MLS 2021 Preview: Fox Sports, Univision’s TUDN To Deliver Matches Remotely, Deploy Miked-Up Coaches and AR Graphics; ESPN Increases Coverage on ESPN+

ESPN’s MLS coverage will include 32 Spanish-language broadcasts

After an abrupt halt to the MLS’s 25th season, an Orlando-based bubble hosting the MLS Is Back Tournament, and resumption of play that ended in the coronation of the Columbus Crew as champions, Major League Soccer will return to the spotlight this weekend. The three main broadcasters — Fox Sports, Univision, and ESPN — will rely on remote production, technologies like miked-up coaches and AR graphics, and assistance from league and team officials to provide a safe working environment for small onsite crews.

All-In on Remote: Workflows in L.A., Miami Power MLS Productions

Fox Sports and Univision will each have its own set of remote-production workflows for the season’s first couple of weeks. Because the COVID-19 pandemic is still discouraging long-distance travel of a large group of people, only a small crew will be onsite for each broadcaster. For Fox Sports’ “Home Run Production,” control rooms located at the Pico facility in Los Angeles will be the main hub of MLS efforts.

Fox Sports will use control rooms in its Los Angeles facility for Home Run Production of MLS matches.

“First and foremost,” says Zac Kenworthy, lead producer, Fox Soccer, Fox Sports, “we’re still in the mode of protecting our production staff and finding ways within our confines to push the envelope. There are very stringent COVID-19 protocols that affect the number of people we can have down by the field.”

This seems to be the safest, most logical way to begin the new schedule. With continued vaccination efforts signaling the gradual end to the pandemic, the broadcaster’s strategy can be adapted depending on the national number of COVID-19 cases. According to Kenworthy, if the trajectory remains positive, a large-scale onsite operation could commence for high-profile matches.

“We’re pushing towards the backend of the year during that final push in August, September, and October and into the playoffs,” he adds. “We’re going to pick and choose our moments.”

Univision’s TUDN, the Spanish-language destination for MLS supporters in the U.S., will follow the same production model. Continuing down the remote-workflow path the broadcaster blazed six years ago, crews of 14-15 individuals will be centralized in its Miami facility to handle the season’s 25+ matches across multiple platforms. The crews —TDs, directors, EVS replay operators, audio technicians — will be situated not only in traditional control rooms but also in conference rooms that the network transformed into working spaces at the beginning of the pandemic.

“We are going to implement the same concept of remote productions,” says Miguel Angel Garcia, SVP, live events, TUDN. “This works for us and also helps us a lot with identifying our team of freelancers that are going to be on location.”

Unique Techniques: Real-Time Interviews, AR Promise Different Fan Experience

A new season on the pitch means the return of breathtaking technologies. Augmented reality, for example, has taken the soccer world by storm in recent years. Univision has been devoted to bringing a new-age graphics package to life on all of its soccer properties, both in Liga MX in Mexico and throughout its coverage of MLS. AR, especially the broadcaster’s “teleportation” concept, will continue to be a staple of studio programming that airs before, during, and after each contest.

Univision’s Miami facility will be at the center of its remote productions for the MLS season.

“[AR graphics will] be a part of our look and feel within the studio,” says Garcia, “and we’ll continue to use teleportation a lot more. We’re getting better by adding two or three cameras, [which will] be used throughout the full broadcast.”

Matches on TUDN will leverage a total of 12 cameras, headlined by a Pico robotic camera with super-slow-motion capability behind the net. The combination of double-digit cameras and AR implementation is a sign of Univision’s commitment to the game and to giving fans a high-quality product.

“A lot of broadcasters are scaling back,” says Garcia, “but our plan is going to be very solid. We definitely want to maintain our consistency.”

Fox Sports will roll with seven manned camera positions at each game, including an aerial camera system for the first match at Banc of California Stadium in Los Angeles. This complement will capture the action on the pitch and also help implement an innovation that provided extra insight into tactics during the MLS Is Back Tournament: real-time interviews with miked-up coaches. For interviews normally reserved for stoppages in play, head coaches will don headsets during the course of the game to provide additional context on the team’s mentality and major moments of the match. Fox will position the equipment on the other side of the pitch to present a clear shot of the participating coach.

“I think [these interviews] bring a level of unpredictability and excitement to the fan at home,” says Kenworthy. “It’ll give us a really cool look with the players in front of the coaches while we’re talking to them.”

Another deployment that has caught the attention of sports fans has been the Megalodon, the live mirrorless camera system that has been used on the network’s NFL, MLB, NASCAR, and college-basketball properties. Coverage of Liga MX is the most recent use of the technology. Without sideline access because of COVID protocols, the Megalodon will not be featured at the beginning of the MLS season, but, if conditions improve, it’ll be one of the first upgrades to the broadcast.

“We want to be really bullish in that area,” says Kenworthy. “We have some intriguing matches in the month of August, and that’s when I’m looking to add elements like Megalodon. Hopefully, we’re in a position where the [pandemic-related] tiered structure is opened up a little bit, and we can get more people closer to field level.”

On the audio side of the operation, Fox Sports will bring natural sounds of the crowd to fans watching at home. A crowd limited to 4,900 fans will be permitted at Austin FC’s inaugural match in the league vs. LAFC on Sunday, April 17. Even with a small crowd, Kenworthy and company are strategically placing microphones in certain places to get the most out of the in-venue energy and atmosphere.

“We’re rethinking our onsite-audio configuration,” he adds. “We want to make sure our mics are positioned so that fans at home can not only see supporters in the stands but also hear them.”

Safety Onsite: MLS, Franchises Establish Effective COVID-19 Protocols

Although each broadcaster’s onsite presence is significantly smaller than usual, both entities rely on league guidance. In a year with so much uncertainty, MLS has worked diligently on a rock-solid plan for technicians and operators doing their job in the television compound and inside the stadium.

Audio mixing will bring the sounds of the crowd and the pitch to fans watching at home.

“I can’t say enough about how well the league has done,” says Kenworthy. “The workflow has been excellent, but we’re constantly tweaking and reassessing things as guidelines continue to change.”

Some states are abiding by a different set of pandemic-related rules from others’. While adhering to the guidelines penned by the league, Fox Sports and Univision are also working closely with the respective clubs. Communication between all involved parties has been key but has allowed productions to be streamlined and has been pushed to maximum potential.

“The teams have been heavily involved to let us know exactly what the requirements are at each venue,” says Garcia. “Ultimately, it’s about taking care of everybody that’s onsite and working within the three tiers.”

ESPN’s Expanded Coverage: Schedule Includes Matches on ESPN+, ABC

After a stellar run of presentations of last summer’s MLS Is Back Tournament, ESPN will be back in the thick of the MLS season. Anchoring the bulk of the broadcaster’s top-tier coverage for the second consecutive year, ABC will be involved during the league’s opening weekend as well as the 2021 MLS Cup on Saturday, Dec. 11 at 3 p.m. ET. In the regular season, a total of five games will be highlighted on ABC, including a doubleheader on Sunday, May 9 featuring Inter Miami–Atlanta United at 1 p.m. and Portland Timbers–Seattle Sounders at 3 p.m., a West Coast battle between the Timbers and L.A. Galaxy on Sunday, May 22 at 3:30 p.m., and a showdown between Atlanta United and Columbus Crew on Saturday, July 24 at 3:30 p.m.

Along with ABC, ESPN and ESPN2 will carry matches: 26 on the former, one on the latter (New England Revolution vs. Columbus Crew on Sunday, May 16 at 6 p.m.). One of the more notable matchups that many fans have circled will be a rematch between the Revolution and Crew at the New Crew Stadium on Saturday, July 3 at 5 p.m.

ESPN will once again offer Spanish-language telecasts of 32 regular-season MLS matches in 2021, as well as the MLS playoffs and MLS Cup. On the streaming side, ESPN+ will support the network’s bevy of matches with up to 350 out-of-market live streams. MLS Live on ESPN+ will be a go-to platform this weekend, including six matches on the second day of the season.

Major Storylines: Inaugural Campaign of Austin FC, Three New Venues

Whether it’s a brand-new franchise in the Lone Star State or a trio of new edifices (Q2 Stadium in Austin, West End Stadium in Cincinnati, and one for the Columbus Crew in Ohio) across the country, the league’s 26th season is loaded with storylines from all angles. Fox Sports will get first crack at a handful of special moments, including FC Cincinnati’s first match in their new stadium vs. Inter Miami on Sunday, May 16, and these instances have the broadcaster eager to get started.

“When you look through the calendar, there are all of these incredible games that will add a little something extra,” notes Kenworthy. “We want to continue to grow this league and work as close as possible with MLS to be a service to the viewer at home.”

Univision will be at the center of history as well when Austin FC opens the doors to Q2 Stadium vs. the San Jose Earthquakes on Saturday, June 19. Aside from this important match, the broadcaster’s crew is inspired by bringing the game to fans amid the pandemic. It has been a difficult year, but providing comprehensive coverage of competitions played in home markets is another step towards the return to normalcy.

“We have the responsibility of making sure that the fans are getting the best experience not only at the venue but also at home,” says Garcia. “It’s going to be great for everyone.”

Fox Sports will open the season tonight with the Seattle Sounders and Minnesota United FC at 9:30 p.m. ET on FS1 and Fox Deportes. Univision’s 2021 schedule will kick off tomorrow with Orlando City SC vs. Atlanta United at 3 p.m. on UniMás and TUDN. ESPN’s soccer schedule gets  under way Sunday with Inter Miami and LA Galaxy at 3 p.m. on ABC and ESPN Deportes.