
At PGA Championship, CBS Sports Bolsters Aerial, Bunker Camera Lineup; Takes Viewers Deeper with Optimotion Swing Tech Operational effort features more than 125 cameras, 150 microphones, and robust real-time graphics By Brandon Costa, Director of Digital
Thursday, May 16, 2024 - 2:28 pm
Print This Story | Subscribe
Story Highlights
Golf's second major of the year is underway and CBS Sports is bringing one of its biggest live production efforts ever this week to Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville for the 106th PGA Championship.
This marks the 34th consecutive year and the 41st time overall that CBS Sports has led the broadcast production efforts for the PGA Championship and this year's operation is an impressive one. More than 125 cameras, 150 microphones, and 600 crew members cover the course while deep tracking and graphics technology better tell the story in the network's wall-to-wall coverage.
I'm so proud of our golf team. They truly think they set the standard in the industry, says David Berson, the newly-minted President and CEO of CBS Sports (he takes over following the retirement of Sean McManus at The Masters). I don't think that our golf coverage has ever been better than it is today. I'm just really thrilled with the coverage we have.
Graphics Put the Viewer First While ESPN broadcasts and streams coverage on the first two days of the tournament, coverage shifts over to CBS Television Network and Paramount+ for the push to finish on Saturday and Sunday. On the linear broadcast, data-filled real-time graphics continue to revolutionize coverage of live golf.
An example of CBS Sports' work in implementing OptiMotion technology into the broadcast from earlier this year.
One of the new highlights for this PGA Championship is the use of GOLFTEC OptiMotion Swing Analysis Technology. First implemented by CBS Sports during its PGA Tour West Coast Swing earlier this year, the visual breaks down swing dynamics for the viewer. Lead analyst Trevor Immelman presents biomechanical swing data on elements like hip turn and shoulder tilt. It also helps comparing and contrasting between golfers.
CBS loves the technology as it allows its coverage to lean into the educational aspect of viewers looking to improve their own golf swing.
We haven't even scratched the surface on the data, and so the old line of the sky's the limit' applies in this case, says CBS Sports lead golf producer Sellers Shy. It not only helps the viewer understand the player's swing, but Trevor is also working very hard in having it relate to the viewer at home. That's what their goal is: to help the casual fan and the extreme golfer; both ends of the handicap spectrum. [We are] trying to help their swings out. Trevor really adds to the data that we've seen because it can be a challenge to put in layman's terms.
Mike Francis, VP, Engineering and Technology, CBS Sports noted that the operations team used GOLFTEC OptiMotion Swing Analysis on the driving range during coverage of The Masters last month. It's also been utilized across significant PGA Tour events this season.
That's just the new star in a robust graphics effort designed to better tell the story of live golf. The modern mainstay, TopTracer, is at Valhalla on all 18 holes and even the practice facility. The 3D radar tracking system provides viewer with an accurate visual representation of distance, height, and curvature of a shot in realtime. Additionally, Toptracer is outfitted on four RF mini cameras to add versatility to ball tracking graphics. These allow for the show to get select TopTracer graphics on second and third shots from the fairway.
Additionally, CBS Sports is deploying ARL Virtual Eye Side Slab Flight Track. This virtual eye technology leverages Toptracer ball tracking on tee shots to provide an overhead slab view of the hole. Available on all 18 holes, the offering also brings back full page displays detailing how golfers played certain holes during previous rounds with virtual flyover animations.
Over the past decade, these graphical enhancements have proven to be critical storytelling tools for CBS Sports' Executive Producer and EVP, Production Harold Bryant, Shy and fellow producer Jim Rikhoff, and directors Steve Milton and Rob Matina.
Aerial, Bunker, Cinematic Cameras Deliver the Images The last time this major visited Valhalla was in 2014 and since then the course has undergone a significant renovation. That offers some new visual storytelling opportunities for CBS Sports. The back nine will surely become a star of the show, most notably the par-5 18th hole. CBS Sports has run one of its FlyCams along the green area at 18, as well as laying BunkerCams in the sand.
The end of a FlyCam run at Valhalla Golf Club for this weekend's PGA Championship. (Photo Courtesy CBS Sports)
They redid it through and through, says Shy. It has a gorgeous new, fresh appearance. We also are taking what we learned from the previous championships there, specifically in 2014, and enhancing those areas. You're going to see a lot of activity around 13, 14, and 18 because it's going to be a popular place. 13 is in our logo. 14 is an incredible par three with bunkers all the way around. Then 18 is a par-five finish, which you don't normally see. There's been extreme preparation put into this week and we're ready.
Aerial coverage will inevitably shine at a golf event like this. FlyCam has also been rigged above the 13th green and 14th tee. There will also be live drones (from Kaze Aerial Production) and the iconic Goodyear Blimp taking the skies.
Shallow depth-of-field cinematic looks also continue to grow in popularity as part of the CBS Sports golf production plan. A full Steadicam will shoot in the mode while two of the network's Atlas camer
More from Sports Video Group
14/07/2025
Sony's New Coach's Headset Was Designed in Collaboration With the NFL Featuring a custom dynamic boom mic, the headset will debut in the fall By Dan Da...
14/07/2025
Live From MLB All-Star 2025: MLB Network's Marc Caiafa and Tom Guidice on th...
13/07/2025
Live From MLB All-Star 2025: MLB Network Marks Five Straight Years of Onsite MLB...
11/07/2025
Behind the Mic: Amazon Prime Preps for First Season of NBA Action; MSG Networks ...
11/07/2025
SVG New Sponsor Spotlight: Suite Studios' Craig Hering on Adapting to Client...
11/07/2025
2025 SVG Content Management Forum Breaks Down AI's Impact, Continued Transit...
11/07/2025
A Journey HOME: University of Nebraska's HuskerVision Goes IP Leaders from the HuskerVision and Lawo share their IP learnings By SVG Staff
Friday, July 1...
11/07/2025
CMSI, Remote Picture Labs, Ace ESPN's Cloud-Based Editing Efforts for Wimble...
11/07/2025
Netflix Enters the Live-Boxing-Production Ring for Round 2 With Historic Taylor-...
10/07/2025
5G for all? What the DFL's use of Easy5G and RefCam could mean for events in...
10/07/2025
Save the Date: PGA TOUR Studios Welcomes SVG Remote Production Summit on Oct 14-...
10/07/2025
Cloud on the Road: How Remote-Production-Service Providers Are Adapting to a New...
10/07/2025
Seattle Kraken's Ryan Schaber on the NHL Team Taking Live Game Productions I...
10/07/2025
FOX Sports Reboots Small Control Room in Los Angeles as Hub for Vertical-First P...
10/07/2025
SVG Sit-Down: MSE's Zach Leonsis, ViewLift's Rick Allen Go Deep on Joint...
09/07/2025
Monumental Sports & Entertainment, ViewLift Unveil Broadcast/Streaming Joint Ven...
09/07/2025
SVG Europe Audio State of Wireless Mics Forum: If we lose the spectrum, it...
09/07/2025
Tech Focus: Athlete Audio - Venues Provide Sound Just for the Players From locker room to field of play, personalized systems help rev up the athletes By Dan D...
08/07/2025
Groundbreaking Gamecocks: Inside University of South Carolina's Four-Control...
08/07/2025
Monumental Sports & Entertainment's Samantha Brady on the Power of the RSN...
08/07/2025
Live From 2025 FIFA Club World Cup: FIFA, HBS Focus on Tournament Wrap, With an ...
08/07/2025
SVG Rewind: NESN Goes Behind the Scenes of 1975 Red Sox Retro Broadcast NESN is following up the retrocast with a week-long celebration of the Green Monster By...
07/07/2025
1-2 Punch: The Cloud, Generative AI, and the Future of Sports-Content Distributi...
07/07/2025
Tests and decisions: Formula E host broadcaster Aurora on launching new AR graph...
07/07/2025
Building tension: Using new AR graphics for storytelling at the Formula E penult...
07/07/2025
Altitude Sports' Matt Krol on the Success of the RSN's In-Arena Postgame...
07/07/2025
SVG Rewind: Four NFL Clubs Bring Us on Set of Respective Media Day Shoots An in-depth conversation with 49ers Laura Johnson, Ravens Jay O'Brien, Las Vegas R...
07/07/2025
Cosm To Build Fifth Shared Reality Venue in Cleveland as Part of Bedrock's ...
02/07/2025
Progressive realism: Aurora on taking up the broadcast reins for World RX alongs...
02/07/2025
Great speed: New host broadcaster Aurora on getting the World RX 2025 season pro...
02/07/2025
Seat of its pants: Aurora boxes clever and looks ahead for the FIA as new host b...
02/07/2025
UEFA Women's Euro 2025: EBU, BBC Sport and Sunset Vine talk coverage plans, ...
02/07/2025
UEFA Women's Euro 2025: Women's Super League launches new content series...
02/07/2025
UEFA Women's Euro 2025: Ignite puts fans and players front and centre with t...
02/07/2025
Storytelling in the Live Game Broadcast: ESPN Director Jimmy Platt Breaks Down t...
02/07/2025
CONCACAF's Miguel Angel Garcia on the Gold Cup's Enhanced 2025 Productio...
01/07/2025
SVG New Sponsor Spotlight: Spyrosoft's Jonathan Witty on Futher Business Exp...
01/07/2025
The NIL Effect: How the Shifting Business of College Athletics Impacts On-Campus...
01/07/2025
Cherry on the cake: Inside the technical production of the Tour de France 2025 w...
01/07/2025
NESN's Josh Jun on Keeping Alternative Broadcasts Fresh for Boston Red Sox, ...
01/07/2025
TNT Sports Races Back Into NASCAR With Fresh Look, Familiar Edge Production approach emphasizes creative freedom, bold storytelling, casual-fan-friendly tone B...
27/06/2025
How smarter compression is creating a sustainable future By Michael Burns
Monday, June 23, 2025 - 14:13
Print This Story
Live sport is especially vulnerab...
27/06/2025
Behind the Mic: FOX Sports Ratchets Up UEFA Women's EURO 2025 With Top-Class...
27/06/2025
RTL Group To Acquire Sky Deutschland By George Bevir, Editorial Director, SVG Europe
Friday, June 27, 2025 - 8:00 am
Print This Story | Subscribe
Story ...
27/06/2025
Frictionless, At Scale: The Current State of Live Video Streaming Techology Leaders from Bitmovin, Comcast Technology Solutions, Harmonic, IMAX, and Phenix brea...
27/06/2025
Marquee Sports Network's Nick Steger on Meeting the Moment of the Contending...
27/06/2025
NHL Draft 2025: The League Is Primed for First Decentralized Draft in Non-Pandem...
26/06/2025
10th-Annual SVG Regional Sports Production Summit Presents Useful Roadmap for th...
26/06/2025
The Big Cloud Debate: Public vs. Private vs. Hybrid Tech leaders from CineSys, Diversified, and Net Insight breaks down all flavors of cloud By Jason Dachman, ...
26/06/2025
Program Productions' Jess Kowatch on Training the Next and Current Gener...