Midstream Lighting Are England and GB Hockey's Official Lighting Partner
Midstream has announced that it is England and GB Hockey's official partner.
Midtsream issued the following statement on the announcement: "Last year we joined forces with England Athletics as their Official Lighting Partner. We’re delighted to let you know we’re now the Official Lighting Partner of England and GB Hockey too!
We’re helping England and GB Hockey ‘Shine Brighter’ as their Official Lighting Partner
Working together with England Hockey, and GB Hockey – the body responsible for international events like the Olympics, we’ll help them to achieve their strategy for the future of hockey:
‘Helping every hockey club in the UK work towards having appropriate and sustainable facilities that provide excellent experiences for players.’
We’ll do this by bringing our world-leading lighting expertise to hockey clubs and facility owners throughout the country. In any sport, at any level, a driving ambition is always improvement – whether providing hockey facilities to clubs, running a grassroots club, or representing your country at the Olympics.
We’re helping England and GB Hockey ‘Shine Brighter’ as their Official Lighting Partner
We’ll support this by creating an environment in which players, clubs, and facilities can be their best and shine brighter. Because we know that Improved lighting equals improved performance."
Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia jumps streaming hurdles with VITEC MGW Diamond
A VITEC MGW Diamond quad channel encoder is helping to bring the Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia to a worldwide audience.
The Riyadh-based club was seeking to expand its weekly horse racing coverage – which take place on Fridays and Saturdays during its season – beyond its domestic reach and into new markets via internet streaming channels. The solution uses the MGW Diamond encoder, sending the stream to NEP Connect and onto Sports Information Services (SIS) via public internet. From SIS it is distributed to customers and partners worldwide via its retail and online services, including its 24/7 Live Betting Channels.
“Traditionally we would’ve looked to have put a satellite truck on site for a project like this,” says James Bonnar, Broadcast Technical Consultant of Proimage Solutions Limited. “However, with about 14 hours of total coverage over the two days, and the need for a satellite truck, it would have been very cost prohibitive to use this broadcast workflow. Working with the Jockey Club’s head of IT, Mr Mohamed Elhalwany, and Tom Ryan, the Director of Strategy and International Racing, we looked at what internet speeds we could get and what bandwidth could be dedicated to a possible stream.
I ran some successful streaming tests to the UK and spoke to Lorna Garrett, Zest Technologies Managing Director, about purchasing an SRT encoder. I’ve worked with Lorna for a long time, and over the years we have looked at various streaming systems and remote contribution systems using the public internet, now that it is improving.”
MGW Diamond is a small, power-efficient quad-channel HD or single-channel 4K HEVC video encoder ideal for field-based applications. It features a powerful encoding engine with the ability to output up to eight streams simultaneously. The system in Saudi Arabia takes the mixed output from a broadcast flypack – also installed by Proimage Solutions Limited – which is then distributed. It makes use of several SRT streams: one going to SIS, and another going to Proimage Solutions Limited for remote monitoring purposes.
Whilst the stream is not currently 4K, the MGW Diamond encoder is powerful enough to deliver the resolution, providing additional future proofing and expansion flexibility without significant additional costs.
“The solution has been very robust, and the support has been fantastic,” adds James. “VITEC was always there to jump in and provide support; they helped ourselves and SIS get the setup working in no time at all. The quality from this encoder has been amazing using SRT. We’re pushing out an 8 Mb/s HEVC stream, and it is fantastic. When you look at it on a grade 1 broadcast monitor it is very impressive. It has also delivered on cost effectiveness over alternatives, which made it a viable project to do – without that, it simply wouldn’t have happened.”
Following a successful season of streaming in Riyadh, the encoder system is being moved to another racetrack in Saudi Arabia, where it will be used to stream action from Ta’if in the southwest of the country for 10 weeks.
The MGW Diamond encoder was supplied by Zest Technologies (originally through Garland).
Panasonic PTZ Cameras Capture FACEIT’s Flashpoint 2
When the COVID-19 pandemic prevented the FACEIT production team travelling to the United States to stage its Flashpoint Season 2 tournament for Counter-Strike:Global Offensive, the company decided to switch the production venue to Twickenham Stadium in the UK and use Panasonic’s PTZ camera and robotics solutions.
FACEIT is the leading independent competitive gaming platform for online multiplayer PvP gamers with more than 20 million users, and a total of 40 million hours spent on the platform each month. In addition, the organisation has its own TV and Media production unit that provides professional gaming coverage of some of the largest esports events in the world.
For Flashpoint 2, the team had originally planned to have all the players for its $1m prize money tournament on-site and produce the show from its studio in LA but as things changed it meant that players, talent and crew were struggling to travel.
FACEIT decided to go ahead with the event but with all the players competing remotely and creating a studio at Twickenham Stadium and hotel. The organisers drew up plans to reduce all virus transmission risks within a studio space. This included reducing the amount of people coming into contact with the show’s presenter talent.
“We wanted to give the talent space and the option to not have to wear a facemask, allowing them to be on camera and do their jobs properly,” explained Andrew Lane, Director of Broadcast & Production at FACEIT. “Having operated cameras wasn’t really an option because our footprint in the studio would have significantly increased – especially when you add a jib or a Steadicam.”
As a result, the team used a PTZ camera-based system featuring the Panasonic AW-UE150 camera, for three purposes. The first was to reduce the number of people located in the studio. The second was to have high quality, programmable preset and recall movements that could be rehearsed and used throughout the show. The third was to enable the system to be controlled over a network, so that the team could operate in isolation, from their hotel rooms, in the worst-case scenario.
The production team’s system included six Panasonic UE150 cameras, an AW-RP150 controller, and a Tuning rail system with an elevated column – all supplied via ES Broadcast. The Panasonic UE150 cameras and Tuning system fitted perfectly in the environment because they didn’t require proprietary cables, and could be controlled from a simple IP network.
The wider production system was very Blackmagic-based and included an ATEM Constellation mixer and RIEDEL comms. The team also used an infinity green screen and Augmented Reality effects on the live show and behind the scenes, in use with the Panasonic UE150 cameras, thanks to their compatibility with the FreeD protocol.
“The Panasonic PTZ camera solution is ideal for this type of esports coverage and it’s fantastic that we could help to keep the players playing and give the fans the high quality viewing experience they demand,” said Field Marketing Manager at the Panasonic Media and Entertainment Division, Oliver Newland.
NBC Olympics Selects Chyron to Provide Real-Time Graphics And Video Playout for Olympic Games In Tokyo
NBC Olympics, a division of the NBC Sports Group, has selected Chyron to provide real-time graphics authoring and playout solutions for its production of the Games of the XXXII Olympiad, which takes place in Tokyo, Japan, from July 23 – August 8. The announcement was made today by Darryl Jefferson, VP Post Production & Digital Workflow, NBC Sports & Olympics, and Rob Ulke, VP of Sales, Chyron.
Chryon is supporting NBC Olympics’ remote production workflow with Lyric X, a 4K-ready solution for graphics creation and playout. Lyric systems will be used at NBC Sports’ International Broadcast Center in Stamford, Conn., to enable an agile workflow for adapting graphics and getting them to air quickly. Additional Lyric systems will be deployed in a dedicated control room in Tokyo to support flexible graphics creation and playout for a select group of events.
Deployed in Tokyo for in-studio use, Chyron’s PRIME Video Walls solution will enable NBC Olympics to deliver striking visual presentations on various individual displays, or across a monitor wall. A single PRIME system will feed high resolution graphics and video content to various screens, regardless of size or aspect ratio. Powerful data-binding to scene elements will simplify data visualization.
“We are happy to be a trusted partner of NBC Olympics for one of the most prestigious sporting events on the calendar,” said Ulke. “NBC Olympics has been pioneering remote production workflows with its coverage of the Olympic Games over the years, and we’re proud to have supported ongoing innovation through continued extension of our products’ feature sets to address specific goals and challenges. We look forward to another successful event supporting NBC Olympics’ coverage of the Tokyo Olympics.”
“We are looking forward to continuing our partnership with Chyron for our coverage of the Tokyo Olympics,” said Jefferson. “The tools that Chyron delivers for both real-time graphics presentation and the flexibility for video wall presentation allows our creative teams to really make our studio presentations and live coverage stand out. Our integrated data feeds also help our presentation tell the story and give context for the viewers at home.”
Chyron, and formerly as ChyronHego, has supplied graphics technology to NBC Olympics for its coverage of the Olympic Games since 2008.
Simon Wake Joins GL Events UK Stadia Team
GL events UK has strengthened its growing Seating and Stadia team with the appointment of Simon Wake in the role of Stadia Business Development Manager. Simon, who joins GL events from Alderdale Seating, has previous experience in permanent seating roles at Arena Stadia Seating and Ferco.
He expressed his vision for the new role, “It is a great opportunity for me to join GL events and I look forward to utilising my experience to drive forward the stadia business in the UK, and grow it to become a market leader in this sector.”
In announcing the appointment, UK Group MD Scott Jameson commented, “Over the last ten years, our Stadia team has developed an impressive track record of stadium project delivery for clients including Watford FC, Barnet FC, Exeter FC, and most recently Plymouth Argyle FC – and we look forward to this continuing to expand.
“Added to this, we have undertaken significant R&D in the last 18 months and have a strong portfolio of new products to bring to the Stadia market including Raptor, our safe standing rail seat offering, and our new portable modular stand, amongst others. We are excited to have Simon working alongside the rest of the team to bring our entire offering to the market in 2021 and beyond and are confident of significant growth.”
CHAN in Cameroon Utilises Video Assistant Referee
The 2020 African Nations Championship also known as the Championnat d'Afrique des Nations or CHAN was held from January 16 to February 7, 2021. This sixth edition of the biennial football tournament was organised by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and hosted by Cameroon. Morocco may have successfully defended their title, but the Cameroon Football Federation wrote a new page in the video assistant referee playbook.
Broadcast Solutions announced today that it will be delivering two additional Video Assistant Referee (VAR) systems for the Cameroon Football Federation. These systems are an extension to the existing platforms that were deployed last year.
For the first time, an African football federation developed and deployed its own VAR video operations room (or VARVOR) infrastructure. Local systems integrator Optimum was mandated in 2019 by the State of Cameroon to design, deploy and operate VAR infrastructure for the competition. In-line with Confederation of African Football (CAF) recommendations, Optimum selected EVS’ Xeebra as its core VAR platform. They then contracted Broadcast Solutions to design and integrate the video operations rooms that could meet the requirements of an international event such as the CHAN.
Talking about the rollout of the project, Gaéthan Donlap, Chief Operating Officer of Optimum says: “We faced three challenges. First, current IFAB and FIFA regulations require up to six operators – one Video Assistant Referee, two Assistant Video Assistant Referees, two Replay Operators and one Technical Guarantor – to share the same space during major games, which is a real challenge in Covid times! Second, we needed best of breed intercom integration between the VARVOR and the referees on the pitch. Finally, we had to build a platform that could meet the tropical climate that we enjoy here in Cameroon.”
As a FIFA certified VAR technology provider and with EVS as a key technology partner, Broadcast Solutions was keen to step up to the plate and support Optimum, the Cameroon Federation and CAF.
“Our expertise in mobile production platforms was essential to successfully addressing Optimum requirements”, explains Stefan Breder, CEO and co-founder of Broadcast Solutions. “Beyond system integration of AV infrastructure, we had to ensure that ergonomics, air conditioning and power management met the requirements that a mission-critical service like VAR requires.”
The resulting four VARVOR platforms were integrated into ISO compliant 20 feet containers. These shelters provide the operating room needed by the referees and VAR operators, as well as the power distribution and AC required for systems to run.
“We are impressed with the VAR platforms that Optimum deployed for the CHAN”, said Wael Elsebaie, VAR Project Manager from CAF. “Now certified, these platforms can be moved from one stadium to another without the need for renewed certifications. The EVS Xeebra video assistance system only requires some simple configuration data from a surveyor to update the virtual offside line detection system.”
These VARVOR systems were successfully deployed during the recent African Nations Championship to service referees and their assistants. Moving forward, two additional VARVOR platforms are being built by Broadcast Solutions for the coverage of the African Cup of Nations or CAN that will be hosted by Cameroon in February 2022. These will be commissioned in partnership with CAF authorities in Germany.
“We are extremely proud to contribute to this exciting project of VAR Video Operation driven by Optimum. Beyond offering certified VAR functionalities, Xeebra has been designed by EVS to adapt to the most demanding and creative requirements in terms of connectivity and flexible deployment” said Nicolas Bourdon, Chief Marketing Officer at EVS.
EVS Strikes Gold with New Contract for Major Sporting Event in 2022
EVS has been selected by the host broadcaster of a global multi-sports event taking place in Asia in 2022 to provide solutions for the centralised ingest, management and distribution of its media content. EVS will also be responsible for a comprehensive media server infrastructure that will give operatives instant access to thousands of hours of material. These tools will enable the production crews located at the various venues and within a central international broadcast center (IBC) the possibility to create an unprecedented amount of compelling content.
Worldwide rights holders at the event will benefit from the host broadcaster’s decision to deploy EVS’ latest MediaCeption Sports solution, including the centralized video content distribution platform MediaHub. By using the platform’s web-based interface, production teams will be able to easily browse, review, select and deliver content from anywhere to anywhere.
All workflow management and reporting will be handled through EVS’ VIA Flow, a central workflow engine, which enables users to exchange content between the IBC and multiple venues as well as monitor the flow of media throughout the EVS ecosystem. It offers full visibility from ingest to archive to help editorial teams keep track of their work, while facilitating collaborative workflows.
Commenting on the signing, Serge Van Herck, CEO of EVS said: “This event is an exciting milestone for EVS, as it gives us another opportunity to deploy our latest innovations for the live coverage of a major sporting event that will be watched by billions of viewers.” Xavier De Vynck, SVP Major Events & Business Development at EVS added: “Our latest solutions enable content creators onsite, as well as from their home bases, to drive value with memorable stories of live events for the delight of sports fans across the globe.”
EVS’ LiveCeption Signature solution will also be used by many of the facilities providers contracted to cover the multiple sports. As part of the solution, IP-based LSM-VIA systems will be deployed at the various venues for the creation of high-quality replays, slow-motion and highlights.
Gloucester Rugby Names SecuTix as new Ticketing Technology Partner
Gloucester Rugby has appointed ticketing engagement platform SecuTix, as part of a broader digital transformation taking place across the club and the Kingsholm Stadium.
Following a competitive pitch, SecuTix will be the Premiership club’s new Ticketing Technology Partner and will play a key role in helping the club achieve its ambition of creating the best digital experience for rugby fans in the UK.
SecuTix will focus on growing Gloucester Rugby’s fan base, increasing ticketing revenue and providing a first-class fan experience. Using the SecuTix 360 platform, Gloucester Rugby intends to use data-driven audience insights to understand their fans better and deliver personalised, targeted marketing campaigns.
Alex Brown, Chief Operating Officer at Gloucester Rugby, said: “We are delighted to partner with SecuTix to deliver our ticketing solution from July 2021, enabling Gloucester Rugby to provide a more user-friendly platform for our supporters. Our focus is to develop and improve our digital offering and SecuTix provide the platform for us to achieve this.
"We are excited for the return of fans to Kingsholm Stadium and believe our partnership with SecuTix will help to deliver an exceptional ticketing and fan experience.”
David Hornby, SecuTix UK Managing Director, added: “We’re excited to partner with a club that is leading the way in terms of sports technology. The new high capacity WiFi network at Kingsholm makes it one of the best-connected stadiums in the UK, so the opportunities for a better ticketing and fan experience are endless. With engagement sitting at the heart of the open SecuTix platform, we look forward to connecting with the club’s other digital partners and modernising the customer journey for Gloucester fans.”
Gloucester Rugby joins SecuTix’s other rugby clients, which include Exeter Chiefs and Saracens.
The first tickets to be sold through the new platform will go on sale on the 1st July 2021.
Columbus Crew SC to Open New Downtown Stadium with LED Displays from Daktronics
To help Columbus Crew SC open a new downtown stadium in Columbus, Ohio, the club has partnered with Daktronics to design, manufacture and install six LED displays to entertain and inform soccer fans at every match. Installation of the 8,700 total square feet of LED displays is ready for the opening of the stadium this July as the Club opens its modern and dynamic home.
“We are excited about partnering with Daktronics as we prepare to open New Crew Stadium,” said Steve Lyons, Executive Vice President and Chief Business Officer of Columbus Crew SC. “Daktronics’ state-of-the-art LED screens will provide our supporters with engaging and interactive match content and help elevate the match-day experience at our new stadium, creating a true home-field advantage for our team.”
Two main video boards were installed, one in the Northeast corner and one in the Southeast corner of the stadium. The northeast display measures 25 feet high by 44.5 feet wide and the southeast display measures 25 feet high by 108 feet wide. Both feature 13HD pixel layouts to bring crisp, engaging imagery to fans throughout the stadium.
“The LED displays will bring extra life to this new chapter in Columbus Crew soccer in Ohio,” said Daryl Mihal, Daktronics regional sales manager. “The new stadium is phenomenal and we’re excited to be a part of bringing it all together for the team and their fans. The layout will give fans a great view of the action both on the field and on the video boards at every event.”
Ribbon displays were installed on each side of the stadium’s seating fascia to supplement the information and graphics provided by the main displays while also offering the opportunity to highlight sponsors throughout events. The east ribbon measures 2.5 feet high by 408 feet wide and the west ribbon measures 2.5 feet high by 270 feet wide. Both ribbons feature 15HD pixel layouts to share excellent image quality of all messages shown.
Circling the live action, a perimeter LED display was installed to bring graphics and branding messages closer to the playing field. This display features 10-millimeter pixel spacing and measures 3 feet high by 942.5 feet long.
A feature video display was added to the plaza of the stadium to connect with and engage fans in that area and as they arrive for the main event. This display measures 14.5 feet high by 24 feet wide and features 10-millimeter pixel spacing.
The main video displays are capable of variable content zoning allowing each to show one large image or to be divided into multiple zones to show any combination of live video, instant replays, game information and statistics, graphics and animations, and sponsorship messages.
In addition to the equipment installation, Columbus Crew SC will also receive a content package that will be produced and delivered by Daktronics Creative Services.
Daktronics will also be including its powerful Show Control solution with this installation. This industry-leading system provides a combination of display control software, world-class video processing, data integration and playback hardware that forms a user-friendly production solution. For more information on Show Control, visit
Bay Area Host Committee Meets With FIFA Delegation to Promote Levi’s Stadium
The Bay Area Host Committee participated in the Infrastructure Workshop phase of the host city selection process for the FIFA World Cup 2026 yesterday with a virtual presentation to a delegation of FIFA and US Soccer representatives. This stage of the Candidate Host Community review process focused on a discussion led by representatives of the Levi’s Stadium Operations team highlighting the attributes and infrastructure of Levi’s Stadium along with the technical aspects related to the hosting of matches for the first 48-team FIFA World Cup in history.
“We appreciate FIFA and US Soccer allowing the Bay Area to present details about the design and infrastructure that make Levi’s Stadium an incomparable host for what will be the largest, highest-attended, and most inclusive FIFA World Cup event ever staged,” said Patricia Ernstrom, Bay Area Host Committee Executive Director. “As FIFA’s Host Community Selection Committee expands its review to our overall hosting concept in the coming months, we look forward to working with our partners throughout the region to share our exciting plans with the passionate soccer fans of Northern California.”
The Infrastructure Workshop stage of the Candidate Host Community selection process was announced by FIFA in January 2021 and will be followed by another virtual discussion with each of the 17 United States candidate host communities on overall hosting strategy beginning in April 2021. FIFA has also stated its intent to begin venue visits of candidate host cities in July 2021 in accordance with governmental health and safety guidance. Following the conclusion of those venue visits, FIFA is ultimately targeting late 2021 for announcing its 16 host community selections for the shared hosting duties of the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
FIFA previously recognized the region’s qualifications to be a World Cup host community by selecting Stanford Stadium in Palo Alto to host both Men’s and Women’s World Cup matches. In 1994, the Bay Area hosted six Men’s World Cup matches, including a highly attended quarterfinal. Several years later in 1999, a Women’s World Cup semifinal was also played in front of a global audience.
Since opening with a soccer match in 2014, Levi’s Stadium has become one of the premier outdoor destinations for sports and entertainment in the United States with a capacity to welcome 70,000 fans for soccer. In addition to hosting the five-time Super Bowl Champion San Francisco 49ers, it has staged several internationally renowned soccer events, including the Copa America Centenario, the 2017 CONCACAF Gold Cup Final, and annual installments of the International Champions Cup. On multiple occasions, Levi’s Stadium has proven its capability to host world-class sporting events such as Super Bowl 50 and the 2019 College Football Playoff National Championship.
“Few venues can present the unique combination of greater infrastructure, amenities, field of play, and multi-functional space that Levi’s Stadium has to offer FIFA and each of its 48 member national teams that we hope to have the opportunity to host in 2026 and the lead-up to the world’s most popular event,” said Al Guido, Bay Area Host Committee Board President and San Francisco 49ers President. “As we have done with the Super Bowl, the CFP National Championship, and other major events, our host committee will serve as a great partner to FIFA and will bring the region together to stage an incredible event with Levi’s Stadium positioned as its centerpiece.”
Levi’s Stadium has built a reputation for being one of the most technologically advanced and innovative stadiums in the world. The site features a ground-breaking infrastructure of internet access points strategically positioned beneath seats in the lower bowl – one access point for every 100 seats – that pioneered stadium-wide connectivity and ushered in countless fan-centric digital advances to the sports and entertainment industry. In the past year alone, the venue has also enhanced the fan experience by converting to a completely cashless venue and implementing the world’s first-ever fully integrated 8K video replay system, producing crystal clear replays on video boards throughout the stadium.
The Bay Area was originally included as a Candidate Host Community for the FIFA World Cup 2026TM when the United Bid of Canada, Mexico, and the United States were selected to host the event after receiving 67 percent of the vote from all 200 FIFA member nations on June 13, 2018. The host community selection process was greatly altered by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic as FIFA held its initial candidate host city workshops in July 2020.