MLB All-Star Wrap-Up: Despite Clearance Challenges, AVS Delivers Aerial Shots for Fox, ESPN, and MLB Network

Aerial Video Systems (AVS) was on hand at Washington’s Nationals Park this week providing aerial coverage from a fixed-wing plane for the MLB All-Star Festivities. Obtaining clearance for an aerial in one of the most protected cities in the world is always a challenge, but AVS’s long track record of aerial jobs there helped pave the way for the company’s role at All-Star.

“It is not easy getting a waiver in DC,” says Argyle Nelson, GM, AVS. “Since we fly for Thursday Night Football, Sunday Night Football, and Monday Night Football and have been overhead at Nationals Park in the past, the TSA and FAA know us well and have been most supportive of our efforts.”

Covering MLB All-Star for Fox Sports, ESPN, and MLB Network was AVS’s OB-1, a Partenavia P-68 airplane with bomb-bay doors that enabled the team to deploy and retract the gyro-stabilized camera system.

AVS was in the air on July 16 providing aerial coverage of All-Star Media Day for Fox (2:30-5 p.m. ET) and the Home Run Derby for ESPN (6:30-10:30 p.m.). It took the skies again on July 17 for MLB Network’s Red Carpet Show (1-3:30 p.m.) and Fox’s All-Star Game telecast (6:30-10:30 p.m.).

“The biggest challenge of the MLB All-Star game is having to serve three masters,” notes Nelson, “and making sure we deliver the desired aerial coverage to each.”

For more of SVG’s on-site coverage from Washington D.C., visit the SportsTechLive Blog: On Site at MLB All-Star 2018.