SVG Summit 2023
Friday, January 19, 2024ESPN's Tina Thornton on Graphics Innovation and Adding Marketing to Her PlateESPN has built a reputation for pushing the envelope and finding ways to innovate in the live game broadcast. Over the past year, the network's Creative Studio division has led the way, delivering unique presentations built off volumetric tracking data with the NHL Big City Greens Classic and Toy Story Funday Football.
At the 2023 SVG Summit, our Kristian Hernandez spoke with Tina Thornton, Executive Vice President, Creative Studio and Marketing at ESPN to discuss the potential of mixing high-end sports tech innovation with valuable Disney intellectual property, how she's added the responsibilities of overseeing marketing to her busy schedule, and what she's looking forward to in 2024.Tuesday, January 9, 2024Streann Media's Gio Punzo on the Emergence of TV 3.0, Adding More Points for Fan EngagementAiming to place fans and users into the center of their efforts, Streann Media used the past year to make further advancements on this front.
At the SVG Summit, Streann Media's CEO Gio Punzo highlights the company's work with TV 3.0 in 2023, how AI will prove pivotal to their success, and adding more points for fan engagement to their platform.Friday, January 5, 2024LiveU's Janel Moorefield on Supporting Lightweight Productions, Offering Replay in the Cloud in 2024Over the past year, LiveU expanded their portfolio of live production and bonded cellular capabilities that allowed their customers to pull off events from remote locations. Through the release of numerous products to bolster their offerings, the company is set up nicely for an even better 2024.
At the SVG Summit, LiveU's Vice President, Sports, Sales, Janel Moorefield spotlights how their efforts are aimed towards enabling lightweight and on-the-go productions for maximum efficiency and previews their work of bringing replay solutions to the cloud for clients operating in a hybrid environment.Wednesday, January 3, 2024Telemundo Deportes' Eli Velazquez on First Year in New Role, Building Excitement for 2024 and BeyondSince the conclusion of the 2022 FIFA Men's World Cup in Qatar, Telemundo Deportes' Eli Velazquez experienced an exhilarating 2023: the industry veteran took over the overall direction of the division when he was promoted to EVP of Sports last March, Copa Mundial won the Sports Emmy Award for Outstanding Studio Show in Spanish for their onsite coverage in Doha, he and his team helped shepherd production and operations of the Spanish-language network's coverage of the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, and the acquisition of numerous media rights including exclusive U.S. coverage of Las Chivas de Guadalajara as well as the U.S. Men's and Women's National Teams.
At the 2023 SVG Summit, Velazquez breaks down his first year in this new role, reflects on the success of last summer's international women's soccer tournament, the initiatives that have been implemented and the media rights that have been expanded under his leadership, a preview of their efforts at the Summer Olympics in Paris, and how all of this progress is building momentum towards the 2026 FIFA Men's World Cup in the United States.Tuesday, January 2, 2024YES Network's John Filippelli on Investing Innovation to Improve Live Game StorytellingIn a time of transition for the regional sports network industry, the New York-based YES Network has continued investing in its coverage of the New York Yankees, Brooklyn Nets, and more. However, what technologies and innovations the network commits to ultimately comes down to whether it enhances storytelling.
At the 2023 SVG Summit, our Jason Dachman spoke with a Sports Broadcasting Hall of Famer: John Filippelli, Executive Producer and President, Production and Programming for YES Network to discuss how he and his team remain committed to quality.Friday, December 22, 2023The Switch's Christian Kneuer on Investing In JPEG XS and JPEG 2000Compression technologies continue to advance and for critical broadcast vendors like The Switch, investing in what the customers want and need is a constant battle.
At the 2023 SVG Summit, our Kristian Hernández spoke with Christian Kneuer, SVP, Sales for The Switch to discuss the latest with JPEG XS and JPEG 2000, as well as get his take on what trends he's keeping an eye on heading into 2024.Friday, December 22, 2023RSN Execs Discuss Maintaining Broadcast Integrity in an Era When Teams Own More NetworksAt a time in sports broadcasting where, more increasingly, regional sports networks delivering live games are owned by the team themselves, how does the broadcast maintain its integrity and deliver true analysis to the fan?
Commenting on this topic during a panel discussion at the 2023 SVG Summit were:
- Friday Abernethy, Monumental Sports & Entertainment, GM, Network
- John J. Filippelli, YES Network, President, Production & Programming; Executive Producer
- Jon Slobotkin, NBC Sports Regional Networks, SVP, Content and Live Programming
- Howard Zalkowitz, NESN, Executive ProducerFriday, December 22, 2023YES Network's John J. Filippelli Stresses the Need to Remain Committed to Quality Game ProductionEven during a challenging era for the regional sports network business, the YES Network in New York continues to raise the bar for what RSN broadcasts are capable of with their coverage of the New York Yankees, Brooklyn Nets, and more.
During a panel discussion at the 2023 SVG Summit, John J. Filippelli, President, Production & Programming; Executive Producer for the YES Network and a Sports Broadcasting Hall of Famer shared his belief that, even as budgets tighten and teams take a controlling ownership of networks, sports production professionals need to remain committed to delivering a quality product.Friday, December 22, 2023NESN's Howard Zalkowitz Breaks Down Innovations on Red Sox, Bruins Broadcasts at the Boston RSNFrom placing microphones on more players to adding a camera in the Boston Red Sox dugout, 2023 was another year of experimentation at NESN as the Massachusetts-based regional sports network looked to bring fans closer to the action than ever before.
During a panel discussion at the 2023 SVG Summit, NESN's Executive Producer Howard Zalkowitz shared some of his favorite tools and toys from the past year.Friday, December 22, 2023Bally Sports' Mike Connelly on Innovating Production in Challenging Times for RSNsThe RSN industry experienced a turbulent year in 2023 abut even the folks working on live sports broadcasts at Bally Sports are finding new and innovative ways to deliver coverage to their teams' fans.
At the 2023 SVG Summit, our Jason Dachman spoke with Mike Connelly, SVP and Executive Producer for Bally Sports to get his take on the technologies he's keeping an eye on heading into the new year.Thursday, December 21, 2023ESPN's “Spike” Szykowny on the Fun Challenge of Animated Alternate BroadcastsThe concept of the alternate broadcast reached new heights in 2023 as ESPN invested in real-time animated recreations of live sporting events with the Big City Greens NHL Classic and Toy Story Funday Football with the NFL.
At the 2023 SVG Summit, our Jason Dachman spoke with Michael “Spike” Szykowny, Edit + Animation + Graphics Innovation + Production & Playout for ESPN Creative Studio to get a better understanding of what the challenge was like in taking a large load of volumetric data and turning it into cartoon magic.Thursday, December 21, 2023LTN's Rick Young and Colin Moran on Expanding Versioning Solutions for SportsIt's been a big 2023 for the team at LTN with the company supporting thousands of live sports events across the country. Most notably, the brand's LTN Arc service - which handles all aspects of versioning for live events - was increasingly popular.
At the 2023 SVG Summit, our Kristian Hernandez caught up with LTN's SVP, Global Products Rick Young and VP of Production Products Colin Moran to discuss the company's commitment to solutions built with a focus on versioning live, the increased popularity of FAST channels, and more.Thursday, December 21, 2023Patricia Lowry Reflects on a NCAA Women's Basketball Final Four to RememberThe ratings for women’s sports continue to climb to record levels and that, in turn, drives the need for better and deeper productions.
Perhaps the biggest women's sports television event occurred in 2023 at the NCAA Women's Basketball Championship Game. Patricia Lowry, President of GameTime Productions and a former ESPN executive shared some big numbers from the television broadcast.Thursday, December 21, 2023Octagon's Emily Sisson Shares Social Listening Data Around Major Televised Women's Sports BroadcastsThe ratings for women’s sports continue to climb to record levels and that, in turn, drives the need for better and deeper productions.
At the 2023 SVG Summit, Emily Sisson, SVP, Business Development at Octagon shared social media data her company collected during the 2023 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament.Wednesday, December 20, 2023Alternate Broadcasts: Direct Fan Interaction During the Live Game with HANG Media's Jon KleinWhen 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.
One of the more prominent flavors of this type of production feature interactive video chatrooms when viewers can speak directly with former athletes and celebrities while watching a live game. At the 2023 SVG Summit, Jon Klein, Co-Founder and CEO of HANG Media shares how his company is building these types of unique experiences.Wednesday, December 20, 2023Alternate Broadcasts: ESPN's “Spike” Szykowny on the Complexity of "Toy Story Funday Football"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.
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.
At the 2023 SVG Summit, Michael “Spike” Szykowny, Studio, Edit + Animation + Graphics Innovation + Production & Playout for ESPN Creative offers 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.Wednesday, December 20, 2023Alternate Broadcasts: ESPN's Drew Gallagher on the Changing Face of the "Manningcast"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.
Perhaps the most prominent flavor of this type of production is the Sports Emmy Award-winning "Monday Night Football with Peyton and Eli" which is commonly referred to as simply the "Manningcast."
At the 2023 SVG Summit, ESPN Coordinating Producer Drew Gallagher shares the latest on the show (in its second season) and reflects on a night where the show actually covered two shows simultaneously.Wednesday, December 20, 2023Alternate Broadcasts: NBC Sports' Danielle Cranin on the Gambling and the "BetCast"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.
One of the more prominent flavors of this type of production is alternate productions is designed around sports betting. At the 2023 SVG Summit, NBC Sports' Senior Director, Content Integration & Partnerships Danielle Cranin shared the philosophies behind their "Betcasts" which NBC Sports RSNs have been producing for the past few years.Wednesday, December 20, 2023Monumental Sports Network GM Friday Abernethy on Launching the Newest Regional Sports NetworkEarlier this fall, the newest regional sports network launched as Monumental Sports Network emerged in the Washington D.C. area. The project has included the onboarding of an entirely new brand (the network took over for the old NBC Sports Washington), the construction of a new faciklity, and even the debut of a direct-to-consumer streaming product.
At the 2023 SVG Summit, our Jason Dachman spoke with Monumental Sports Network's General Manager Friday Abernethy about what the build was like, how the first few months have gone, and what's to come.Tuesday, December 19, 2023Augmented Reality Graphics in the Live Game: Sports TV Execs Offer Their OpinionsReal-time augmented reality graphics are becoming a mainstay in the live sports broadcast. How are they changing how viewers view the game and, for the producers themselves, is it always worth the sizable investment?
Sports TV execs offered their opinions as part of a panel discussion at this year's SVG Summit.
The discussion included:
Chris Brown, WBD Sports, VP, Tech Operations
Jason Cohen, CBS Sports and CBS Sports Network, VP, Remote Technical Operations
Mike Davies, Fox Sports, EVP, Technical and Field Operations; SVG Chairman.
Susan Stone, MLB Network, SVP, Operations and Engineering
Tina Thornton, ESPN, EVP, Creative Studio and MarketingTuesday, December 19, 2023Alternate Broadcasts: Sports TV Execs Explain Why and For WhoAlternate broadcasts became increasingly popular in live sports in 2023. Why are more broadcasters doing them? What is the goal of them?
At the 2023 SVG Summit, key leaders from major sports networks shared their thoughts on this emerging flavor of live content.
The discussion included:
Chris Brown, WBD Sports, VP, Tech Operations
Jason Cohen, CBS Sports and CBS Sports Network, VP, Remote Technical Operations
Mike Davies, Fox Sports, EVP, Technical and Field Operations; SVG Chairman.
Susan Stone, MLB Network, SVP, Operations and Engineering
Tina Thornton, ESPN, EVP, Creative Studio and MarketingTuesday, December 19, 2023CBS Sports' Jason Cohen Chats Super Bowl LVIII Prep2024 starts with a bang for CBS Sports as the network will carry Super Bowl LVIII. It's a notable one as its the first time since 2019 that CBS will be able to produce a Super Bowl in traditional conditions (the last time they had the game was the first Super Bowl following COVID in 2021). So how's preparation for the Big Game in Las Vegas going?
At the 2023 SVG Summit, our Jason Dachman caught up with Jason Cohen, VP, Remote Technical Operations at CBS Sports to chat about what tech tools and enhancements he's keeping an eye on heading into the new year.Monday, December 18, 2023Remote Production Execs Discuss Highs and Lows From Turbulent 2023Change is constant in the world of remote production and never more so than in 2023. There are more ways than ever to produce an event thanks to cloud services, fiber connectivity, and IP but there is still plenty of demand for trucks to be on site.
At the 2023 SVG Summit, top executives from the remote production community discuss the challenges and opportunities facing their companies from the past year.
Panelists include:
Mary Ellen Carlyle, Dome Productions, SVP and GM
Robert Carzoli, Program Productions, Chairman
Nick Garvin, Mobile TV Group, COO
Pat Sullivan, Game Creek Video, President
Mike Werteen, NEP Broadcast Services, Global President
Watch the full panel discussion now at svgplay.sportsvideo.org.Monday, December 18, 2023Warner Bros. Discovery's Chris Brown on WBD Sports' Expansion in Remote Production via IP TransportWarner Bros. Discovery Sports is cooking. Fresh off the NBA's inaugural In-Season Tournament, the media power is now prepping for the latest NHL Winter Classic and set for another busy winter of NBA and NHL regular season action.
Perhaps the biggest changes coming the WBD Sports, however, may be occurring behind the scenes. Renovations are underway at the network's Techwood facility in Atlanta when the operations and engineering teams are leaning into remote production built on the backbone of IP transport. That means more centralized control rooms based in WBD Sports' headquarters.
At the 2023 SVG Summit, Warner Bros. Discovery's VP, Tech Operations Chris Brown spoke with our Brandon Costa about the efforts currently underway to move WBD Sports into its next generation of live sports production.Thursday, December 14, 2023AWS' Jason Dvorkin on Cloud Production, Generative AI, and Monetization in Live SportsNearing the conclusion of what's been a big year for AWS in our little world of sports media, AWS has placed its focus squarely on three key categories: live production in the cloud, generative artificial intelligence, and monetization.
At the 2023 SVG Summit, SVG's Kristian Hernandez caught up with Jason Dvorkin, Media & Entertainment Industry Specialist, BD Leader for AWS to discuss all of the work being done by the company and where he sees AWS technology empowering new flavors of live sports video.