F1 Las Vegas Grand Prix: ESPN Pulls Out All The Stops With Sizeable On-Site Presence in Vegas By Jason Dachman, Editorial Director, U.S. Friday, November 17, 2023 - 3:17 pm
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The pomp and circumstance that is an everyday norm on the Las Vegas Strip will hit a new level on Saturday night when the inaugural Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix finally hits the streets after more than a year of hype. And ESPN is rolling out the red carpet accordingly.
Much like the popularity and growth of F1 in the Unites States, ESPN's on-site presence grows with each race, says Kate Jackson, VP, Production, ESPN. There is a lot of interest and excitement around the inaugural Las Vegas Grand Prix race and our crew list and coverage plans reflect that.
F1's U.S. rightsholder will surround Saturday's race telecast with programming and content across platforms including the on-site presence of SportsCenter, a live preview show at 11:30 p.m. ET, a cavalcade of social media and digital content, and two podcasts, as well as support for ABC News' Good Morning America. In order to pull this all off, ESPN is using several different production models and, according to Jackson, must be prepared for a variety of unexpected left-turns for the inaugural race.
The inaugural race at any location can present challenges, she says. No matter how much you prepare, there is always something you didn't plan for. You have to live through a full race weekend to really understand what each individual event will be like.
The line cut for all F1 competition - including practice sessions, qualifying, and race coverage - is an F1 Media-produced world feed. This is shared with SKY UK, which adds commentary and additional graphics, and then broadcast on ESPN for U.S. viewers. Additional coverage over the weekend like Ted's Notebook, the Grand Prix Sunday pre-race show and Checkered Flag post-race show are also produced by SKY UK and carried by ESPN. The awe-inspiring Opening Ceremony, which was produced by F1 and the LVGP, was also televised on ESPN2 at 12:30 a.m. ET on Thursday.
The Las Vegas Street Circuit is something to behold, says Jarrett Baker, Manager of Remote Facilities, ESPN. How often does one of the most iconic tourist destinations in the world pivot to become a Formula 1 circuit?
Inside the F1 Garage: ESPN Right in the Middle of the Action Since ESPN's first U.S.-based F1 event at the inaugural Miami Grand Prix in 2022, the operations team has moved from a full-sized OB and large set in an iconic setting to a nimble Bexel-supplied flypack and compact garage set. According to Baker, this strategy closely aligns to the approach that other rightsholders repeat week after week around the globe.
Jarrett Baker on the frontstretch at the Las Vegas Grand Prix circuit
ESPN has a small crew on site in Las Vegas - with additional production staff back at its Bristol, CT campus - and a purpose-built 12'x12' set inside the garage that provides a 360 view of team hospitality and garage areas.
Our on-site approach for F1 events is much different than other sports, says Baker. One of our primary missions at U.S. races is to add to the world-class coverage of our partners at Sky Sports. And the F1 Garage is the place to be at any Grand Prix - Celebrities and VIPs rub shoulders with drivers, team principals, and engineers and it gets crowded. Our 12' x 12' set is unobtrusive and ensures that our journalists can speak with as many drivers and principals as possible. It's a literal night-and-day difference from how we approach other properties.
A general view of the ESPN cabins in the International TV Compound at the inaugural Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix.
ESPN has a REMI flypack system on site with three PTZ cameras and microphones along with a director and lighting director on site. All cameras and audio are sent back to ESPN Bristol for integration in the program feed. This setup also supports ESPN's shoulder programming, SportsCenter, ESPN Bet, ESPN Deportes, ESPN International, Good Morning America, and ABC News.
ESPN settled on this custom flypack for the U.S. races after testing two mobile unit approaches last year. It's a combination REMI/REMCO model that can be set and struck in about four hours. Three Bristol-controlled Panasonic 150 PTZ cameras and a DANTE audio network are deployed to the set. A Ross Ultrix backbone and Unity Intercom link the compound with Bristol. ESPN has three outbound J2K circuits, multiple IP returns, and access to F1's on-site CATV system.
Chris Watson, director of studio & remote lighting, preps fixtures for use on ESPN's set in the garage area of the inaugural Las Vegas Grand Prix.
Our goal is to seamlessly join the International TV Compound at each US race while providing the best-in-class support our department is known for, says Baker. We deploy that purpose-built set in the F1 Garage and an ENG team with TVU connectivity to enable efficient newsgathering, enhance our social team's reach, and support the company's experiential marketing group.
Good Morning America is also on-site in Las Vegas with a mobile set and three cameras being driven by TVU Networks transmission both inside the racetrack and around Las Vegas.
Navigating the Vegas Strip and Building on Miami According to Jackson, road closures and safety barriers make production operations even more complex on race weekend and with a track the size of Las Vegas, detailed zoned credentials and access passes are required across the Strip. Another major technical challenge for the ops team in Vegas is longer cable runs between the compound and the set.
(Clockwise, from left) ESPN Operations Producer Spencer Chmiel, Director Susan Molinsky, Managing Producer Lori Mancini, and Senior Production
