Live From NFL Draft 2023: Bleacher Report Remotely Integrates NFL Players, Adds Sony PTZs for B/R Gridiron Draft Night

All 30 fanbases within the National Football League eagerly await one of the biggest events of the preseason: Draft Night. As ESPN covers the main linear broadcast of this year’s festivities in Kansas City, digital-native fans can tune into Bleacher Report’s B/R Gridiron Draft Night live stream. Leveraging new equipment in a one-year-old studio and a top-class lineup of talent and NFL stars, the offering will provide viewers real-time, raw conversation as the picks are made.

“We’ve been slowly moving in a minimalist direction by taking the production personnel out of the studio,” says Jaime Kiley, lead director, Bleacher Report. “We want our talent to lead the show so that the conversations feel less produced and there’s direct engagement with the fans.”

Stars From Afar: A.J. Brown, Kirk Cousins, Calais Campbell To Contribute Remotely

Adding to the credibility of the broadcast and analysis, this year’s coverage will bring in four notable current players: Dallas Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons, Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins, Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown, and Atlanta Falcons defensive end Calais Campbell. The two defensive players and two offensive players promise a wealth of differing insights and opinions.

Atlanta Falcons Calais Campbell, Philadelphia Eagles A.J. Brown, and Minnesota Vikings’ Kirk Cousins will be remote, and Dallas Cowboys’ Micah Parsons will be in the studio.

“They were targeted for their [on-field] prowess and the energy they bring to a broadcast,” says Kiley, “but it’s important to have a perspective from the players when you get to Days 2 and 3 in the Draft. Explaining the skillset of each position is very different, so we want to make sure that our coverage is tapping into the nuances and specificities of those areas.”

Parsons will be in the New York City-based studio with host Adam Lefkoe and college-football analysts Mike Renner and Michael Felder, but the operations crew — anchored by Senior Director, Video Production and Technology, Stephen Pellegrino and Senior Manager, Video Technical Operations, Mark Steinmetz — will integrate Brown, Cousins, and Campbell into the broadcast from their respective cities. Thanks to workflows birthed during the COVID-19 pandemic for the 2020 NFL Draft, fostered for the 2021 NFL Draft, and continued last year, the remote contributors will be seen via a local live-to-air system.

The studio has been outfitted with numerous Sony BRC-H800 PTZ cameras and features Ross Video equipment, including a Carbonite production switcher, XPression graphics, Mira replay, and Tria production server. The improved space will merge in-house gear with remote solutions.

Replicating the Chaos: Technical Rehearsals Prep the Crew for Draft Night

Prior to the three-day-long effort, on-air talent and the production crew have gone through extensive dress rehearsals. With an event that has no set script, last-minute changes require split-second decisions.

“When we talk about engaging with the fans and reacting to the Draft, we want our production to be authentic,” adds Kiley, “but we also need to check all of our technical assets that we’re going to use. We’re doing mock Drafts by having someone on our staff call picks out in real time, playing the corresponding footage that we plan on rolling in and acting out trades and other fire-drill scenarios.”

An intimate studio in New York City is part of an effort to enhance fan engagement with B/R Gridiron Draft Night live stream.

Luckily, Kiley has experience with such efforts, having worked with the New York Giants and their NFL Draft productions for 16 years. In addition, the formula that has made this Bleacher Report initiative a success will be paramount.

“One of the things that’s exciting about B/R’s coverage is creating something that’s unique,” he explains. “A lot of the people that work here are members of the greater NFL community, so they’ll get alerts for the teams that they enjoy watching and I’ll watch the content we produce. Our shows have become organic because of it.”

Focus on Engagement: Team-Centric Live Streams Bring in the Voice of the Fan

Besides providing in-depth analysis of drafted players along with the banter, the production will dip into team-specific content generated throughout the night. With dedicated avenues for all franchises within the B/R Gridiron vertical, certain teams’ live streams will be shown during their respective picks. For example, as the New York Giants’ No. 25 overall pick is selected, the crew will either show the live stream hosted by Talkin’ Giants Justin Penik and Bobby Skinner or direct fans to watch it themselves.

New Sony BRC-H800 PTZs will be the main camera for the live stream.

“When the clock runs down and a pick is made,” adds Kiley, “there’s going to be an instant reaction. Parts of our show will bring these live streams into the conversations directly and graphically.”

As with other Bleacher Report live streams, social-media posts will be folded in as well. That and the smaller, more intimate studio will help make the on-air personalities more relatable.

“Making sure the fans have more of a voice through elements like the live chat has always been our goal,” notes Kiley, “but, [with the progression from] a big studio to where we are now, we want our viewers to feel like they’re in the room with the talent. As a production staff, we’re going to get out of the way and let [Lefkoe and company] have some fun.”

A Growing Vertical: The Effort Toward Increased Success for B/R Gridiron

Bleacher Report’s NFL outlet, B/R Gridiron, has gained substantial steam in the sports-media landscape. According to Bleacher Report, 2022 NFL Draft coverage experienced a 5X jump in in-app comments and 5 million engagements on B/R Gridiron, a 14% increase year-over-year. Becoming the premier destination for mobile and on-the-go information as well as cornering the market in second-screen experiences, the NFL Draft special has been bolstered by Lefkoe’s expertise and personality. Hosting his 10th B/R Gridiron Draft Night, Lefkoe continues to impress with his balance of seriousness and silliness.

“I’m a huge fan of Adam,” says Kiley, “and it has been a pleasure to work with him. Bringing 10 years of experience to his specific role, he has been an incredible navigator and captain of our ship on screen.”

Multiple LED screens will keep on-air talent informed on the current Draft order.

Besides VP, Content and Production, Tyler Price and Supervising Producer, B/R Live Production, Michael Kaplan, Kiley will team up with Lead Technical Director James Alessi in his second year on the show. Their purpose is to offer the best digital product possible while putting the NFL fan at the center of their content.

“We’re constantly moving forward with more and more volume,” says Kiley. “As we continue to raise the bar, we’ll delve into several points of engagement that will be helpful in creating something that’s more digestible and approachable.”

B/R Gridiron Draft Night begins tonight at 8 p.m. ET on the B/R App and the B/R YouTube channel. Lefkoe, Renner, and Felder will be live Friday, April 28 at 7 p.m., and the pairing of Renner and Felder will conclude coverage on Saturday, April 19 at noon.