Ratings Roundup: FOX Smashes WBC Records, ESPN Nets Best College Hoops Audience in 10+ Years
Fox Sports shattered World Baseball Classic pool‑play viewership records, delivering an average 3.17 million viewers – a 183% increase over 2023 – with the Italy‑USA upset becoming the most‑watched telecast on FS1. ESPN posted its strongest men’s college basketball season in 11 years, up 25% year‑over‑year and averaging 1.1 million viewers, while women’s college hoops achieved its best season since 2008‑09, rising 19% to 333,000 average viewers. CBS and Fox also posted double‑digit gains in college basketball ratings, and ESPN’s NHL coverage hit its most‑watched game in five years.
NAB 2026: Harmonic Takes Wraps Off Spectrum X Plus Media Server
At NAB 2026, Harmonic unveiled Spectrum X Plus, the latest iteration of its Spectrum X media server line. The new platform doubles channel density, handling up to eight HD or two UHD channels per chassis while cutting rack space and...
NAB 2026: Net Insight Introduces Nimbra 520 Media Processing Node
At NAB 2026 Net Insight unveiled the Nimbra 520, a high‑density media processing node designed for live contribution and distribution. The node handles multi‑channel HEVC and AVC, UHD, 10‑bit video and low‑latency workflows while delivering up to 50 % bandwidth savings versus legacy...
X Games Launches New Era With First League Draft at Cosm L.A.
The X Games unveiled its first MoonPay X Games League (XGL) Draft on March 14 at Cosm Los Angeles, marking the transition to a year‑round, global, team‑based competition. Forty of the world’s top action‑sport athletes were drafted into four city‑named...
With 70+ Unilateral Cameras, NBC Sports Is Ready To Tell the Story of PLAYERS Championship
NBC Sports is fielding more than 70 unilateral cameras alongside over 120 shared units for The Players Championship, supported by a 400‑person crew. The broadcast leverages drones, Virtual Eye and emerging AR technology to create immersive, data‑rich storytelling. Collaboration continues...
Sky Sports’ New Rights Cycle for PGA TOUR Reshapes Production Operations
Sky Sports has entered a new PGA TOUR rights cycle, establishing a permanent production hub inside PGA TOUR Studios. The arrangement gives Sky two commentators and an on‑course reporter direct access to the world feed, while also providing permanent transmission...
Xfinity To Stream THE PLAYERS Championship in RealTime4K; Debut Multiview and Fan View Features
Comcast’s Xfinity is teaming with NBC Sports and Golf Channel to broadcast THE PLAYERS Championship in RealTime4K, a low‑latency 4K format that arrived up to 49 seconds faster than conventional streams. The launch also introduces two interactive features: Fan View,...
On-Course Drones Coupled With AR Prove Powerful Duo at PLAYERS Championship
The PGA TOUR deployed four drones for the PLAYERS Championship, including two AR‑enabled units that project true 3D graphics onto the course. Virtual Eye integrated Unreal Engine‑driven visualizations, while robocams received identical AR capabilities for live tracing and putt‑path overlays....
CBS Sports Turns to University of Cincinnati’s Control Room and Staff for Two Big 12 Men’s Basketball Broadcasts
CBS Sports partnered with the University of Cincinnati to produce two Big 12 men’s basketball games from the school’s on‑campus control rooms, marking the second university‑based linear broadcast after Kansas State. CBS supplied its front‑bench producers and directors while Cincinnati...
ESPN’s Ryan McGee to Keynote the 2026 SVG College Summit, May 27-28, Atlanta
ESPN senior writer and SEC Network host Ryan McGee will deliver the keynote address at the 2026 Sports Video Group (SVG) College Summit in Atlanta on May 27, followed by his role as master of ceremonies for the SVG College Sports Media...
Save the Date: SVG’s New Cloud & Content Workflows Summit in NYC on July 28
Sports Video Group (SVG) announced its Cloud & Content Workflows Summit for July 28 in New York City, merging its previous cloud production and content management events into a single day. The summit will feature a morning program followed by...
NBC’s Paralympic Effort Embraces Cloud for Signal Transport
NBC Sports is broadcasting the 2026 Milan‑Cortina Paralympics using a cloud‑first workflow, bypassing the traditional IBC connectivity. Signals are transported via SRT over the internet to two OBS cloud instances in Virginia and Frankfurt, with redundancy built in. Stamford, Connecticut...
ESPN Delivers Most-Watched MLB Spring Training Game in 10 Years with Team USA Vs. San Francisco Giants
ESPN’s March 3 spring‑training game between Team USA and the San Francisco Giants attracted 677,000 viewers, the network’s most‑watched spring‑training broadcast in a decade. The matchup lifted ESPN’s 2026 spring‑training average to 580,000, a 101 % increase over 2025, according to Nielsen. The surge...
Foos Gone Wild, Combate Global Launch New Televised MMA Fight Series
Foos Gone Wild and Combate Global announced a new amateur MMA series called Foos Fighting Championship, debuting March 26 in Burbank, California. The event will be broadcast live in Spanish on EstrellaTV and in English on Foos Gone Wild’s YouTube channel,...
SVG Sit-Down: Midco Sports’ Andy Price and Craig DeWit on How the Dakotas-Based RSN Is Redefining Regional Sports Media
Midco Sports, a 95‑year‑old Upper Midwest technology firm, has turned its regional sports network into a national‑minded streaming platform, Midco Sports Plus, now reaching viewers in nine U.S. states. A new partnership with the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) brings...
Riedel Communications Demos Product Innovations at 2026 NAB Show
Riedel Communications showcased a suite of new products at the 2026 NAB Show, emphasizing simplified, scalable production workflows across video, audio, intercom, and networking. Highlights included the browser‑based hi human interface control system, the MediorNet HorizoN ST 2110 MultiViewer app,...
Ratings Roundup: Post Olympics High, NHL on ESPN Viewership Spikes Over 50%
Ratings Roundup shows a surge in live sports viewership across major leagues. ESPN’s MLB spring‑training broadcast between the Atlanta Braves and Detroit Tigers attracted 468 K average viewers, a 54 % increase over last year and the most‑watched spring‑training game in a...
LiveU Marks First Large-Scale Global Deployment of AI-Driven LIQ at Winter Games
LiveU deployed its AI‑driven LiveU IQ (LIQ) technology at the Winter Games, marking the first large‑scale global rollout for a multi‑venue sporting event. Broadcasters used LIQ for roughly 60% of live sessions, achieving a 36% increase in average bitrate and...
The CW Network to Broadcast Six Banana Ball Games During 2026 Season
The CW Network will serve as the exclusive broadcast home for six additional Banana Ball games during the 2026 season, extending its partnership with the Savannah Bananas. The slate includes matchups in Atlanta, Savannah, Kansas City, Milwaukee, and Nashville, beginning with...
Cosm Atlanta Set to Open at Centennial Yards on June 10
Cosm announced the opening of its third immersive entertainment venue in downtown Atlanta’s Centennial Yards on June 10, 2026. The 70,000‑square‑foot, three‑level complex features a 12K+ LED dome that blends virtual and physical experiences, and its inaugural event will be Game 4 of...
SVG GFX Forum Draws 250+ Industry Pros To Talk Creative Philosphy, AR/XR, Future of Live Sports Graphics
The 2026 SVG GFX Forum convened over 250 sports‑graphics leaders in New York to explore AI‑driven workflows, XR studio tech, and the future of live‑sports visual storytelling. Highlights included ESPN’s data‑rich MNF Playbook alt‑cast, a massive new college‑football graphics suite...
Lawo Appoints Jamie Dunn CEO
Lawo AG announced Jamie Dunn as its new chief executive officer, succeeding founder Philipp Lawo who will move to the company’s supervisory board. Dunn, with Lawo since 2011 and deputy CEO since 2024, joins a management board that includes CFO...
FIFA and HBS Share World Cup Production Plans, Camera Innovations, and IBC Updates
FIFA and host broadcaster HBS outlined a new production model for the 2026 World Cup, creating 16 localized production teams to limit crew travel across the United States, Canada and Mexico. Each of the 104 matches will be covered by...
BMG Expands Washington Broadcast Center with 3 New TV Studios and Podcast Studio for Media Clients
Broadcast Management Group (BMG) is expanding its 62,000‑square‑foot Washington Broadcast Center with three new television studios, a dedicated podcast studio, and newsroom spaces. The facilities will integrate directly into BMG’s Tier‑1 control rooms, 24/7 master‑control, REMI workflows, and its private...
Victory+ Launches NWSL Content Hub, Taps Top Creators to Redefine How Fans Connect with League
Victory+ has launched a free, ad‑supported NWSL Content Hub that aggregates 57 live matches, including the flagship Sunday Night Soccer, with creator‑led shoulder programming. The hub debuts alternate broadcasts hosted by World Cup champion Kelley O’Hara and sports personality Coach...
Ventum Tech Partners with Pixotope to Expand Virtual Production Capabilities Across the GCC
Ventum Tech announced a strategic partnership with Oslo‑based Pixotope to become the regional integration and deployment partner for the company’s real‑time graphics and virtual‑production platform across the GCC and Lebanon. The collaboration combines Pixotope’s real‑time rendering and camera‑tracking technology with...
NBC Sports Selected Imaginary Forces to Create Cinematic Main Title Sequence for “Primetime In Milan”
NBC Sports tapped Imaginary Forces to craft the main title sequence for the Milan‑Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics primetime show, "Primetime in Milan," which aired nightly from Feb. 6‑22 on NBC and Peacock. The cinematic opening blends animated Italian winter landscapes with...
ESPN Explores New POVs With CapCam, EarCam for NBA All-Star Celebrity Game, College Softball
ESPN deployed POVORA’s CapCam and EarCam wearables during the NBA All‑Star Celebrity Game and the Shriner’s Children’s Clearwater Invitational college softball tournament. The CapCam houses a 4K camera, battery, RF transmitter and servo motor inside a cap, offering remote tilt...
IndyCar Season Opener: A Look Into the Productions’ Fast-Track IP Transformation
IndyCar’s 31st season kicks off March 1 in St. Petersburg, backed by a rapid IP overhaul of its five mobile production trucks. IMS Productions, BeckTV, and Imagine Communications upgraded system architecture, workflows, and signal paths to enable high‑intensity, low‑latency coverage. The fast‑track...
Horizon Sports & Experiences, TOGETHXR Launch Joint Venture to Power Future of Women’s Sports
Horizon Sports & Experiences and women’s sports media firm TOGETHXR have launched IX to Five, a joint venture aimed at commercializing women’s sports through premium storytelling, IP development, and brand partnerships. The venture debuts with content featuring the StudBudz, WNBA...
Orlando Magic Jump Into ST 2110 With New Production-Control Room at Kia Center
The Orlando Magic has completed a full‑scale conversion of its Kia Center control room from legacy baseband to SMPTE ST 2110 IP‑based infrastructure, finishing just before the 2025‑26 season opener. Systems integrator Alpha, along with Anthony James Partners and Unity Systems...
CBS Sports Reaches Agreement for Paramount+ to Become Exclusive U.S. English-Language Home of All CONCACAF Women’s Competitions Through 2030
CBS Sports has secured exclusive English‑language U.S. rights to all CONCACAF women’s competitions through the 2029‑30 season, delivering more than 250 matches via Paramount+ and select broadcasts on CBS Sports Network and Golazo. The agreement covers the W Qualifiers and...
How Warner Bros. Discovery Sports Used XR to Bring the Peaks of the Dolomites Into View
Warner Bros. Discovery Sports faced a visual gap when studio cameras cut off the snow‑capped Dolomite peaks visible from its Cortina studio. Director of Graphics Alex Dinnin solved it with extended reality, stitching live PTZ footage into a virtual scene that restores...
BBC Shrinks IBC Footprint as Remote Production Takes Center Stage
The BBC is scaling back its on‑site IBC presence for the Milano‑Cortina 2026 Winter Games, opting for a leaner, remote‑production model anchored in Cortina, Livigno and its Salford headquarters. By consolidating editorial decisions in Salford and trimming infrastructure in Milan,...
