Game Creek Video Liberty Trailer Lost in Fire; Identical Replacement Unit Due by Sept. 1

By Ken Kerschbaumer

The trailer of Game Creek Video’s Liberty HD production unit, which was scheduled to be used by ESPN for NBA Western Conference Finals and NBA Finals coverage as well as college football, suffered serious damage during a fire on Wednesday night that began in a wheel well while the truck was on Interstate 20 outside of Longview, TX. “The important thing is nobody was hurt so we’ll move on and have already placed an order for a new trailer that we intend to have on the road by September,” says Pat Sullivan, Game Creek president. “It will be identical to Liberty.”

Chris Calcinari, ESPN VP of event operations for both U.S. and international events, says ESPN’s goal is continue working with Game Creek for the events Liberty was scheduled to work on. “We have a great relationship with Pat and Game Creek,” he adds. Sullivan says Game Creek is making either its Freedom production unit or the Fox truck available for NBA coverage.

On Wednesday night, the truck was traveling from Dallas, where it was used for an NBA game, and was heading to New Orleans when the fire began. When the fire began, the tractor was separated from the trailer, allowing it to escape damage, but windy conditions made it impossible to completely suppress the fire with extinguishers.

“The first calls after the fire came from our competitors, offering whatever they can to help,” says Sullivan. “Then, it was the customers offering to help. We have a lot to be thankful for.”