The Ins and Outs of Alternate Broadcasts: ESPN, NBC Sports, HANG Media Break Down the Unique Flavors of Innovation

When it comes to hot trends in sports production, the rise of alternate broadcasts as a way to engage viewers continues to become a bigger part of not only national broadcasts but also regional shows.

At the 2023 SVG Summit, a panel of experts shared their examples of work in this growing area of the business and discussed their goals, target audiences, and reasons for doing these shows. From betting-focused shows, to alternate announcers, and even fully reanimated recreations of the action on the field, executives from ESPN, NBC Sports, and HANG Media dissected their efforts.

The discussion included:

• Danielle Cranin, NBC Sports, Senior Director, Content Integration & Partnerships
• Drew Gallagher, ESPN, Coordinating Producer
• Jon Klein, HANG Media, Co-Founder and CEO
• Michael “Spike” Szykowny, ESPN Creative Studio, Edit + Animation + Graphics Innovation + Production & Playout

This conversation was hosted at the SVG Summit in New York City on Dec. 12 and was moderated by Brandon Costa, Director of Digital at Sports Video Group.

Perhaps the most complex flavor of this type of production is the animated broadcasts that ESPN has created both around Big City Greens for the NHL and Toy Story Funday Football with the NFL. ESPN’s “Spike” Szykowny offered a peek at the hard work that goes into pulling off these shows in real-time while relying on tracking and statistical data from various sources:

Alternate productions is designed around sports betting have become increasingly popular. NBC Sports’ Danielle Cranin spoke about the philosophies behind their “Betcasts” which NBC Sports RSNs have been producing for the past few years.

The king of the alternate broadcast is, of course, the Sports Emmy Award-winning “Monday Night Football with Peyton and Eli” which is commonly referred to as simply the “Manningcast.” ESPN’s Drew Gallagher shared the latest on the show (in its second season) and reflects on a night where the show actually covered two shows simultaneously:

The possibilities are endless when it pertains to interactivity in the alternate broadcast. Video chatrooms allows viewers to speak directly with former athletes and celebrities while watching a live game. HANG Media’s Jon Klein discussed how his company is building these types of unique experiences:

Watch the full panel discussion now on SVG PLAY: