The supply-and-demand principle of good old-fashioned capitalism could be at work in the HD truck business these days. The need for technical coverage of a growing list of HD sports venues throughout the United States may leave a severe shortage of HD production trucks this fall soon after the startup of college and NFL football.
Ken Aagaard, an executive vice president at CBS Sports, has warned that changes or additions to a truck could be problematic. Between late summer and the Super Bowl in late January, broadcast and cable networks cover hundreds of pro and college baseball, football, basketball, hockey, golf, tennis, and other sporting events on a level that has accelerated as the need to cover virtually all types of sports in HD has become commonplace.
Even converting SD trucks to HD, as well as building new units, may not be enough to satisfy all demands for HD coverage in the next six months—especially now that HD requirements have trickled down to games at the regional level. Another challenge for HD is college football, where whether to telecast some games (and even kickoff times) are not decided until the season is well underway, and often depends on the ranking of the teams in question.
