SVG’s TranSPORT Conference Analyzes Current State of Live Transmission Technology

More than 250 professionals were at the one-day event at The Cuting Room on Oct. 24

SVG’s annual TranSPORT conference descended on New York City on Tuesday, Oct. 24 as more than 250 attendees were treated to a full day of sessions packed with leaders from major sports broadcasters, leagues, teams, streaming outlets, and technology vendors. The event focused on the current state of live-sports-transmission technology and addressed the industry’s latest developments in contribution and distribution, including terrestrial and satellite backhaul, IP- and cloud-based transport solutions, the potential of 5G and its impact on bonded cellular, the latest compression standards and transport protocols, 4K and HDR delivery, connectivity needs for REMI/remote productions, and more.

The day was kicked off with a conversation about the state of the transmission sector. NBC Sports Group’s VP, Olympic Venue Engineering, Chris Connolly; Warner Bros. Discovery’s Manager, Content Transmissions, Julie Morrison; Sinclair Broadcasting Group’s Director, Distribution and Network Systems, Paul Spinelli; and ESPN’s Director, Remote Traffic Operations, Adam Whitlock, discussed the most pressing issues facing the business today and what to expect in the coming years.

More than 250 individuals came to The Cutting Room in NYC for the 2023 TranSPORT event.

Sony Electronics’ Solutions Architect, Networked Solutions, Keith Bickford, took to the stage next for a 15-minute case study about the rapid deployment of sports contribution for the TATA Indian Premier Leage. Bickford presented a comprehensive review of the project’s requisites, obstacles, and the meticulously engineered solutions that were successfully executed in record time.

After a 30-minute networking break, experts highlighted how the rise in remote productions skyrocketed the needs for connectivity. The Switch’s Head of Business Development, College Sports, Tom Buffolano; LiveU’s VP of Sales, Sports, Janel Moorefield; PSSI Global Services’ CTO and EVP Brian Nelles; and Ross Production Services’ Vice President Stephen Repass explain how they’re confronting connectivity needs to deliver live games to fans.

Up next, the discussion shifted to the impact of 5G on acquisition and distribution. From 5G-enabled cameras to bonded-cellular backhaul to ATSC 3.0 Next-Gen TV broadcasting, Haivision’s Sales Business Development Jérémy Guevel; TVU Networks’ VP of Sales, North America, Matt Keiler; Verizon Business Group’s Global Leader, Strategic Innovation for Sports, Media & Entertainment, Tim Stevens; and Cheney highlight how 5G has the potential to serve as a hyperdrive engine for tomorrow’s live sports broadcasts.

After lunch, BitFire’s CTO Jim Akimchuk; Haivision’s VP, Product Management, Ghislain Collette; RIST Forum President and Cobalt Digital’s CTO Ciro Noronha; Zixi’s SVP, Customer Success and Business Solutions, Emeka Okoli; and Spinelli help attendees plot their transport roadmap for the future. This included a conversation on compression standards like JPEG XS; transport protocols like RIST, RTMP, and SRT; transport services like Zixi and BitFire; and AWS’s Cloud Digital Interface.

A 15-minute case study from Matrox Video shortly followed. Universum Media President Scott MacLean walked through the challenges of producing local and remote sports broadcasts for small and medium-sized markets.

To end the day, a trio of panelists provided their perspective on the status of fiber and satellite. Globecast’s SVP, Sales and Marketing, The Americas, Tim Jackson; Intelsat’s Senior Product Manager, Media, Steve Stennett; and LTN CTO Brad Wall detail the latest challenges and opportunities in live-sports backhaul and how they’re adapting to a changing industry.

SVG TranSPORT was made possible by Title Sponsor Bitfire, Gold Sponsors Globecase, Haivision, LiveU, LTN, The Switch, and Verizon, Case Study Sponsors Matrox and Sony, Silver Sponsors Astound Business Solutions and TAG Video Systems, and Event Sponsors Arista Networks, Data Expedition, Net Insight, PSSI/StrategicTV, and ST Engineering iDirect.

All sessions from the main stage of the event will soon be made available for viewing on SVG’s on-demand video platform, SVG PLAY.