Special Edition: Super Bowl LI—Technology Insight: Trucks, Technology and Production: Part 1

Every year the NFL Super Bowl creates a level of excitement uncommon for most sporting events and this year’s event was no exception. The broadcast provided viewers with a dazzling Lady Gaga half-time show and the stunning and record-breaking, come from behind 34 – 28 win by Tom Brady and the New England Patriots.

In Part 1 of this Super Bowl Technology Insight, The Broadcast Bridge takes you behind-the-scenes, looking inside the trucks and technology used to create this year’s Super Bowl game. From kick-off to the Patriots’ in an overtime, game-winning touchdown, you will see how the broadcast was created.

On board Game Creek’s Encore production control room, complete with Grass valley production switcher and EVS Replay systems.

On board Game Creek’s Encore production control room, complete with Grass valley production switcher and EVS Replay systems.

This year’s Super Bowl telecast proved to be a winning combination of trusted and new technology mixed with a bit of WOW factor. Teams of trucks and personnel from NEP and Game Creek Video handled the core of both broadcast and production. The production trailers held some of the most complex and sophisticated video and audio production equipment available. Want a peek inside?

In this package, you will learn about the gear inside the trucks, how it was used and results obtained. With just under 30 trucks and production OBVs located around the Houston NRG Stadium, miles of fiber, wireless and copper connected the puzzle pieces together. 

Lady Gaga Half-Time Show at Super Bowl LI.

Lady Gaga Half-Time Show at Super Bowl LI.

This year’s Super Bowl broadcast was a combination of high technology and an edge-of-your-seat experience with a spectacular come-from-behind tie to an over-time win, by the New England Patriots. To say this year’s Super Bowl broadcast was remarkable is an understatement.

Want to know more about how all this technology works? Behind-the-scene details are just ahead.

You might also like...

Comms In Hybrid SDI - IP - Cloud Systems - Part 1

We examine the demands placed on hybrid, distributed comms systems and the practical requirements for connectivity, transport and functionality.

Designing IP Broadcast Systems: Part 2 - IT Philosophies, Cloud Infrastructure, & Addressing

Welcome to the second part of ‘Designing IP Broadcast Systems’ - a major 18 article exploration of the technology needed to create practical IP based broadcast production systems. Part 2 discusses the different philosophies of IT & Broadcast, the advantages and challenges…

Essential Guide: Network Observability

This Essential Guide introduces and explores the concept of Network Observability. For any broadcast engineering team using IP networks and cloud ecosystems for live video production, it is an approach which could help combat a number of the inherent challenges…

Designing IP Broadcast Systems: Timing

How adding PTP to asynchronous IP networks provides a synchronization layer that maintains fluidity of motion and distortion free sound in the audio domain.

Standards: Part 4 - Standards For Media Container Files

This article describes the various codecs in common use and their symbiotic relationship to the media container files which are essential when it comes to packaging the resulting content for storage or delivery.