NBA Season Preview: ESPN Continues To Cultivate GREMI' Hybrid At-Home Production ESPN graphics, replay operators will be located at Bristol HQ for NBA game productions By Jason Dachman, Chief Editor
Wednesday, October 18, 2017 - 12:20 pm
Print This Story
Story Highlights
ESPN returns to the NBA hardcourt tonight for the tipoff of its 2017-18 season. The broadcaster will continue to push the envelope technologically, deploying high-end tools like the Sony HDC-4800 ultra-slo-mo camera on game coverage and expanding its use of the GREMI (graphics remote integration) hybrid at-home-production workflow first deployed by ESPN's MLB and NBA Summer League production teams. The GREMI model allows graphics and some replay operators to be located at its broadcast center in Bristol, CT.
We are constantly evolving at ESPN with our production workflows. and the GREMI workflow is part of that evolution, says Wendell Grigely, senior director of event operations, ESPN. NBA is now going to be able to take advantage of that new technology. Obviously, that means [that] a lot more coordination has to happen with our truck setups, but I think, sport by sport, we're changing and evolving these workflows. It's exciting to be at the front end of this and see how you can get the same results by doing something a little bit differently.
Inside the GREMI Model
For NBA coverage, the Vizrt graphics unit will be located in the mobile unit onsite but controlled by an operator in Bristol. In addition, two or more EVS replay systems will be controlled in Bristol - although the lead EVS operators will still be in the truck. The operators at home and the production team in the truck are tied together via an IP Unity comms network.
The way we look at this is, the plant in Bristol essentially becomes a B unit for us to support our graphics operation and part of our replay operation, Grigely explains. With the comms network, everyone is speaking to each other so it appears that these operators could be in a B unit parked right next to your truck in the compound.
ESPN plans to deploy the GREMI workflow across all its NBA productions this season. The number of EVS replay operators in Bristol will vary depending on the profile of the game.
It does get a little complicated in the field for our tech specialists, EICs, and operations people since we're now connecting 14 different transmission paths back to Bristol from the truck, says Grigely, but we are lucky to have a great team managing this.
Having seen the GREMI model in action, ESPN Senior Coordinating Producer Tim Corrigan believes the GREMI workflow will have no major impact on the way the production team operates.
We're going to be using our facilities in Bristol more than we ever have and in a really exciting way, he says. It's actually a natural progression, but one that's taken a little while to figure out. It makes so much sense to start using some of the resources we have at this amazing facility in Connecticut because of the way we're able to tie things together and communicate seamlessly between [Bristol] and any of our remotes anywhere.
Plenty of Production Firepower Throughout the Season
ESPN will continue to build on the production complement, workflows, and design look that it has created in recent years for its NBA coverage.
On average, ESPN's NBA regular-season coverage will feature eight to 12 cameras and as many as 15-16 (primarily additional high-speed systems) for high-profile regular-season games like the NBA Saturday Primetime series.
Most notably, the Sony HDC-4800 ultra-slo-mo camera system, which was reserved for NBA Playoffs/Finals and a handful of regular-season games last year, will be part of the standard complement on the majority of ESPN A games and ABC Saturday Primetime games. ESPN will also continue to deploy Grass Valley LDX C86 high-speed robotic box cameras in above-the-rim and below-the-rim positions on these high-profile games.
NEP and Game Creek Video are once again providing trucks for ESPN's NBA productions throughout the season. EVS complements on these trucks will fluctuate between four and seven on average regular-season games and as many as nine for ABC games.
Equipment-wise, we're pretty consistent with where we've been the last few years on the NBA with camera and EVS counts, but, like everybody, we're always looking for more super-slo-mos, bigger lenses, and things like that. The way people watch sports now - whether it's on their phone or on their television at home - those are the images that always resonate. So we're always on the look for new, exciting tools.
ESPN will continue to produce its signature Mic'ed Up segments, outfitting players and coaches during games to capture unique audio from the court.
After launching a brand-new animation and insert package last year, Corrigan says, ESPN has gone back and looked at some of the key elements to fine-tune them, but we're really excited about the branding we came up with last year and how that will ultimately move forward this season.
As usual, the heart of ESPN's NBA season kicks into gear on Christmas Day, when the network produces four marquee games. Grigely expects these productions to once again feature a playoffs-level complement, with 20-plus cameras and 10-plus EVS replay systems.
I think Christmas Day is such a big day for the NBA and for ESPN because it defines the season getting into full swing, he says. Technically speaking, we're going to use every asset that we can to make the games look and sound great.
Summer Nights: Summer League Is a Tech-Testing Ground
In addition to using the Summer League to test out its GREMI workflow, ESPN also experimented with a rail-cam system with the hope of integrating it into NBA coverage down the ro
Most recent headlines
11/12/2025
Dalet, a leading provider of cloud-native, end-to-end media workflow solutions, ...
28/11/2025
Nadia Fall attends the 2025 Sundance Film Festival premiere of Brides at the Egyptian Theatre on January 24, 2025, in Park City, Utah. (Photo by Donyale West/...
28/11/2025
It's easy to ignore those little red update available badges. But when it ...
28/11/2025
WASHINGTON Federal Communications Commission has released a tentative agenda for the December Open Commission Meeting scheduled for Thursday, December 18, 2025 ...
28/11/2025
The Professional Fighters League is looking to super-serve fans of mixed martial...
28/11/2025
Fubo has released in beta on select Roku devices a new feature that lets users display up to four simultaneous streams at once....
28/11/2025
The WNBA playoffs and Week 4 of the NFL regular season highlight the list of live sports events airing on television this weekend....
28/11/2025
The 32nd class of honorees to the B+C Hall of Fame took to the stage at New York's Ziegfeld Ballroom on September 26 for a gala induction event. Click below...
28/11/2025
We hold in our hands the very last Next Text for Next TV, the weekly back-and-fo...
28/11/2025
DirecTV said it made a deal with EchoStar to buy EchoStar's video businesses, including satellite-TV provider Dish TV and virtual MVPD Sling TV, for $1 plus...
28/11/2025
The Broadcasting+Cable Hall of Fame, the premier industry event paying tribute to the influencers, innovators and shining lights of broadcast, cable and streami...
28/11/2025
Friday 28 November 2025
Sky Sports x Slawn drop limited-edition football jersey...
28/11/2025
Rohde & Schwarz shows resilience in a challenging environment, revenue exceeds t...
28/11/2025
Unwrapped: The Toy Show Appeal - airing this Sunday on RT One and RT Player- s...
27/11/2025
LONDON Vizrt has added several AI-driven advanced features offering improved speed, intelligence and accuracy in the newest version of its media asset managemen...
27/11/2025
Prime Video has launched AI-powered video season recaps in a beta version for select English-language Prime Original series in the U.S., a move Amazon is callin...
27/11/2025
Back to All News
Netflix's Raat Akeli Hai: The Bansal Murders Marks a Grand...
27/11/2025
27 Nov 2025
GSMA brings M360 Eurasia 2026 to Samarkand in partnership with VEON...
27/11/2025
Tahar Rahim and Izuka Hoyle star in the gripping six-part Sky Original from Acad...
27/11/2025
Thursday 27 November 2025
Sky Arts Reveals the Nation's Greatest Basslines - and Queen Reign Supreme
The UK's most iconic basslines have been revealed...
27/11/2025
Back to All News
Stranger Things 5': Prepare for One Last Adventure With O...
27/11/2025
The media industry has a paradox at its core. It's an industry built on light, color and imagination, yet behind the scenes, it's powered by one of the ...
27/11/2025
Rating reflects rating progress across areas including policies, diversity & inclusion, health & safety and Net Zero leadership
Winchester, UK, 27 November 202...
27/11/2025
What are the industry standards for Retail Media? Kathryn explains that certification is based on the IAB Europe Retail Media Measurement Standards and the IAB ...
27/11/2025
World champion boxer and Irish sporting icon Katie Taylor will be in studio this...
27/11/2025
Roblox, one of the world's most popular online gaming platforms for primary ...
27/11/2025
Black Friday is leveling up. Get ready to score one of the biggest deals of the season - 50% off the first three months of a new GeForce NOW Ultimate membership...
26/11/2025
SVG Sit-Down: Prime Video EP Mike Muriano Previews Massive Black Friday Slate Fe...
26/11/2025
A cinematic snow sculpture at the 1995 Sundance Film Festival. Photo by Randall Michelson...
26/11/2025
Book podcasts are booming. On Spotify, you'll find everything from celebrity book clubs to deep dives with bestselling authors. And in markets where audiobo...
26/11/2025
Mumbai, November 24, 2025: In a first-of-its-kind initiative, JioStar, in collab...
26/11/2025
LONDON Factual content producer ITN Productions has launched a new low-latency IP gallery for news bulletins....
26/11/2025
MIAMI TelevisaUnivision said it struck a new multiyear distribution agreement with YouTube TV that includes distribution of TelevisaUnivision's U.S. network...
26/11/2025
OpenDrives, Inc., a leader in software-defined data storage and data services, today announced the launch of the Atlas Corporate Creative Solution. This new Atl...
26/11/2025
Disguise, the industry-leading company powering the world's biggest live performances, is partnering with pioneering LED wall manufacturer DVS to give atten...
26/11/2025
HighField AI, the pioneer in agentic and multimodal automation for broadcast and media production, today announced the expansion of its global channel partner n...
26/11/2025
As high-stakes Premier League fixtures approach and additional premium content launches, with MONO positioning themselves to dominate Thailand's sports stre...
26/11/2025
Hosting a wide variety of events from high-intensity NHL games to complex live music concerts and major entertainment productions, Montreal's 21,000 capacit...
26/11/2025
Vizrt, the leader in live production technology revolutionizing viewer engagement and experience, releases AI-driven advances focusing on speed, intelligence, a...
26/11/2025
ITN Productions, an award-winning factual content producer, today launched a new low-latency IP gallery for news bulletins. Responsible for delivering a leading...
26/11/2025
Ikegami reports ongoing advances throughout 2025 in developing and delivering coordinated television production solutions that maximize quality, versatility and...
26/11/2025
Following the Nov. 21 blackout of NBCUniversal channels on Fubo, the two sides have traded barbs about their inability to reach a new carriage deal....
26/11/2025
LONDON As TV sports rights become increasingly important for both broadcasters and streamers, Ampere Analysis predicts global investment in the genre will surpa...
26/11/2025
LOS ANGELES Vubiquity said it has achieved the Amazon Web Services (AWS) Media & Entertainment Competency as part of the AWS Partner Network (APN). This designa...
26/11/2025
WASHINGTON The Federal Communications Commission's Enforcement Bureau said it has entered into a consent decree with Comcast calling for the cable company t...
26/11/2025
Berklee Named to the Hollywood Reporters Top Music Schools List The publication highlights the college's screen scoring program, industry partnerships, and ...
26/11/2025
Back to All News
Animated Series Love Through a Prism' Casts New Light on ...
26/11/2025
Back to All News
NALIP Unveils Fifth Cohort of Director Incubator
Social Impact
26 November 2025
United States
Link copied to clipboard
The National Assoc...
26/11/2025
YouView Achieves Greenly Gold Certification for SustainabilityNov 26, 2025
YouView is proud to announce a Gold Certification award from Greenly for our perform...
NBA Season Preview: ESPN Continues To Cultivate GREMI' Hybrid At-Home Production ESPN graphics, replay operators will be located at Bristol HQ for NBA game productions By Jason Dachman, Chief Editor 
