NEP teams up with WWE for Holiday Troop Tribute

NEP Broadcasting’s International Events
Group (IEG) has teamed up with World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) to
support U.S. Military personnel stationed in Iraq this holiday season.

“A Holiday Tribute to the Troops,” featuring high-profile wrestlers
from WWE’s Raw in matches at Camp Victory in Baghdad, was captured
using NEP’s state-of-the-art technical equipment for broadcast Christmas
night on USA Network. The program, which also highlights handshake
tours undertaken by the wrestlers to remote military locations in Iraq,
will be broadcast internationally throughout December.

Marking its
fourth year in providing the WWE with television broadcast equipment
for “A Holiday Tribute to the Troops” and its sixth year as WWE’s
exclusive hardware equipment and remote facilities provider, NEP worked
with WWE technical personnel in assembling, configuring and packaging
teleproduction equipment from NEP Broadcasting’s Pittsburgh, PA headquarters. Once completed, the equipment was shipped to Iraq via modernized and
flexible fly pack infrastructure. Gear used for the event included:
a Ross Video Synergy 3 with
Warp 3D DVE production switchers; a Pro-Bel
Freeway Router; seven Sony 700 CCU’s; four SONY BVP 950 Hand Held Cameras;
three SONY BVP 900 Hard Cameras; eight SONY A-500 DVW Digital Betacam
recorders and two Soundcraft K3 24-input mixing consoles.

“What’s
nice about our relationship with NEP is that they know our product and
they know our company,” said Mike Grossman, senior vice president
of television operations for WWE. “We tend to require a lot
of flexibility in how we approach things; projects change very quickly
and our needs are sometimes challenging for vendors to meet. NEP
has the resources and the expertise to assist us in successfully broadcasting
our programs to fans across the globe.”

With no on-site
mobile units accessible during the event, it was critical that IEG make
preparations to combat the desert dust, heat and unpredictable weather.
Therefore, rain covers and weatherproof tents were provided to protect
all of the equipment.

“The WWE
is one of the most widely recognized sports entertainment companies
in the world and a key component to its success is the high-quality
production value of its broadcasts,” states Marcy Hohn, vice president,
NEP Supershooters. “As a global network solutions company, NEP’s
long term relationship with the WWE is a result of our ability to provide
state-of-the-art technology and expert support wherever it’s required.”