SVG Summit Preview: General Sessions Offer Perspectives From Top Leaders, Latest Tech Innovations

It’s been two years since the sports production community has come together in New York City for the SVG Summit. And, with that in mind, there’s plenty of exciting general sessions on the main stage on both Dec. 13 and 14 designed to provide a wide-ranging overview of the entire sports production ecosystem – from leagues, to digital leaders, to production service providers, national networks, regional networks, streaming outlets, and more.

In addition, The 2021 SVG Summit will feature something new this year: a “Hot Tech Showcase” on the main stage on the afternoon of Dec. 13 that will shine a spotlight five key product areas: 5G as a production tool; HDR workflows; Shallow Depth of Field camera systems; Augmented Reality Graphic Systems; and Drones and Aerial Cameras.

For more information and to register today click here.

COMPLETE SCHEDULE FOR DAY 1

1:30-2:00: 5G as a Production Tool
5G is one of the most promising technologies when it comes to delivering a new level of performance for untethered video workflows and sports operations. Learn more about how the technology is being deployed and what it means for your future.
Confirmed Panelists:
Steve Hellmuth,
NBA Entertainment, EVP, Media Operations and Technology
Tim Stevens, Verizon Business Group, Global Leader, Strategic Innovation for Sports, Media & Entertainment

2:00-2:15: EVS Technology Case Study: Navigating the Path from SDI to IP with Groupe TVA and EVS
In this session, Nestor Amaya, VP Solutions Architect at EVS, discusses Groupe TVA’s ventures as they set out on a journey to build the right type of infrastructure that would suit their production needs and business ambitions. Rather than investing further in SDI technology, TVA chose to transition to an IP-based infrastructure that would lead them to evolve and scale. Nestor explains the pros and cons of managing and orchestrating IP signals, the associated challenges, and provides insights into how Groupe TVA managed to get onto a successful growth path to IP.
Presenter: Nestor Amaya, EVS, VP, Solutions Architect

2:15-3:00: Hot Tech Showcase: Shallow Depth of Field Cameras
Shallow-depth-of-field camera systems have been all the rage in a wide range of sports productions. Learn what systems each network is using, how to get the most out of them, and what’s next technology-wise.
Moderator: Andrea Berry, Telemundo Enterprises, EVP, Operations and Technology
Confirmed Panelists:
Jason Cohen,
CBS Sports and CBS Sports Network, VP, Remote Technical Operations
Thomas Fletcher, Fujifilm, Director of Marketing
Rob Willox, Sony, Director, Marketing, Imaging Products & Solutions

3:00-4:00: Networking Break in Exhibit Area

4:00-4:30: Hot Tech Showcase: Drones and Aerial Cameras
The pandemic removed the crowds and opened up a whole new world of aerial camera options. We’ll discuss what kind of drones and aerial camera systems have made a difference and how they are being used now that fans have returned.
Confirmed Panelists:
Brad Cheney, Fox Sports, VP, Field Operations and Engineering
Josh Stoner, Canon, Senior Specialist, Product, ITCG ISB Product Management Division

4:30-5:00: Augmented Reality Graphics
Augmented reality is giving sports productions a completely new look and delivering sports data and statistics in more compelling ways. We’ll take a look at AR, the technology that drives it, and how you can apply it to your show in an effective manner.
Moderator: Tom Sahara, Quintar, SVP, Production Technology
Confirmed Panelists:
Bryan Bray, Ross Video, RSVP Project Manager
Simon Davis, disguise, Project Manager, Broadcast
Craig Laliberte, Unreal Engine, Senior Business Development Manager
Andrew Lorenz, SMT, Director, Business Development and Technical Integration

5:00-5:30: HDR Workflows and Developments
Join us for a super-quick primer about HDR and the key concepts you need to understand to make UHD a reality in your productions. What is a LUT and how do you find the right one for your needs? How do you simultaneously produce a show for HDR and SDR viewers? And how does it change the production workflow?
Confirmed Panelists:
Michael Drazin,
NBC, Director, Production and Technology Engineer
Alan Stein, InterDigital, VP of Technology

COMPLETE SCHEDULE FOR DAY 2

8:30 – 9:30 a.m.: Networking Breakfast in Exhibit Area

9:30 – 9:35 a.m.: Welcoming Remarks by SVG Summit Title Sponsor – Unreal Engine
Presented by: Bernt Johannessen, Unreal Engine, Industry Manager

9:35 – 10:15 a.m.: State of the Industry
It’s been two difficult years since SVG members and sponsors came together for our annual SVG Summit. Leaders from the sports production community discuss how the pandemic has changed sports production, what it will take to recover economically, and much more.
Moderator: Ken Kerschbaumer, SVG, Co-Executive Director, Editorial
Confirmed Panelists:
Bob Carzoli, Program Productions, Chairman and CEO
Mike Davies, Fox Sports, SVP, Technical and Field Operations; SVG Chairman
Josh Stinehour, Devoncroft Partners, Principal Analyst

10:15 – 10:30 a.m.: Spectra Logic Technology Case Study: The Challenges and Future of Distributed Multi-Cloud Content Management
As organizations look to efficiently use data and accelerate workflows to support continuous production, strategies for data management include consolidation of operations across sites and clouds. Universal data access and intelligent data placement allow for seamless workflows no matter the type of storage, location of the user, data, or applications’ servers. Spectra Logic will provide insights on distributed multi-cloud data management and how it drives monetization of your content.
Presenters:
David Feller, Spectra Logic, VP of Product Management and Solutions Engineering
Hossein ZiaShakeri, Spectra Logic, Senior VP of Business Development and Strategic Alliances

10:30 – 11:15 a.m.: National Network Perspectives
The national networks were a bastion of innovation during the pandemic. Top executives from the national networks discuss their accomplishments, challenges, and look forward to what promises to be a very busy 2022.
Moderator: Ken Kerschbaumer, SVG, Co-Executive Director, Editorial
Confirmed Panelists:
Mike Davies, Fox Sports, SVP, Technical and Field Operations; SVG Chairman
Patty Power, CBS Sports, EVP, Operations and Engineering

11:15 – 11:30 a.m.: Imagine Communications Technology Case Study: The Warriors and Imagine Live from New York
Chase Center, the SMPTE ST 2110 home of the Golden State Warriors, has been host to creative productions since 2019. Following the virtual sessions over the past two years, The Warriors are hitting the road to host live Q&A at SVG NY 2021. Scott Heitman, Director, Scoreboard Operations – Golden State Warriors, and John Mailhot, CTO Networking & Infrastructure, Imagine Communications, discuss IP connectivity and how to future proof your venue with SMPTE ST 2110.
Moderator: Brian Beckwith, Imagine Communications, Senior Solutions Engineer
Confirmed Presenters:
Scott Heitman, Golden State Warriors, Director, Scoreboard Operations
John Mailhot, Imagine Communications, CTO, Networking and Infrastructure

11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.: Networking Break in Exhibit Area

1:00 – 1:45 p.m.: Regional Network Perspectives
When the national leagues shut down, it was the regional networks, their production partners, and their employees and freelancers who suffered the most. They also had to come up with new ways of working, deal with carriage issues, and embrace new ways of keeping connected.
Moderator: Jason Dachman, SVG, Chief Editor
Confirmed Panelists:
John J. Filippelli, The YES Network, President, Production & Programming; Executive Producer
Mike Connelly, Bally Sports, SVP and Executive Producer
John Slobotkin, NBC Sports Regional Networks, SVP, Content and Live Programming ·

1:45 – 2:00 p.m.: Diversified Technology Case Study

2:00 – 2:40 p.m.: Digital Leader Perspectives
OTT, D2C, and social media is transforming the nature of sports content delivery. What is the ripple effect on the content creation side? How are leagues, teams, and broadcasters taking advantage of the digital landscape to give new life to content that otherwise would have gone unseen?
Moderator: Brandon Costa, SVG, Director of Digital
Confirmed Panelists:
Ben Berchuck, Facebook, Sports Programming and Partnerships
John Lasker, ESPN, VP of Digital Programming

2:40 – 2:50 p.m.: Networking Break in Exhibit Area 

2:50 – 3:30 p.m.: League Perspectives
The pandemic had a big impact on how leagues approach content creation and delivery. World feeds became a necessity. Apps and digital experiences gave them reach to nearly every corner of the world. And they all continue to look to broadcasters to help their brand look as great as it can in terms of image quality, sound quality, and more. Leaders from sports leagues discuss top trends and challenges as they look to build new audiences.
Moderator: Kristian Hernandez, SVG, Associate Editor and Social Media Manager
Confirmed Panelists:
Paul Benedict, NBA, VP, Broadcasting Content Management
Greg Hopfe, PGA TOUR Entertainment, VP and Executive Producer

3:30 – 4:15 p.m.: Production Service Perspectives
The production services industry, whether they are providing technical facilities or personnel, are more than familiar with responding to changing market conditions. But 2020 and 2021 took things to a new level and with challenges that were beyond tricky to navigate. Leaders from the sports production services community take to the stage to discuss the current market conditions and where they are heading in the future.
Moderator: Ken Kerschbaumer, SVG, Co-Executive Director, Editorial
Confirmed Panelists:
Nick Garvin, Mobile TV Group, COO
Hamish Greig, CTV, CEO
Mike Werteen, NEP Broadcast Services, President

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