Inaugural SVG LIVE! Conference Brings 250+ Top Sports and Entertainment Production Leaders Together in L.A.

Discussion focused on how innovation is shaping the future of audience engagement

More than 250 leaders from across the live–event-production ecosystem gathered for a full day of insight, inspiration, and forward-looking discussion at the inaugural SVG LIVE! Sports & Entertainment Production Conference. A packed audience of producers, technologists, and creatives explored how the lines between sports and entertainment are blurring and how innovation in live production is shaping the next generation of audience engagement.

Moderator Jeff Jacobs (NEP Group and SVG LIVE! Conference Chair) at the SVG LIVE! conference in L.A. with (L to R): Melanie Fletcher (Done+Dusted), Linda Gierahn (Silent House Productions), Craig Lazarus (ESPN), Josh Mark (SoFi Stadium), and Jonathan Mussman ( Netflix).

Held at the Luxe Sunset Blvd Hotel in Los Angeles, the new SVG event was chaired by industry veteran NEP Group SVP/Head of Production Jeff Jacobs, a 30-year veteran of the sports-entertainment-production industry. Speakers took the stage from Done+Dusted, ESPN, FOX Sports, Funicular Goats, Global Citizen Organization, L2 Productions, LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games, NEP Sweetwater, Netflix, NHL, NWSL, Savannah Bananas, Silent House Productions, SoFi Stadium/Hollywood Park, and WWE.

The day kicked off with a Coffee Talk presentation by Crakes Media principal Patrick Crakes, offering a look at how live programming continues to thrive in a fragmented, on-demand media landscape. He set the table for the day by highlighting the enduring value of appointment viewing — from live sports coverage to awards shows and other cultural tentpoles — and how real-time engagement remains a critical driver of audience growth and ad revenue.

Few individuals embody the connection between sports and entertainment more than Jim Bell, SVP, media, LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games. In a candid and wide-ranging keynote presentation, he reflected on his career overseeing some of television’s most iconic properties — from NBC Olympics to The Tonight Show — and shared insights into LA28’s media vision. He emphasized the importance of innovation, collaboration, and storytelling that connects global audiences through live moments.

Jacobs then led the “Mastering Ceremonies: Bringing Awards, Festivals, and Other Tentpole Events” panel with top producers: Done+Dusted’s Melanie Fletcher, Silent House’s Linda Gierahn, ESPN’s Craig Lazarus, SoFi Stadium/YouTube Theater’s Josh Mark, and Netflix’s Jonathan Mussman. Together, they revealed the intricate planning, creative collaboration, and technological precision that power the award shows, fan festivals, and large-scale events that define modern entertainment.

In a joint presentation, Sony’s Jaime Raffone and WWE’s Joseph Solari demonstrated how virtual production is transforming the creative process, enabling greater flexibility and efficiency in studio environments. The session showcased how tools like LED volumes and real-time rendering are bridging cinematic and live-broadcast workflows.

The next panel — “The Future Is Live: Tech Innovations Driving Sports & Entertainment Production” — explored the innovations shaping live-content creation. Sports Broadcasting Hall of Famer and innovator Deena Sheldon joined Riedel Communications’ Pino Barile, Blackmagic Design’s J. David Hoffman, Canon’s Jamon Lomax, and NEP Sweetwater’s Jason Newman to discuss the rise of AI automation, cloud workflows, and cine-broadcast cameras/lenses, underscoring how technology continues to elevate both efficiency and storytelling.

In an afternoon Fireside Chat with Jacobs, Global Citizen’s Lee Rolontz offered an exclusive look at the 2024 FIFA Club World Cup Halftime Show, a collaboration of FIFA and Global Citizen designed to merge entertainment and advocacy on a global scale. In addition, Rolontz previewed the effort for the 2026 FIFA World Cup Halftime Show, intended to inspire action through the power of live performance and storytelling.

The panel “Convergence of Sports and Entertainment: Producing Studio Shows and Live Events on the Field and in The Arena” brought together Done+Dusted’s Guy Carrington, NHL’s Bob Chesterman, Funicular Goats’ Aaron Cooke, NBA/Unrivaled/MSG’s Kevin Dobstaff, and NWSL’s Brian Gordon to discuss how broadcasters are reinventing halftime shows and incorporating musical performances at sports events.

In an afternoon presentation, Ateme’s Mickaël Raulet explored how the company’s end-to-end video solutions are empowering federations and leagues to deliver immersive, next-generation fan experiences — from 360° video to direct-to-consumer streaming platforms.

Next up, “Reality, Reimagined: The Role of AR, XR, and Virtual Production in Live Event Production” featured Disguise’s Dan Baum, FOX Sports’ Zac Fields, Silver Spoon’s Dan Pack, and The Famous Group’s Jon Slusser. The panel showcased how AR, XR, and virtual-production tools are revolutionizing the look and feel of live coverage of sports and entertainment, creating hybrid experiences that engage both in-person and remote audiences.

In the day’s closing session, TVU Networks’ Tom Brown, L2 Productions’ Scott Rehling, Savannah Bananas’ Mitch Rubenstein, and Verizon’s Tim Stevens examined the evolution of remote and cloud-based production models. The panel, titled “No More Boundaries: The Evolution of Onsite, REMI, and Cloud Production,” highlighted how flexibility, scalability, and connectivity are redefining how — and where — live coverage is produced.

SVG LIVE! was made possible by Diamond Sponsor Riedel; Case Study Sponsors Sony and Ateme; Gold Sponsors The Studio – B&D, Disguise, Evertz, and Quantum; Event Sponsors AE LIVE, Blackmagic Design, The Famous Group, MASV, NEP, TAG VS, and TVU Networks.