FOX Sports Combines ‘Art, Science’ To Elevate MLB Postseason Coverage
2019 ALCS Available in 4K HDR Through FOX Sports, FOX NOW Apps
LOS ANGELES – FOX Sports is delivering the 2019 American League Championship Series in 4K HDR for the first time ever, highlighting its MLB Postseason production effort that features next-generation technology, including prototype cameras and more than 100 microphones.
“While FOX Sports takes great pride in being at the forefront of the use of new and ever-changing production technology, it’s always about the game on the field,” said Brad Cheney, FOX Sports VP Field Operations & Engineering. “We want to be right in that sweet spot … the intersection of art and science. The use of technology should always enhance the storytelling, bringing viewers closer than ever to the sports they love.”
The 4K HDR offering is available through the FOX Sports and FOX NOW apps, using Apple TV 4K and select Roku devices. In addition, the 4K broadcast is available through several FOX Sports distributors, including DIRECTV, Altice Optimum, Verizon Fios, TVision and fuboTV.
Specific Roku devices with 4K support include Roku Premiere, Roku Premiere+, Roku Streaming Stick+, Roku Ultra and 4K TV models with Roku OS built in.
Additional FOX Sports production tech highlights:
• In cooperation with Sony Broadcast, FOX Sports is taking an 8K Sony HDR Camera to select World Series games. The newest camera for high-resolution production will capture the game in 8K, but also be able to conduct zoomed-in extractions of the action, utilizing a massive amount of imagery to magnify an area of interest.
• Multiple FOX Sports “Dirt Cams” will be in play around the infield, giving viewers a unique “snails-eye” view of the action. (Photos available)
• A point-to-point FlyCam system will be used for select World Series games. Coming off its successful debut at this year’s MLB All-Star Game in Cleveland, FlyCam delivers a dynamic view of the entire stadium.
• 4D Replay will be in play for the World Series, incorporating 30-plus cameras arranged around home plate, offering the creation of an animation displaying batter swings, pitch location and plays at the plate.
• Using technology born of FOX Sports coverage of the U.S. Open Championship, FOX Pitchcast employees Virtual Eye 3D rendering, along with MLB Pitchtrax and MLB Statcast tracking data, to display the flight of balls (pitched or hit) in a meticulously crafted virtual environment, including the ability to compare the flight of multiple balls from new and creative angles.
To prepare for the massive cross-country MLB Postseason production effort, FOX Sports is preparing two sets of five mobile units (along with two generator/UPS units, satellite trucks and other necessary equipment). The traveling production compounds are strategically placed around the country in order to get to different cities in enough time to set up and broadcast each game.
FOX SPORTS 2019 MLB POSTSEASON TECH LIST
Staff & Support
• More than 140 technicians
• 36 support staff
• An estimated 56,000 postseason man-hours
Field Support
• More than 384 strands of fiber
• 3+ miles of fiber optic cable
• 3 edit bays
• 128TB of shared storage
• 2 Gbps of data connectivity
• 16 transmission paths (Interconnects to FOX Network Centers)
Cameras and Lenses
• 30 1080p HDR game cameras
• 8 SSMo 6X (360fps)
• 6 SSMo 2X (120fps)
• 2 Xmo (2000fps)
• 2 RF cameras
• 1 RF stabilized camera (MOVI)
• 1 aerial camera
Replay
• 84 record channels in 1080p HDR
• 32 playback channels in 1080p HDR
• 2,600+ hours of recording capacity
Audio
• Full submix
• All-digital audio network throughout stadium
• 12 RF player, announcer and umpire mics
• 8 RF FX mics
• 9 RF base mics
• 78 field mics
• 14 RF infield mics
About FOX Sports
FOX Sports is the umbrella entity representing FOX Corporation’s wide array of multi-platform US-based sports assets. Built with brands capable of reaching more than 100 million viewers in a single weekend, the business has ownership and interests in linear television networks, digital and mobile programming, broadband platforms, multiple web sites, joint-venture businesses and several licensing relationships. FOX Sports includes the sports television arm of the FOX Network; FS1, FS2, FOX Soccer Plus and FOX Deportes. FOX Sports’ digital properties include FOXSports.com and the FOX Sports App, which provides live streaming video of FOX Sports content, instant scores, stats and alerts to iOS and Android devices. Additionally, FOX Sports and social broadcasting platform Caffeine jointly own Caffeine Studios, which creates exclusive eSports, sports and live entertainment content. Also included in FOX Sports’ portfolio are FOX’s interests in joint-venture businesses Big Ten Network, as well as a licensing agreement that established the FOX Sports Radio Network.
–FOX SPORTS–
