana is more than jus...
03/05/2024
NEW YORK FuboTV reported that it lost 110,000 subs in Q1 2024 but it exceeded its guidance for the quarter with double digit year-over-year increases across key...
03/05/2024
Only 3 Weeks Left To Enter The Creative Industries Most Award
Brie Clayton May 3, 2024
0 Comments
Creativepool is giving a last call to the creative i...
03/05/2024
WePlay Studios Transforms the Future of Live Event Storytelling with AJA Gear
Brie Clayton May 3, 2024
0 Comments
By 2032, the esports market is expec...
03/05/2024
WASHINGTON Shannon Bream, Fox News Sunday anchor and chief legal correspondent, sat for a keynote chat at The Business of TV News, with Tom Umstead, senior co...
03/05/2024
WASHINGTON Asked how important is local news, Martha Raddatz, who has covered foreign conflicts for decades and moderated presidential debates for ABC News, s...
03/05/2024
Sony Pictures and Apollo Global Management have made a $26 billion cash offer fo...
03/05/2024
CBS announced its 2024-2025 primetime schedule, which features the new dramas NCIS: Origins, Matlock and Watson, and new comedies Poppa's House and Georgie ...
03/05/2024
Sports-focused streaming service Fubo said it reduced its red ink in the first quarter, despite losing 110,000 subscribers since the end of the year....
03/05/2024
Walmart is reportedly about to release a new 4K streaming box/smart speaker hybrid device for Google TV that could retail for as low as $50, according to a repo...
03/05/2024
Enhancements to its Delivery Workspace solution provide increased content delivery robustness and security
By Matthew Corrigan
Published: May 3, 2024
Enha...
03/05/2024
According to reports, if the bid is successful, Sony would be the significant majority shareholder of the new private company
By Jenny Priestley
Published: M...
03/05/2024
Located in Manchesters Spinningfields district, the course aims to equip students with the skills, knowledge and industry insight for a career in the creative s...
03/05/2024
Lightbridge has created a new Cine Reflect Lighting System kit, dedicated to enabling artistic lighting with consideration of today's productivity practical...
03/05/2024
Broadcast media systems integrator BeckTV and Lawo worked together on a large-scale AES67 build of radio control rooms at KPBS, San Diego's NPR and PBS memb...
03/05/2024
Raleigh, NC, April 12, 2024 SmallHD announces PageOS 6, a powerful software update free for owners of SmallHD monitors, featuring increased functionality, exp...
03/05/2024
SmallHD announces the Quantum 32 a new 31.5 OLED monitor designed to provide reference HDR/SDR images for post-production final color grading, as well as cri...
03/05/2024
By 2032, the esports market is expected to grow to $9.29 billion, bolstered by a global player count and fan following that both continue to climb. The 2023 Lea...
03/05/2024
Amagi, the global leader in cloud-based SaaS technology for broadcast and connected TV (CTV), today announced that the 11th edition of the Amagi Global FAST Rep...
03/05/2024
Riedel Communications today announced that Westdeutscher Rundfunk (WDR) is relying on a media and intercom network based on Riedel technology for the renewal of...
03/05/2024
Broadpeak , a leading provider of content delivery network (CDN) and video streaming solutions for content providers and pay-TV operators worldwide, announced t...
03/05/2024
Media technology innovator Limecraft will exhibit the latest updates to its online platform on stand G79 at the 15-16 May 2024 Media Production & Technology Sho...
03/05/2024
Audio interface specialist Prism Sound is partnering with console manufacturer Solid State Logic, professional monitor manufacturer PMC and acoustic panel and d...
03/05/2024
Intinor, Sweden's leading developer of products and solutions for high-quality video over the internet, is set to join forces with its UK partner Zest Techn...
03/05/2024
NAKIVO Inc., a fast-growing software company dedicated to protecting physical, virtual, cloud, and SaaS environments, announced its Q1 2024 financial results to...
03/05/2024
Hiltron Communications announces an addition to its range of satellite communication products and systems: a field-upgradable motorisation kit specifically desi...
03/05/2024
Visit LiveU at Stand D30
With this year an exceptional one for major sporting events alongside multiple, key elections, the power and flexibility of LiveU'...
03/05/2024
Agile Content, the leader in the development of technology and solutions for the provision of television services over the Internet, announces Koldo Unanue as i...
03/05/2024
Eight co-signers representing streaming services, pay TV operators and public interest groups have sent a letter to Congressional leaders urging their Committee...
03/05/2024
BOSTON Brightcove has announced that it has implemented Amazon Q Business, a new generative AI assistant on Amazon Web Services (AWS)....
03/05/2024
NEW YORK CBS has declared that it will finish the 2023-24 season as Americas Most-Watched Network in primetime for the 16th consecutive season....
03/05/2024
A new survey indicates that U.S. businesses and consumers had an overall positive attitude towards their technology spending plans in the first quarter of 2024,...
03/05/2024
Sony and Apollo Global Management have sent an offer letter to Paramount Global's board of directors making an $26 billion all cash offer for Paramount Glob...
03/05/2024
EMG / Gravity Media has appointed Charlie Cubbon chief operating officer (COO) and Jamie Hindhaugh regional CEO for the U.K., U.S., Australia and the Middle Eas...
03/05/2024
Final 2024 Season Games to Air Saturdays on WRAL at 10:30am in May, Championship on June 1
Taping for the final episodes of the 2024 season of WRAL-TV's Br...
03/05/2024
Estrella MediaCo said it is expanding its connected TV portfolio by launching three new channels with Curiosity that will first appear on Samsung TV Plus....
03/05/2024
Nielsen said that actors' union SAG-AFTRA has selected Nielsen as its third-party provider of streaming content measurement....
03/05/2024
Cineverse said it has released a public beta version of cineSearch, its artificial intelligence-based system designed to help users find content to watch....
03/05/2024
Court TV said that its series Accomplice to Murder with Vinnie Politan is returning for a second season beginning May 5....
03/05/2024
Paramount Advertising said it is working with Mastercard and research and analytics company EDO to measure the impact of advertising campaigns and improve their...
03/05/2024
WASHINGTON The panel The Growth of Local Programming happened at The Busines...
03/05/2024
Katz Media Group said that Craig Broitman will become president of the company, succeeding Leo MacCourtney, who announced that he is retiring effective July 1....
One of the great rivalries in international soccer is rekindled tonight as the United States Men's National Team hosts Mexico in a key World Cup Qualifying match, and ESPN - which airs the game tonight live at 8 p.m. ET - is giving the match the royal treatment.
