
Live From FIFA World Cup: Fox Sports Spreads Impressive Studio Presence Along Doha Bay Four separate sets are churning out prematch, halftime, postmatch content at the Doha Corniche By Kristian Hern ndez, Senior Editor
Saturday, December 3, 2022 - 8:45 pm
Print This Story
There's the idea that studio coverage needs to create its own environment, and then there's the philosophy of Fox Sports' remote studio operations at the FIFA Men's World Cup in Doha, Qatar. Blending unique applications of creativity and technology with the natural and man-made beauty of the city, the broadcaster has developed four sets along the Doha Corniche, the 4.4-mile waterfront promenade that hugs Doha Bay.
We put a lot more attention into not only being correct or architecturally appropriate into the area but making [our sets] shine, says Rod Conti, VP, remote studio operations, Fox Sports. It has definitely become the star of our shows.
Doing The Homework: Fox Sports Spends Two Years Charting Out Every Detail Host Rob Stone at the main desk in front of the Doha skyline
Mesmerizing fans at home with bright lights, swooping shots, and bursting energy took two years of planning, planning, and execution by the Fox Sports team. As the city of Doha rose to meet the gargantuan expectations of hosting an event like the FIFA World Cup, Conti and his team chose a location that would identify for viewers what city the tournament is being played in. For past events, this meant choosing St. Basil's Cathedral in Red Square for the 2018 FIFA Men's World Cup in Moscow or the Eiffel Tower for the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup in Paris. Unlike those two cities, however, Doha is only 127 years old and still developing into the modern age. The crew had some searching to do.
The pentagram-shaped set features LED displays supplied by Creative Technology.
When we came to Qatar, they didn't have [an iconic location] that stood out since it's a fairly new country, says Conti. When we were looking around for different options, which involved the Souq Waqif, Al Bidda Park, and the museums, we understood that this is a country on the move when we saw the downtown skyline. We've seen it grow incredibly, and everything started to come to life very quickly.
Pieces like Persian pillows, hand-made pottery, and desert rose crystals represent Qatari culture.
Working closely with the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy, a Qatari-run group that oversees delivery planning and operations for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, Fox Sports zeroed in on the Doha Corniche: a popular meeting place for locals and tourists alike that provides tantalizing vistas of the skyscrapers and the Doha Bay section of the Arabian Gulf. Since the skyline is continually growing vertically, Conti and VP, Field Operations and Engineering, Kevin Callahan wanted to marry this burgeoning town with its roots.
A digital-only set is opposite of the main structure.
We took the dhow boats, which we noticed were an older part of their pearl-diving history, and we said, You know what? The contrast of the old and the new might be the backdrop,' adds Conti. We saw this picture in our heads and knew that we wanted to have this spot.
Pen was put to paper, and conceptualizations became drawings. Collaborating with Los Angeles-based |drive| studio, Fox Sports EVP/Creative Director Gary Hartley and Art Director Johnny Cho produced the final blueprint for the project. Aiming to showcase the culture and daily life of the host nation, the pair made sure to feature work of local artists on the building's exterior and integrate symbols and iconography: rectangular flags on the ceiling to honor the Qatari passion for falconry, Persian pillows and tapestry, hand-made pottery, and desert rose, a rose-like crystal that can be found in-country.
A Flycam and Technocrane 22 are deployed at the Doha Corniche.
Planning transitioned into real-world construction in the latter part of 2022. With the set pre-built in Fox Sports' Charlotte, NC, facility and shipped overseas in 46 containers, operations shifted to Doha in mid September. As the sets were installed and put into place, the home of the onsite production team - a control room positioned within a temporary compound a few hundred feet from the sets - needed to be built as well. That project started on Oct. 1 and was completed on Nov. 10, 10 days before the competition's opening match between Ecuador and Qatar.
Inside the Design: Accounting for High Winds, Meshing AR With LED Floor Dhows floating in Doha Bay
With a beautiful vision, the broadcaster faced several challenges with the locale. With massive expanses of desert surrounding Doha, rain isn't part of the weather forecast, but high-intensity winds are. Although the windiest part of the year is February with an average speed of 10.9 mph, average speeds can reach 9.3 mph between Nov. 14 and April 15. Given a breeze from a large body of water and loose sand from the country, Conti deemed it necessary to have fail-safes and called in Filmwerks, Fox Sports' partner on other remote builds this year: the NASCAR Clash at the Coliseum in February, the 2022 Daytona 500 two weeks later, and MLB at Field of Dreams. Responsible for overall construction of the full 148- x 33-ft. footprint, Filmwerks implemented a system of glass windows that would block the wind and prevent debris from entering the set.
Every wall can be covered and protected within 30 minutes with our sliding system, he points out.
Alexi Lalas shoots a segment with a Technocrane 45.
With questions about the wind answered, the finished product has turned into an expansive presence featuring non-conventional shapes and workflows that have elevated every show. Each of the four spaces has its own distinct purpose. For example, a digital-only structure
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
07/10/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, today announced the latest Long-Term Supported (LTS) release of Dalet Flex. Build...
06/09/2026
June 9 2026, 23:00 (PDT) Dolby and MagentaTV Bring Fans Closer to the FIFA Worl...
07/08/2026
Diversified has appointed industry veteran Pete Emminger as global chief technology officer. Emminger will lead the company's global go-to-market technology...
07/08/2026
O'Shea Jackson Jr., Dave Franco, and Mason Thames appear in Idiots by Macon Blair, an official selection of the 2026 Sundance Film Festival. (Courtesy of ...
07/08/2026
An instrument made for the adventurous composer
Described as an instrument made for the adventurous composer , Sonuscore's latest sample library has b...
07/08/2026
Latest solo Synchron libraries arrive
VSL have just released the final two instalments in their range of muted solo string libraries. Recorded in the large ...
07/08/2026
Channel strip offers plug-in control & recall
Along with some new additions to their Inherit modular preamp system, GC Audio's announcements for NAMM 20...
07/08/2026
Opening Statement: Public hearing of the Inquiry into Racism, Hate and Violence ...
07/08/2026
DoubleVerify Shareholders to Receive $13.60 Per Share in Cash, Representing a 30...
07/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
07/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
07/08/2026
The Award Recognizes ACT's Outstanding Sales Performance, Marketing Collaboration and Long-standing Commitment to the NEUTRIK Brand
ACT Entertainment, one ...
07/08/2026
Beamr Imaging Ltd. (Nasdaq: BMR), a leader in video optimization technology and solutions, today announced it is bringing AI upscaling to live sports, broadcast...
07/08/2026
Berklee City Music Presents Nine Scholarships and Awards at Annual Concert Student recipients from seven states and Canada received scholarships, housing awar...
07/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
07/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
07/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
07/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
07/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
07/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
07/08/2026
Riedel Communications at IBC2026: Live Production Experience Showcasing Integrated IP Production Workflows
At IBC2026, Riedel Communications will bring modern ...
07/08/2026
Shotoku Showcases Expanding Aura PTZ Ecosystem and Award-Winning Swoop Robotic Crane at IBC2026
Shotoku Broadcast Systems will officially introduce its Aura fa...
07/08/2026
Highlights will include new Dante fiber connectivity, expanded IPMX capabilities and award-winning signal processing solutions
Cobalt Digital, the leading des...
07/08/2026
Bob Moses Concert at Red Rocks Captured with URSA Cine 12K LF
Brie Clayton August 6, 2026
0 Comments
PYXIS 12K and URSA Cine 12K LF enable cinematic c...
07/08/2026
Use It or Else Is Not an AI Implementation Strategy
Andy Marken August 6, 2026
0 Comments
Source - Hitchhikers Guide to the Universe, Touchstone Pi...
07/08/2026
Friday 7 August 2026
Heated Rivalry will return to Sky and NOW in Spring 2027 e...
07/08/2026
Migration of more than 1,000 radio services delivers improved resilience, efficiency and sustainability
07 August 2026, Winchester, UK Arqiva, the UK's l...
07/08/2026
On 6 August, the European Commission and the SpaceRISE consortium concluded nego...
07/08/2026
The Traitors Ireland Uncloaked is also back with all the behind the scenes drama...
06/08/2026
The broadcaster's 14-race schedule begins in Iowa and ends in November with ...
06/08/2026
In-venue and creative video staffers at the professional and collegiate level ha...
06/08/2026
As media organizations consolidate teams, technology platforms, and content libr...
06/08/2026
Firmware updates introduce Dolby's next-generation picture engine, content-aware optimization, and new motion and ambient-light tools...
06/08/2026
TNT Sports will have wall-to-wall coverage of the upcoming FIBA Women's Bask...
06/08/2026
swXtch.io (Stand 5.MR13) has unveiled groundSwXtch for Audio over IP (AoIP), a software application that lets broadcasters and media organizations move audio in...
06/08/2026
At IBC2026, Riedel Communications (Stands: 10.A24, 10.A31, 10.A38) will bring modern media production to life with the Live Production Experience - a connected ...
06/08/2026
The first live-sports director to receive the prestigious honor, eight-time Emmy...
06/08/2026
NBC Sports will continue to present the Preakness Stakes on NBC and Peacock thro...
06/08/2026
Cobalt Digital (Stand 8.F90) continues to reinforce its commitment to delivering...
06/08/2026
Wave Central has promoted promotion Jeff Daubert to Director of Sales, Americas.
In his expanded role, Daubert will lead Wave Central's sales strategy and ...
06/08/2026
KMH Integration is expanding its ability to serve media, broadcast, and IT organizations by adding Keith Hanadel, an accomplished architect with decades of indu...
06/08/2026
Advanced Systems Group (ASG) has promoted Michele Ferreira from Vice President of its Systems Integration team to the newly created position of Chief Business O...
06/08/2026
Demonstrations will include new JPEG XS, Dolby audio, cloud-gateway, stream-processing, and distribution capabilities...
06/08/2026
The deal includes three premium mobile units, engineering personnel, existing br...
06/08/2026
Broadcast Management Group produced Amazon Prime's inaugural Obsessed Fest a...
06/08/2026
Exhibit will feature new variable-ND functionality, OLED viewfinders, remote-camera tools, and UHD production monitors...
06/08/2026
Compact full-frame E-mount lens targets sports, wildlife, and other long-range shooting applications...
06/08/2026
Live broadcast will honor Roger Federer and Mary Carillo on Aug. 29, with onsite...
06/08/2026
End-zone board receives higher-resolution LED technology and an updated Show Control system ahead of the 2026 football season...