Sony Pixel Power calrec Sony

NWSL Kickoff 2025: League Operations Team Preps for NEP-Driven Remote Productions for CBS, ESPN, ION, NWSL+

14/03/2025

NWSL Kickoff 2025: League Operations Team Preps for NEP-Driven Remote Productions for CBS, ESPN, ION, NWSL Matches on Amazon and ABC will be produced onsite by the respective team By Kristian Hern ndez, Senior Editor

Friday, March 14, 2025 - 11:09 am

Print This Story | Subscribe

Story Highlights

Storylines abound in the upcoming season of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL), but, behind the scenes, the large wave of broadcasts - linear on CBS Sports Network, ESPN, ESPN2, and the Scripps Sports-operated ION, digital on the league's NWSL direct-to-consumer platform - will be handled internally by the NWSL's operations team. The matches will rely on remote production out of NEP Connected Solutions' facility in South Florida.

This is the eighth year of the NWSL and NEP production relationship, notes Brian Gordon, SVP/executive producer, NWSL. We've worked together to build a production model that can service each of our broadcast-partner requirements, including our own OTT platform. We have weekly meetings and almost daily communications to ensure we're prepared for the upcoming weekend and the entire season.

Florida Connection: League Forms Robust World-Feed Model With NEP Connected Solutions To execute a season's worth of shows, the league and NEP Connected Solutions began plotting out their strategy last September. Responsible for 190 world-feed matches for the league's 14 clubs and more than 60 additional matches for local broadcasters, the NWSL's ops crew needed to make sure that every need is met for all parties involved.

The league worked with NEP South Florida to expand their facilities to accommodate the league's broadcast requirements, says Mike Freedman, VP/executive producer, NEP Connected Solutions. NEP built new control rooms, expanded replay and audio capabilities, and are leveraging the personnel and resources of the entire NEP ecosystem.

For the linear broadcasts, CBS Sports, ESPN, ION will deploy the full remote-production workflow supported by NEP mobile units and the control rooms in South Florida. The schedule comprises 50 matches on ION, 10 matches on CBS Sports Network, nine on ESPN2, and seven on ESPN. CBS and ABC will produce selected matches - 14 and six, respectively - via their respective tech infrastructures onsite at the stadium. Additionally, ION will produce its own studio programming from its facility in Atlanta. The content will be fed into the remote-production pipeline for distribution out of South Florida.

For the digital offering, the remote-production workflow will be implemented for all matches on NWSL and 39 matches on Paramount . Amazon Prime Video will produce its own coverage of its 27-game slate.

On the tech side, games on NWSL will be covered by a standard six-camera complement, and the linear productions will deploy 12 total cameras, including one that's super-slow-motion-capable. Specialty cameras will be implemented for marquee matchups, including the postseason schedule and other special broadcasts. For example, the league deployed a drone for ION's regular-season matchup between the Chicago Red Stars and Bay FC at Wrigley Field.

Second-Year Lessons: Dedicated NWSL and NEP Crews Drive Growth The introduction of the NWSL platform last season provided valuable lessons for both the league and the operations that make these televised matches possible. Not only were more matches available to domestic soccer fans, but fans from outside the U.S. were able to enjoy the games and the league's deep pool of international stars.

We learned our fans are very engaged on NWSL , says Gordon. Thanks to the solid tech provided by Endeavor Streaming, the service performed flawlessly, with fans watching almost 40 minutes per match - a very high engagement rate. We also saw the influx of global superstars - including Barbara Banda from Zambia and Temwa Chawinga from Malawi - which led to high NWSL viewership in those countries.

This increase in viewership, plus the integration of new broadcast partners Amazon Prime Video and ION, has generated immense growth for the preeminent women's professional soccer league. The league's clear vision is a main reason for its success, but the staffers at league operations have made a huge difference, including Senior Director, Production, Meg Buchan and Director, Production, Erin Hurley.

[Meg and Erin] have been doing an outstanding job working with each of our domestic, international, and local broadcast partners to ensure high-quality productions, says Gordon. In addition, the team at NEP South Florida are not a vendor; they are a true partner helping us accomplish our goal of becoming the best sports league in the world.

Operationally, the team at NEP Connected Solutions has provided a huge lift in getting the shows off the ground: President Josh Liemer; Director, Live Events, Steven Kravitz; Director, Remote Operations, George Williams; Director, Operations, Chris Walkley; Producer Erick Falero; and Production/Project Managers Hildelisa Gonzalez and Victor Bague.

We have a large group that is dedicated and passionate about NWSL and their productions, says Freedman. We take pride in our relationship and see it as being part of a family.

NWSL Operations and NEP Connected Solutions will produce five matches this weekend: Houston Dash-Washington Spirit on Friday, March 14 at 8 p.m. ET on NWSL ; Racing Louisville FC-North Carolina Courage at 5 p.m. on NWSL and a doubleheader of Utah Royals FC-Bay FC at 7:30 p.m. and Seattle Reign-Gotham FC at 10 p.m. on ION on Saturday, March 15; and Angel City FC-San Diego Wave FC at 6:50 p.m. ET on ESPN2 on Sunday, March 16. The league will produce the first match on CBS Sports Network in two weeks when Chicago Stars FC faces Racing Louisville FC at 4 p.m. on Sunday, March 30.
LINK: https://www.sportsvideo.org/2025/03/14/nwsl-kickoff-2025-league-operat...
See more stories from svg

Most recent headlines

05/01/2027

Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be demoed at CES 2026

Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...

07/10/2026

Dalet Flex LTS Delivers Smarter Media Operations from Ingest to Distribution

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

Dolby and MagentaTV Bring Fans Closer to the FIFA World Cup 2026 in Germany with Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos

June 9 2026, 23:00 (PDT) Dolby and MagentaTV Bring Fans Closer to the FIFA Worl...

19/08/2026

Imagine Communications Steve Reynolds on Kaseya Centers Hybrid IP Build and the Growth of ST 2110

As the cost of IP nears price parity with traditional SDI, Reynolds argues that ...

19/08/2026

European Athletics Championships 2026: BBC, Event Organizers Bring Birmingham Action to Viewers in Style

A private 5G bubble was chosen instead of traditional broadcast RF for the race ...

19/08/2026

Filipiana Sets the Class Divide on a Golf Course in the Philippines

(L-R) Rafael Manuel and Isabel Sicat attend the Filipi ana premiere during the 2026 Sundance Film Festival at The Ray Theatre on January 23, 2026, in Park Cit...

19/08/2026

MPG launch Save Our Studios survey

Studio owners invited to have their say on rates cuts The Music Producers Guild (MPG) are inviting UK-based studios to take part in an in-depth survey that ...

19/08/2026

Harrison unveil the Flex-10

Vintage-inspired desktop interface revealed Harrison's latest hardware offering sees them head into the world of audio interfaces, delivering a 10-in/12...

19/08/2026

Minimal Audio release Lucid

Granular effect remains locked to scale and tempo Described as your dream granular effect , Minimal Audio's latest creation is capable of turning any s...

19/08/2026

Audio Modeling open PolySWAM pre-orders

First polyphonic SWAM instrument incoming Audio Modeling's latest physical-modelling orchestral instrument is just around the corner, and is now availab...

19/08/2026

FOX and NBCUniversal Score with FIFA World Cup 2026 Success in Nielsen's June Gauge Reports

World Cup Games Generate 84 Billion Minutes Across FOX, Fox Sports 1 and NBCU...

19/08/2026

The Gauge: Poland | July 2026

July brought typical peak-holiday drops in viewership, driven primarily by viewers stepping away from screens and a visible decline in reach across both traditi...

19/08/2026

Carr Calls ABC Suit 'Meritless

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

19/08/2026

Henry Alexander Joins BCE as Sales Director

Henry joins BCE as the company accelerates its commercial strategy and expands its international presence across the media, broadcast and technology markets. He...

19/08/2026

iWedia Announces Advanced Android DRAM Optimisation Proce...

iWedia, a leading provider of software solutions for connected TV devices, today announced a major milestone in Android platform optimization with the successfu...

19/08/2026

NTP Technology announces ST 2110-30-RAVENNA 128-channel A...

NTP Technology announces that ST 2110-30 audio-over-IP connectivity with AES67 and RAVENNA capabilities is now available for the brand's world-class audio i...

19/08/2026

ORF goes full IP with Net Insight in nationwide network o...

Net Insight has been selected to provide its Nimbra platform by the service provider Big Blue Marble, formerly ORS Group, as the core media transport solution f...

19/08/2026

Coventry City Trophy Parade Extends LiveU LIQ Beyond the...

LiveU has supported Coventry City FC and several other top-flight UK football clubs through one of their most demanding live production challenges of the year, ...

19/08/2026

Nature Seekers Documentary Shot with Blackmagic URSA Cine 12K LF

Nature Seekers Documentary Shot with Blackmagic URSA Cine 12K LF Brie Clayton August 18, 2026 0 Comments Filming endangered turtles required camera...

19/08/2026

Neyrinck Brings D-Control Consoles Back to Life on Apple Silicon with D-Control Basic

Neyrinck Brings D-Control Consoles Back to Life on Apple Silicon with D-Control ...

19/08/2026

ABC Files First Amendment Lawsuit Against FCC

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

19/08/2026

Nielsen: Fox and NBCUniversal Score with FIFA World Cup 2026

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

19/08/2026

ESPN Co-Founder Bill Rasmussen Dies At 93

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

19/08/2026

Study: NBA Ad Revenue Hit $2.1 Billion Last Season

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

19/08/2026

Nexstar's WNCN Donates ENG Van for Training

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

19/08/2026

Riedel Brings Professional Live Production Into the Class...

Riedel Communications today announced that Edith Cowan University (ECU) in Perth, Australia, implemented a comprehensive communications infrastructure that brin...

19/08/2026

QuickLink Showcases New 4K Capabilities Across StudioEdge...

QuickLink, a leading provider of award-winning video production and remote guest contribution solutions, will spotlight a major leap forward in remote guest con...

19/08/2026

EMAM together with PlayBox Neo and SNEWS launch combined...

Integrated platform melds media asset management, playout automation and newsroom workflows EMAM, PlayBox Neo and SNEWS have officially launched Nuvex, a conne...

19/08/2026

Screen Australia releases the Private Investment Toolkit to strengthen screen industry financing pathways

Screen Australia releases the Private Investment Toolkit to strengthen screen in...

19/08/2026

Do Aussies truly value local content? Unpacking Screen Currency 2026 with Deirdre Brennan

Do Aussies truly value local content? Unpacking Screen Currency 2026 with Deirdr...

19/08/2026

U&alibi re-commissions Bookish for Christmas Special and Series 3

There's an early Christmas gift for Bookish fans, as UKTV confirms the re-commission of the hit U&alibi drama, created by and starring Mark Gatiss. Viewers ...

19/08/2026

Sky gives sports fans the chance to watch multiple live sports events simultaneously on the big screen for the first time

Wednesday 19 August 2026 Sky gives sports fans the chance to watch multiple liv...

19/08/2026

RT TO AIR HISTORIC KATIE TAYLOR FIGHT IN CROKE PARK

On Saturday September 5 Katie Taylor will step into the ring for the fight of her life against Flora Pili in front of 80,000 fans in Croke Park. A legendary fig...

18/08/2026

SportStream 2026 Virtual Event Set for September 15-17

SportStream 2026, a free three-day virtual event, will take place September 15-17. One registration provides access to all three days of live programming and on...

18/08/2026

IBC 2026: BeckTV to Debut BeckFlow Documentation Platform

BeckTV will introduce BeckFlow to the European market at IBC2026, demonstrated on the Providius stand (10.F53). BeckFlow is a web-based schematic documentation...

18/08/2026

IBC 2026: Boland Communications to Introduce ST 2110 Option for 4K Monitors

Boland Communications will introduce a SMPTE ST 2110 input option for its 4K monitors at IBC2026, along with a new 55-inch super-narrow bezel display for video ...

18/08/2026

Seattle Seahawks Integrate Dolby OptiView with Dolby Vision for Fan Streaming

Dolby Laboratories and the Seattle Seahawks have announced a partnership integrating Dolby OptiView into the Seahawks' live streaming coverage, making the S...

18/08/2026

Insights from BMG's Graham Taylor on the Role of a Sports Producer in Live Broadcast Production

For BMG Executive Producer of Sports Production, Graham Taylor, producing live s...

18/08/2026

TMRW Sports Names Rufus Hack as President of Golf

TMRW Sports has appointed Rufus Hack as President of Golf, a newly created role in which he will lead the company's golf businesses including TGL presented ...

18/08/2026

SMT To Deliver Race Technology for Freedom 250 IndyCar Broadcast

SMT will provide race technology for FOX Sports' coverage of the Freedom 250 Grand Prix of Washington, D.C. on August 23, when the NTT INDYCAR SERIES races ...

18/08/2026

HMA's Creator Collective Pairs Digital Creators, Beat Writers in New Model for Local-Sports Coverage

The live, YouTube-native roundtables combine fan voices, credentialed reporters,...

18/08/2026

Behind The Mic: FOX Sports Shares Broadcast Lineup for 2026 NFL Season and College Football Season

Behind The Mic provides a roundup of recent news regarding on-air talent, includ...

18/08/2026

Miami Heats Ed Filomia on Rebuilding Kaseya Centers Video Infrastructure and 29 Years With the Heat

The industry legend sounds off on replacing the Heat's iconic Medusa score...

18/08/2026

Bill Rasmussen, ESPN Founder and Sports Broadcasting Hall of Famer, Dies at 93

William F. Rasmussen, the sports fan-turned broadcaster and entrepreneur whose out-of-the-box idea of a 24-hour cable sports network, ESPN, changed forever the ...

18/08/2026

DAZN Completes Acquisition of ViewLift

DAZN Group has completed its acquisition of ViewLift, a provider of streaming and digital solutions for sports content owners. The acquisition was first announc...

18/08/2026

American Association of Professional Baseball Adds SI TV as Broadcast Partner

The American Association of Professional Baseball (AAPB) has added SI TV, Sports Illustrated's 24/7 streaming channel, as a broadcast partner for the remain...

18/08/2026

Esports Foundation Postpones Inaugural Esports Nations Cup to November 2027

The Esports Foundation has announced that the inaugural Esports Nations Cup (ENC), originally scheduled for November 2026 in Riyadh, will be postponed to Novemb...

18/08/2026

Diversified Launches Global Managed Services Practice

Diversified has announced a new Global Managed Services Practice, consolidating the company's managed services capabilities into one organization. Rob Mello...

18/08/2026

Appear Completes REMI Proof of Concept with Thoroughbred Racing Productions

Appear has completed a proof of concept with Thoroughbred Racing Productions (TRP), demonstrating multi-camera remote live production over bonded 5G cellular an...