The SVG Summit Brings Sports-Production Industry Together for Annual Homecoming, Draws 1,500+ to NYC for 17th Edition

The two-day event drew a packed house and provided plenty of informational and networking opportunities

The 17th-annual SVG Summit brought together more than 1,500 sports-production professionals at the New York Hilton Midtown hotel on Dec. 11-12 for two days of informational panels and workshops, cutting-edge–technology showcases, and, most important, plenty of opportunities for attendees to network face-to-face and catch up with friends old and new.

The 2023 SVG Summit drew more than 1,500+ sports-production professionals to the New York Midtown Hilton for the 17th-annual event

Over the years, the SVG Summit has become not only the central meeting point for the industry to come together, but also a reminder of the familial nature and powerful kinship that exists in the sports-production community. With that in mind, SVG Chairman Mike Davies, who serves as EVP of  Technical and Field Operations for Fox Sports, used his welcoming remarks to remind attendees of the importance of the SVG Sports Broadcasting Fund.

“This is the event that I look forward to most; I love seeing everybody and we have a great time,” said Davies. “This not only a big day for [the industry] with lots of great panels, but it’s also for the Sports Broadcasting Fund, which is something that grows more important every year. The Sports Broadcasting Fund gets help out to those in the industry that need it the most. We’ve given out over $250,000 so far this year and we’ll give out more before the year’s end. Please think about the Sports Broadcasting Fund in terms of your [personal charitable] giving and corporate matching because I can guarantee you that there is somebody that you know in this business that has benefitted from it. And if you know someone today who could be the beneficiary of the Fund, it’s very easy to apply. Anybody who is connected to the sports industry is eligible to be considered.”

Day 1: Workshops Cover AI, Audio, Cloud, Content Management, Cybersecurity, Digital Engagement, IP, and Remote

The first day of the SVG Summit once again featured a full day of workshops — eight in all — offering a detailed look at the industry’s latest technology trends.

The annual Live Production Workshop delved into three hot topics — AI, IP, and remote production — and provided plenty of discussion on the health of the remote-production business, creating the next-generation of engineering talent, and such hot technology areas as shallow–depth-of-field, automated production, and HDR workflows. Panels featured speakers from top organizations: Disney Entertainment & ESPN Technology, Dome Productions, Epic Games, Fox Sports, Game Creek Video, Mobile TV Group, NEP, NESN, NBCUniversal, and Sky Deutschland.

As more media organizations look to virtualize infrastructure and enhance remote-production workflows, the role of the cloud has never been more integral to creating compelling sports content. The Cloud Production Workshop provided an overview of the primary technological and operational considerations in shifting to the cloud, as well as an inside look at the innovative cloud-based workflows being used today by the NHL, Notre Dame Studios, PGA TOUR Entertainment, and Riot Games.

The holy grail of digital sports media is engagement. Advanced data integration. Interactivity. Gamification. Customization. Alternative video feeds. Social experiences in virtual environments. What technologies and creative choices are delivering fun experiences in real time and driving sports fans to spend more of their screen time with live sports? The Digital Engagement Workshop tackled the key trends and exciting opportunities for next-generation, streaming delivery of sports with leaders from Fubo, NBA and NBA G-League, Monumental Sports & Entertainment, NHL, Pro Fighters League (PFL), and USGA.

The annual Sports Content Management Workshop offered an update on latest developments in media-asset management (MAM) and orchestration, archive and storage technology, AI and ML, and cloud-based infrastructure and workflows. MAM leaders from CBS Sports, Fox Sports, INDYCAR, Major League Baseball, NBC Sports Group, Notre Dame Studios, WBD Sports, and Riot Games offered first-hand perspectives and behind-the-curtain looks at their respective workflows.

The Audio Production and Distribution Workshop — presented by SVG and the DTV Audio Group — examined how some of the industry is innovating to meet the challenges of “Audio in an Immersive, Direct-to-Consumer World.” Speakers from Comcast Cable, Dolby Labs, ESPN, NBCUniversal and NBC Sports/Olympics, WBD Sports, and others touched on how sports-specific services and live sports programming are increasingly joining preproduced Hollywood content on established premium streaming services where Atmos-enabled TV sets, soundbars, and mobile devices deliver enhanced surround capabilities alongside UHD and HDR pictures.

SVG teamed up with the North American Broadcast Association (NABA) on the Cybersecurity Workshop, which provided an update on the current state of the broadcast cybersecurity landscape and ways that stakeholders are addressing growing threats to sports, news, and other major live events.

Allyship in Action at SVGW Networking Breakfast and SVG Diversity & Inclusion Workshop

The annual SVGW Networking Breakfast returned to the SVG Summit this year. SVGW is a networking group whose mission is to enhance the role of women in the creation, production, and distribution of sports content.

In addition to plenty of networking, the session featured a keynote conversation with Ndidi Massay, VP, workplace culture and diversity initiatives, CBS Sports. She shared her thoughts on how the sports-production industry can become more inclusive, diverse, and, ultimately, stronger both culturally and from a business standpoint.

Following the SVGW Networking Breakfast, the SVG Diversity & Inclusion Workshop addressed current industry initiatives designed to improve diversity in the sports-production community, as well as making working environments more inclusive.

SVG partnered with #GALSNGEAR to produce a panel addressing “Tequity” with the goal of giving women greater access to new technical knowledge to allow them to grow their career and have greater impact on everything from product development to workflows and more. This was followed by Working Group Conversations addressing hiring, training, retention, product engineering and testing, and HBCU Bridge.

Day 2: Leaders From Remote Production Providers, National Broadcasters, RSNs, and Women’s Sports Take the Stage

The general sessions kicked off with a look at the State of the Remote Production Business featuring top leaders from Dome Productions, Game Creek Video, Mobile TV Group, NEP Broadcast Services, and Program Productions. Change is constant in remote production, and that will be even more true in 2024. Although there are more ways than ever to produce an event — thanks to cloud services, fiber connectivity, and IP — the remote-production pros made clear that there is still plenty of demand for trucks onsite.

When it comes to hot trends in sports production, the rise of alternative broadcasts as a way to engage viewers continues to become a bigger part of not only national broadcasts but also regional shows. Speakers from NBC Sports, ESPN, and HANG Media took the stage to discuss The Ins and Outs of Alternative Broadcast Productions, as well as how to cost-effectively create the technical backbone for alternative broadcasts like the BetCasts, the ManningCast, Toy Story Funday Football, and other personality-fueled presentations.

No one better understands the challenges of creating tons of content both cost-effectively and with an eye on innovation to keep viewers tuned in than the regional sports networks. Leaders from Bally Sports, Monumental Sports & Entertainment (MSE), NBC Sports Regional Networks, NESN, and YES Network took the stage to discuss Innovation at the Regional Sports Networks in 2023 and what they are looking forward to in 2024.

Next up, Devoncroft Partners Principal Analyst Josh Stinehour took the stage for his highly anticipated state-of-the-industry presentation. The rise in interest rates has meant that all industry participants — leagues, owners, manufacturers, networks — are now confronting business-model challenges head-on. Market expectations have been reset, and there is uncertainty around key revenue streams. Can technology help sports-content creators and distributors get ready for the next decade? What tech trends hold the most promise of stability in a media landscape undergoing serious upheaval?

The conversation then shifted to The Rise of Women’s Sports Production. Ratings for women’s sports continue to climb to record levels, and that, in turn, drives the need for better and deeper productions. Leaders in women’s-sports production from ESPN, GameTime Productions, HBCU GO, Impakt Partners, and Octagon discussed how their productions are evolving, why their programming is connecting with viewers, and why everyone should be paying more attention to the world of women’s sports.

The Sports Production Roundtable was up next with execs from CBS Sports, ESPN, Fox Sports, MLB Network, and WBD Sports discussing the latest trends driving their productions, the challenges in continuing to do more as shows get larger and go deeper, and what new technologies are making a difference.

The SVG Summit closed by a Keynote Conversation featuring Eli Velazquez, who this year was promoted to EVP, sports, by NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises. Velazquez — who has served key production roles at the World Cup, Olympics, Super Bowls, and more — explained his production philosophy, plans for 2024, reflections on the World Cup, and much more.

Day 2 also included a trio of case studies from Sony Electronics, Diversified (With MSE), and Imagine Communications (with Pac-12 Networks).

Plenty of Tech: 50+ Exhibits Roll Out Sports-Production Offerings

The 2023 SVG Summit was made possible by Title Sponsor AWS; Diamond Sponsors LiveU, LTN, NEP, Pixotope, Streann, and The Switch; Gold Sponsors Arista, Magnifi, and Verizon; and the full roster of sponsor companies.

No SVG Summit would be complete without a Technology Showcase spotlighting the latest in sports-production technology.

CLICK HERE for a full rundown of the tech exhibited by these companies:Absen, Adder Technology, AI-Media, AJA Video Systems, Amagi, Amazon Web Services, Anton Bauer (Videndum Production Solutions), Appear, Arista Networks, AT&T, Ateme, Audio-Technica, Avid, Blackmagic Design, Black Box, Calrec, Canon, CES Power, Chyron, EditShare, Eluvio, Evertz, EVS, Filmwerks Power (a Sunbelt Rentals Company), Forecast Consoles, Fortinet, Fujifilm, G&D, Grabyo, Grass Valley, IHSE USA, Imagine Communications, Joseph Electronics, Key Code Media, Lawo, LiveU, LTN, LucidLink, Lumen Technologies, Magnifi, Markertek, Marshall Electronics, Maxon, Mediapro, MultiDyne, NEP Group, NETGEAR AV, Panasonic Connect, Perifery, Pixotope, Program Productions, Qvest, Red5, Riedel Communications, Rohde & Schwarz, Ross Video, RTS Intercom Systems, Scale Logic, Seagate Signiant, Solid State Logic, Sony, SOS Global Express, Stevens Global Logistics, Telestream, Telos Alliance, Teradek, THE STUDIO @ B&H, TVU Networks, Vizrt Group, and Xytech Systems.

Stay tuned to Sportsvideo.org and SVG PLAY for video recaps, podcasts, and further coverage of the 2023 SVG Summit.