Little League Baseball World Series: As Championship Weekend Approaches, ESPN Reflects on 12 Days’ Worth of Storytelling, Operational Excellence

The network’s nearly two-week-long presence has been filled with the fun of amateur baseball

After close to two weeks of offensive magic at the plate, sparkling defensive plays in the field, and the thrill of playing on the biggest stage at the youngest of ages, the 2025 Little League Baseball World Series (LLBWS) is nearing its conclusion as the bracket heads into championship weekend. With a United States, International, and World Series champion still to be determined, ESPN is looking back at the various stories that were told, the numerous points of connections made, and the operational puzzle pieces put together during their time in Williamsport, PA.

“There are people on this team that have worked this event for over 20 years because it’s always their favorite event to come back to,” says Meg Aronowitz, SVP, production, ESPN. “We all love it because [the Little League Baseball World Series] is amazing and what sports should be all about.”

Reporter Jessica Sims interviews a players’ parents during the U.S. semifinal.

More Teams, More Stories: Fourth Year of Expanded Bracket Brings New Tales to Life

In the past, the LLBWS bracket featured the same regions year after year. Different cities and states would represent these regions, but without much wiggle room for realignment, the field would either feature the same Little League in back-to-back years or teams resembling similar backgrounds of teams in the previous year’s competition. Two years following the cancellation to 2020’s edition due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the LLBWS decided to add a new twist to the bracket in 2022: the addition of two new teams — two on the U.S. side, Mountain and Metro, and two on the International side, a rotation of Panama, Cuba, and Puerto — to bring the total from 16 to 20. With this expansion, more domestic teams could make the trip to Central Pennsylvania and more cultures from other countries could be exposed to the viewing audience. The Little League Softball World Series also expanded that year, and going back to the beginning of qualifiers for that tournament in July 19, fans learned about new teams at both competitions.

“We had a terrific international component with Japan joining us [at the LLSWS] for the first time,” says Aronowitz. “When you fast forward to getting to Williamsport, it’s really incredible to see all of the energy that the international teams and their fans have here.”

It’s true that the onsite crew deals with unrelenting humidity and inclement weather that comes with a summer in the northeast. Early and long days can turn into late and longer nights, which tests the crew’s stamina and concentration to execute the task at hand. These are hard challenges to overcome, but from both production and operations perspectives, one of the most difficult aspects of the LLBWS is balancing attention to both participating venues: the U.S. squads at Howard J. Lamade Stadium and the International squads at Volunteer Stadium.

4D Replay has returned for 360-degree shots of players at the plate.

“We’ve tried to level up, balance both fields, and make sure that we’re covering Volunteer Stadium with the same robust enthusiasm as we do at Lamade Stadium,” continues Aronowitz. “Off the field, we get to tell great stories about U.S. teams having dinner with international teams on a regular basis or athletes playing ping pong and video games and having a catch outside. Those are opportunities that not all 11 and or 12 years get to have, but that’s what Little League does best. It’s been a great two weeks, and our team has been in the best position to tell these moments.”

As the tournament reaches its later stages, and culminates with this weekend’s slate of championship and third-place matchups, the crew is now adapting to having more downtime during the day before games begin at night.

“A lot of us still came in at the same time to walk around and talk about how we can make next year’s productions better,” adds Aronowitz. “People at home sometimes don’t realize the amount of work that goes into putting an event like this on. I’m excited for our crew to have an off day on Friday because they’ve all been working unbelievably hard and they all deserve it. I’m extremely proud of the effort that they put in over the course of this tournament.”

Improving the Viewing Experience: 1080p HDR Productions Gain Third-Base SupraCam in Lamade Stadium, Shallow Depth-of Field Camera for Both Fields

Always looking to enhance the cinematic value of the LLBWS, ESPN is adding a handful of new workflows into the mix this year. These broadcasts, which are now being produced in 1080p HDR, have added a SupraCam with a Sony P-50 camera along the third base line and as well as a Sony α1 shallow depth-of-field camera on a Ronin gimbal. Joining these workflows on the U.S. pool of play are seven hard cameras including two in 6x HFR with Canon 111X lenses, six cameras from Fletcher of NEP Specialty Capture — high first, high home, mid Home, HFR in the photo pit, concourse, and in the booth —  five handheld cameras including a Technocrane with a 20 x 5 lens, four Atom DreamChip POVs, three wired Handhelds with Canon 14 x 4.3 WA lenses, and one RF handheld with a Canon 14 x 4.3 WA lens. Over in Volunteer Stadium, games are leveraging seven hard cameras including two in 6x HFR with Canon 111X lenses, six Atom DreamChip POVs, three handheld cameras including a jib, and two Nucleus UHD cameras. Both fields are sharing a DJI Aspire 3 drone for aerial shots.

In the compound, NEP’s Supershooter 6 is anchoring games at Lamade Stadium and NEP’s Supershooter 5 is driving games at Volunteer Stadium. Rolling with these two mobile units from NEP Group is giving the onsite crew the ability to link both trucks together for file sharing.

“These are similarly equipped mobile units that both feature IP routing cores operating under NEP’s proprietary control system, TFC [Total Facility Control], which allows us to fundamentally link the two mobile units to share any and all signals between them,” says Joe Rainey, senior remote operations specialist, ESPN. “With this being our first year producing the show in HDR, these new codecs and procedures and extra care in checking signal integrity have been essential in proving out these workflows.”

A SupraCam down the third-base line is a new addition to Lamade Stadium this year.

Remote workflows are playing a role, but not as much as in the past. Two EVS replay operators are working back in Bristol, CT, but all graphics are located in Williamsport as opposed to the broadcaster’s REMCO [remote-controlled] model in years past. As for studio shows, these are being captured with three handheld cameras including a jib, wired Sennheiser HSP-4 microphones, MD-46 hand mics, a fiber booth kit, JK RemoteAmp IFB boxes, and a RAD RF PL System Yamaha PA system. These shows are being produced via Live Media Group’s MU-30, which is also being used for SportsCenter: 50 States in 50 Days.

All of this technology can’t be used, and all of these shows can’t be done, without the dedicated operations crew working behind the scenes. This includes Rainey, who leads the team; operations producers Dave Walker and Kelsey Hahn, who are responsible with managing gear at both Lamade and Volunteer Stadiums; and operations coordinators Jalen Taylor and Carson Kenney, who oversee logistics, personnel, hotel, parking, catering, and communications with partners and vendors.

“This talented, collaborative group is the backbone of a complex, two-plus-week production spanning two fields, five mobile units, and supporting a crew of over 300,” says Leigh Michaud, manager, remote operations, ESPN. “It’s a true pleasure to work alongside such an exceptional group who truly care about this event. Their dedication is evident in every piece of the production, and their leadership fosters a collaborative and energized environment for everyone on-site. Despite long days, rain delays, and a packed schedule of games, this team remains focused on delivering the highest quality coverage while highlighting the achievements of these remarkable athletes representing their hometowns from around the globe right here in Williamsport.

Pros and Little Leaguers Alike: Eighth MLB Little League Classic Brings Added Popularity to Williamsport

Over the last eight years, excluding the cancelled 2020 tournament, the MLB Little League Classic has become a perfect companion to the Little League action in Williamsport. ESPN has relished in the chance to bring high-profile Major Leaguers and stick them in the middle of the crowds of the LLBWS campus. Whether it’s superstars like Julio Rodríguez sliding down the hill at Lamade Stadium on a piece of cardboard, Pete Alonso being interviewed in the booth and on the field about his experience, or seeing excited kids get to run up to professional baseball players and speak to them, this annual event has become a fruitful relationship between Major League Baseball, Little League, and ESPN.

“It’s one of the coolest things that I get to experience in my career,” says Aronowitz. “What I love the most about it is that the MLB players are so into it. It can be challenging to ask for continuous access or interviews as they’re preparing for a game, but in this case, they were open to connecting back to their roots.”

ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball was bought in as well. Analysts Eduardo Perez and David Cone called the morning games of the LLBWS prior to their assignment of the nightcap between the New York Mets and Seattle Mariners at Journey Bank Ballpark at Bowman Field. Play-by-play announcer Karl Ravech did all three games of the amateur tournament before heading to the home of the Williamsport Crosscutters. This was coordinated alongside SNB coordinating producer Scott Gustafson and producer Andy Jacobson.

A Sony α1 shallow depth-of-field camera on a Ronin gimbal, which is another new addition, is capturing cinematic shots of players.

A Fun Finale to Summer: Little League World Series Concludes ESPN’s Three-Month Dose of Diamond Sports

Providing game director Doug Holmes the camera angles, channels of replay, and tech backbone that he needs to compose compelling broadcasts, Michaud and company have worked diligently to assist all of productions’ visions and goals. Many of these operations staffers always look forward to this time of year, and it’s noticeable in their willingness to work as one cohesive unit.

“The Little League World Series is a meaningful and fulfilling assignment that many consider a highlight of their year, and we often hear that it’s a favorite of people’s careers,” says Michaud. “It combines high-level production with the excitement and emotion of the game at its most authentic level. There’s a deep sense of pride in being part of a tradition that celebrates young athletes from around the world. This historic event is an unforgettable way to close out the summer before many move onto other assignments for the fall.”

Six Fletcher robotics have made a difference, including this one when a foul ball went inside the announce booth.

With the LLSWS in Greenville, NC and the LLBWS in Williamsport at the amateur level in August, the Women’s College World Series in Oklahoma City and Men’s College World Series in Omaha, NE at the collegiate level in June, and the MLB Home Run Derby in July and weekly editions of SNB at the professional level, ESPN has a full range of diamond sports during the hotter months. This busy period is starting to wind down, but before it’s over, the LLBWS will crown another champion as the boys of summer.

“A lot of our production personnel started with us in Clearwater, FL for college softball back in February and have made the journey all the way through to the end,” says Aronowitz. “Everyone on this crew gives their heart and soul [to these shows], and they want to do it all over again next year.”

The Little League Baseball World Series continues with a championship doubleheader on Saturday, Aug. 23 at Lamade Stadium on ABC: Aruba from the Caribbean vs. Chinese Taipei from Asia-Pacific in the International Final at 12:30 p.m. ET and Mountain Region’s Las Vegas vs. Metro Region’s Fairfield, CT in the U.S. Final at 3:30 p.m. ET. The tournament will conclude with another doubleheader at Lamade Stadium on Sunday, Aug. 24: a Third Place Consolation Game at 10:00 a.m. ET on ESPN2 and the World Series Championship at 3 p.m. ET on ABC.