
SVG TranSPORT 2020: CBS, ESPN, Fox, NBC, and Sinclair Talk Return of Live Sports, Sept. 23-24 Broadcasters will address new transmission schemes in the age of coronavirus By Jason Dachman, Chief Editor
Wednesday, September 16, 2020 - 11:45 am
Print This Story | Subscribe
Story Highlights
After a months-long shutdown, major sports leagues suddenly snapped back into live action over the summer with MLB, NBA, NHL, MLS, WNBA, and others resuming live play for the first time since the pandemic began. At the SVG's TranSPORT Virtual Series (Sept. 23-24), top transmission leaders from CBS, ESPN, Fox, NBC, and Sinclair provide an inside look inside look at how they were able to develop new tactics on the fly and create new transmission schemes to bring live sports back to the masses. CLICK HERE to register now for the panel featuring Fox Sports' Brad Cheney, NBC Sports Group's Chris Connolly, ViacomCBS's Ken Fuller, Sinclair Broadcast Group's Paul Spinelli, and ESPN's Adam Whitlock.
Whitlock will also kick off TranSPORT with an Opening Keynote detailing how ESPN has been able to deliver hundreds of live events since sports resumed despite a myriad pandemic-related challenges.
In addition to the Broadcasters Go Inside the Return of Live Sports panel on Day 1, this quintet of transmission-focused execs will return on Day 2 for the TranSPORT's annual State of the Industry panel to discuss the most pressing issues facing the industry today and how the connectivity needs for live-sports-content creators are evolving in the age of coronavirus.
Other TranSPORT sessions will include:
The Rise of IP Backhaul: How the Contribution Game Is Changing
Transmission 2020: 5G, HEVC, JPEG XS, SRT, and Beyond
Net Insight Case Study: Efficient Remote Live Sports Media Production
Video-Transport Infrastructure Tech Focus: Encoders, Decoders, and Transmission Equipment
Video-Transport Services Tech Focus: Fiber Networks, CDNs, and Satellite Services
A Live Speaker Q&A and Networking Zoom Room at the end of each day
Check out the full program below:
Day 1: September 23 Program 2:00 - 2:05 p.m.: Welcoming Remarks Presented by Telstra
Presenter: Adam Day, Telstra Broadcast Services, VP and Head of Technology and Media Sales, Americas
2:05 - 2:20 p.m.: Opening Keynote: Inside ESPN's Transmission Plan for the Return of Live Sports
After a months-long shutdown, major sports leagues suddenly snapped back into live action in July with MLB, NBA, NHL, MLS, WNBA, and others resuming live play for the first time since the pandemic began. As the largest sports rightsholder in North America, ESPN was suddenly forced to deliver hundreds of live events from new venues with myriad new challenges. Get an inside look at how ESPN's remote traffic operations department was able to develop new tactics on the fly and create a new transmission scheme to bring live sports back to the masses.
Presenter: Adam Whitlock, ESPN, Associate Director, Remote Traffic Operations
2:20 - 3:00 p.m.: Broadcasters Go Inside the Return of Live Sports
Following on the heels of the Opening Keynote from ESPN, major sports broadcasters go behind the scenes on how they created new transmission schemes to bring live sports back to the masses.
Moderator: Jason Dachman, SVG, Chief Editor and TranSPORT Program Director
Panelists:
Brad Cheney, Fox Sports, VP, Field Operations and Engineering
Chris Connolly, NBC Sports Group, Senior Director, Transmission Engineering and Operations
Ken Fuller, ViacomCBS, VP, Distribution and Technology
Paul Spinelli, Sinclair Broadcasting Group, Director of Engineering
Adam Whitlock, ESPN, Associate Director, Remote Traffic Operations
3:00 - 3:15 p.m.: Net Insight Case Study: Efficient Remote Live Sports Media Production
Mobilelinks, one of Northern Europe's leading partners in the delivery of broadcast media, will share exciting experiences of different at-home production scenarios - from 100-Gbps uncompressed live feeds to remote commentary working from home.
Presenters:
Andreas Langell, Mobilelinks, CEO
Per Lindgren, Net Insight, CTO and Co-Founder
3:15 - 4:00 p.m.: The Rise of IP Backhaul: How the Contribution Game Is Changing
The use of IP networks to backhaul live sports events has skyrocketed in recent years as broadcasters look to find more efficient and flexible means for contribution. In addition, with more connectivity needed for remote/decentralized productions, public and private IP networks are playing a bigger role than ever in connecting the stadium to the broadcast center. Technology leaders discuss how IP has dramatically altered the contribution landscape in recent years - and in the wake of the pandemic - as well as how they expect the use of IP transmission to evolve in the coming years.
Moderator: Brandon Costa, SVG, Director of Digital
Panelists:
Steven Dargham, Telstra Broadcast Services, Business Development Executive - Major Events
Mo Goyal, Evertz, Senior Director, International Business Development, Live Media Production
Daniel Maloney, Matrox, Daniel Maloney
Dan Pisarski, LiveU, VP of Engineering
Marcus Schioler, Haivision, Vice President of Product Marketing
4:00 - 4:30 p.m.: Video-Transport Infrastructure Tech Focus: Encoders, Decoders, and Transmission Equipment
Live sports broadcasts simply can't exist without a solid layer of backend transmission infrastructure. Leading technology providers of encoders/decoders and other transmission gear discuss their latest offerings and how they see the market evolving in the age of coronavirus.
Moderator: Kristian Hernandez, SVG, Associate Editor and Social Media Manager
Panelists:
Brandon Baker, Sencore, Strategic Account Manager
John Dale, Media Links, Director, Chief Marketing Officer
Matthew Goldman, MediaKind, SVP of Technology
4:30 - 5:00 p.m.: Live Speaker Q&
Most recent headlines
13/12/2025
Powering Client Growth: Horizon Deepens Nielsen Partnership, Enabling More Effic...
13/12/2025
In a move that will help it offer more flexible and less costly programming options, YouTube TV has announced that it will be launching YouTube TV Plans with mo...
13/12/2025
SINGAPORE Magna Systems has designed, built and completed what is believed to be the first full UHD and IP-based OB truck in Southeast Asia for a Singapore medi...
12/12/2025
SVG Summit 2025 Preview: Everything You Need to Know for Next Week's Big Sho...
12/12/2025
Hailey Gates at the Atropia premiere (photo by George Pimentel / Shutterstock for Sundance Film Festival)...
12/12/2025
Last month, Spotify announced a new collaboration with the ATP Tour, the global governing body of men's professional tennis, aimed at bringing the next gene...
12/12/2025
CONWAY, Ark. In a notable example of how the elimination of Federal federal funding is forcing public stations to make massive cuts and changes in the way they...
12/12/2025
Wisycom and DPA Microphones announce the appointment of Ren Moerch as Group Product Director, Wireless, a strategic leadership role that will guide the combine...
12/12/2025
SMPTE , the home of media professionals, technologists, and engineers, in conjuncture with the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and the Entertainment Technolog...
12/12/2025
Keepit, the vendor-independent, cloud-native data protection provider, today announced a strategic go-to-market relationship in Poland with Ingram Micro, a lead...
12/12/2025
Atomos announced the immediate availability of a new firmware update for its Ninja TX GO and Ninja TX monitor-recorders, unlocking Open Gate 48P RAW recording w...
12/12/2025
Professional Wireless Systems (PWS) once again played a critical role in delivering flawless wireless coordination and support at the 2025 Latin Grammy Awards a...
12/12/2025
The Alliance for IP Media Solutions (AIMS), together with the Video Services Forum (VSF), the Advanced Media Workflow Association (AMWA) and the European Broadc...
12/12/2025
DHD audio will demonstrate the latest additions to its range of digital audio production solutions on Booth 321 in Hall B6 at Hamburg Open 2026. The show will b...
12/12/2025
Chaos today announces the release of V-Ray for Blender, update 2, bringing its award-winning rendering technology to even more Blender users by adding support f...
12/12/2025
Lighting specialist UltraLEDs has launched Precision LED Tape, a high-CRI lighting solution designed specifically for professional film, TV, and studio use.
P...
12/12/2025
Zixi, the Emmy Award-winning leader in live broadcast-quality video over IP, today announced that Roi Sasson has joined the company as Vice President, Engineer...
12/12/2025
BitFire (bitfire.tv), the leader in software-defined live production and IP transmission, today announced a strategic partnership with Appear, a leader in high-...
12/12/2025
LOS ANGELES The Hollywood Professional Association (HPA) today said futurist Robert Tercek, creative technologist Jessie Hughes from Leonardo.AI and Emmy-winnin...
12/12/2025
HUDSON, Mass. BitFire and Appear have struck a strategic partnership aimed at offering broadcasters, sports leagues and streaming platforms a faster, more flexi...
12/12/2025
The broadcast industry is evolving faster than ever. #IPWorkflows #remoteproduction, and next-gen audio systems are reshaping how teams design, deliver, and sca...
12/12/2025
LOS ANGELES The payroll and production accounting platform Wrapbook has announced the acquisition of Cinapse, a modern scheduling platform for film and televisi...
12/12/2025
DEHLI Ross Video has announced that it is expanding and restructuring its commercial and technical teams in the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation...
12/12/2025
LONDON Following the success of its UK launch in January 2025, Rise AV, the global not-for-profit initiative dedicated to supporting and advancing women in the ...
12/12/2025
SAN FRANCISCO Ad-supported streaming service Tubi next week will launch Matter Casting, a new casting standard that will enable seamless mobile-to-TV viewing di...
12/12/2025
LOS ANGELES The Hollywood Professional Association (HPA) today said futurist Robert Tercek, creative technologist Jessie Hughes from Leonardo.AI and Emmy-winnin...
12/12/2025
Friday 12 December 2025
Ted is back! Seth MacFarlane's live-action comedic ...
12/12/2025
In Las Vegas's T-Mobile Arena, fans of the Golden Knights are getting more than just hockey - they're getting a taste of the future. ADAM, a robot devel...
12/12/2025
Uachtar n na h ireann, Catherine Connolly visited RT Raidi na Gaeltachta's...
12/12/2025
Ireland AM host Eric Roberts has been revealed as the sixth contestant taking to...
12/12/2025
Scripps Research team pioneers an efficient way to stereoselectively add fluorine to drug-like molecules A new method uses a novel catalyst and inexpensive fluo...
11/12/2025
Thomson and the Center for News, Technology and Innovation (CNTI) convened a two-day workshop in Sarajevo bringing together more than 35 journalists, editors, p...
11/12/2025
ESPN's Aims for Spectacular With Heisman Trophy ShowEvent firsts include 1080p HDR production airing on both national broadcast and cableBy Dan Daley, Audio...
11/12/2025
SVG Students To Watch: Frankie Patton, University of ColoradoThe 2025 grad is hitting the ground running as a PA on national broadcastsBy Brandon Costa, Directo...
11/12/2025
SVG Summit 2025 Technology Exhibits Preview, Part 3By SVG Staff
Thursday, December 11, 2025 - 7:24 am
Print This Story | Subscribe
Story Highlights
The 2...
11/12/2025
SVG Sit-Down: What Makes Gen Z, X, and Y Fans Tick? Dave Gavant of WSC Sports Go...
11/12/2025
SVG Summit 2025 Preview: 5G, MXL, Spectrum Loss, and Outerspace on Tap for Tues...
11/12/2025
2025 Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame: David Levy, Turner Titan and Master of Al...
11/12/2025
SVG Launches Follow the Money' Podcast: Go Inside the Sports Media Biz with...
11/12/2025
A Deep Dive Inside Game Creek Video's Bird and Magic Mobile Units, Home to A...
11/12/2025
How Sound Effects for Monsters Funday Football' Emulated the Sonic Soul of ...
11/12/2025
SVG New Sponsor Spotlight: CSP Mobile Productions' Len Chase on Upgrading Tr...
11/12/2025
Having the right song soundtrack your moves can make all the difference when gam...
11/12/2025
It's been a big year for Taylor Swift. Her highly anticipated album The Life...
11/12/2025
New satellites for the SDA Tranche 1 Tracking program in production at L3Harris&...
11/12/2025
The Meadowlands system, a compact and mobile version of the CCS, uses ground-based radio frequency units to disrupt satellite communications....
11/12/2025
The L3Harris demonstration united tactical communications devices, counter-UAS c...
11/12/2025
Throughout 2025, L3Harris delivered innovative solutions to U.S. and allied warfighters across every domain.
With an unrelenting commitment to excellence, our...
11/12/2025
A Majority of the World's Population (51%) Identify As Soccer Fans
The 2025 MLB postseason notched 58.2 billion viewing minutes, up +24% from the prior y...
11/12/2025
WALTHAM, Mass. Video-over-IP software provider Zixi said Roi Sasson has joined the company as vice president, engineering....