
Live From 147th Westminster Dog Show: Fox Sports Covers Every Angle With High-Flying Spidercam, Disguised Camera Positions Hidden cameras prevent participating dogs from being distracted By Kristian Hern ndez, Senior Editor
Tuesday, May 9, 2023 - 11:47 am
Print This Story | Subscribe
Story Highlights
A staple on Fox Sports' calendar for seven years, the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show is a breeding ground for impressive broadcast technologies. In the competition's first year at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing, NY, the broadcaster is adding even more enhancements to the 1080p HDR show, including a new Spidercam aerial system within Arthur Ashe Stadium. The operations team is also continuing to disguise camera positions, such as 360-degree robotics in covered bins during Best in Show and POVs hidden in the obstacles used for the Master's Agility Championship.
A new Spidercam is providing aerial views of the Westminster Dog Show competition.
We've been able to come up with cameras and put them in different places that a lot of people wouldn't think of, says Francisco Paco Contreras, director, field operations, Fox Sports. It has also been nice to be in this facility with a [pre-installed] infrastructure.
Show-Floor Tech: Spidercam, 360-Degree Bins Headline Camera Complement Producing the Westminster Dog Show means not getting too close to the canines and not being too far away. To strike that delicate balance, the Fox Sports operations team is rolling out an arsenal of cameras that not only put viewers at the right spots but also respect the space of competing dogs and owners. Up in the sky, a new Spidercam system outfitted with a Sony HDC-P31 is bringing an aerial vantage point to the animals on the show floor.
These 360-degree Sony HDC-P31's capture the dogs as they walk down the floor.
A familiar fixture at Arthur Ashe Stadium during the annual US Open tennis tournament, the Spidercam will be used for Dog Show for the first time. At Madison Square Garden, the show's home for many years, the venue's centerhung videoboard prevented use of this kind of cable-camera system. When the COVID-19 pandemic shifted the show to Lyndhurst Mansion in Tarrytown, NY, for the 2021 and 2022 versions, the temporary structure wasn't high enough for the device to be installed. Because this Spidercam is new and could be a potential distraction to the dogs, a purple ribbon on the lower bowl is the imaginary line below which the camera can't go.
If you go too low, Contreras explains, the dogs will see that motion, stop, and won't run the course. It has to be operated at a certain height, especially for larger and taller dogs like a Dobermann.
A robotic camera captures dogs and trainers walking to the arena
For cameras on the course or show floor, Contreras and his team had to get creative in making them invisible. A handful of POVs are hidden on the side of the A-frame and teeter or are inserted through a hole in the tunnel, but the most interesting innovation is a pair of 360-degree Sony HDC-P31's used during the Best in Show competition. Internally referred to as Paco Cams - Contreras, Best in Show Producer P.T. Navarro, and then-EVP, Content Integration & Presentation, George Greenberg came up with that - the rotatable cameras are at the dogs' height to capture them strutting up and down and are stashed inside two covered bins.
When we introduced the 360-degree cameras, says Contreras, we had a dog stop and look at it. At first, we thought it was going to be an issue, but the dogs have gotten used to them, and it's a cool angle to see.
Game Creek Video Encore is the main production truck in the compound.
During the 10th Anniversary of the Masters Agility Championship on Saturday, May 6, a 12-camera package was deployed in the venue: besides the Spidercam, four Sony HDC-4300's (two handhelds, one on a jib, and one hard), four POVs, two super-slow-motion Sony HDC-5500's, and a Sony HDC-P31 RF M VI handheld. In addition, SMT supplied time and scoring for the event. For Tuesday's Best in Show, more than 15 cameras will be in use for the main event, including four Sony HDC-4300's (three hards and one jib), two super-slow-motion Sony HDC-5500's, two RF Sony HDC-3500's, Fox Sports' customary Megalodon setup, and a RF M VI handheld.
Live streaming of preliminary rounds on the Fox Sports app, FOXSports.com, and WestminsterKennelClub.org is handled by Tupelo Honey's facility in Indianapolis.
Heading Into Ashe: Runway Robo, Studio Set Spotlight Dogs' Jaunt to the Arena A mixture of elegance and athleticism, both portions of the Westminster Dog Show deserve a buildup similar to other tentpole sports events. To create a high-profile setting and to capture the dogs' preparation in behind-the-scenes areas, the operations team deployed multiple POV cameras and developed an elaborate studio set. The dogs walk by a NYC-inspired activation as they head down a purple carpet into the main arena.
A POV camera is inserted in this hole in the tunnel obstacle of the Masters Agility Championship.
We have a robotic [camera] with a wide-angled fisheye lens in the tunnel, says Contreras. Everybody thought we were crazy when we did this [for the first time] three years ago. It has become a cool angle of the dogs running in and out of the arena.
Fiber Technician Brian Obert behind the TV announcers booth near the show floor
Prior to hitting the bright lights of the big stage, dogs and their owners are interviewed in an elegant studio set. In a set comprising golden-plated spotlights, purple walls with gold accents, and two white couches, veteran motorsports reporter Jamie Little serves as the main correspondent.
Three-Way Collaboration: Fox Sports, WKC, USTA for First Ye
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....