NEW YORK—As the U.S. Open heads into its final weekend, Gravity Media has laid out some of the technologies and resources it used to facilitate the broadcast of the 142nd consecutive edition of the prestigious tennis tournament.
Getting everything rigged and ready for the first day’s play required a full Gravity Media crew of over 150 skillful individuals arriving on site in early August, installing and testing the core Host Broadcast Facilities, whilst working closely with an abundance of vendors to ensure successful delivery of the tournament, the production services company reported.
On site at peak periods, Gravity Media deployed over 70 talented technical crew members plus an additional 81 expert production and technical crew to facilitate coverage.
Across the tournament, Gravity Media is responsible for providing extensive coverage of the entire US Open Tennis Championship, ensuring fans won't miss a moment of the action, from the exciting early-round matches to the finals.
The technical set up on site involved the Gravity Media team setting up five production control rooms for the host linear courts production with four associated audio control rooms, one PCR & ACR for domestic production, one multi-transmission control room for international, 14 ViBox production desks for outer court production and two associated Audio Control Rooms.
In addition to this, the team deployed a full EVS VIA server and infrastructure, with over 30 Servers, 15+ XTAs and 20+ IP Directors as well as three online Avid Symphony Edits, seven “Lite” Media Composers Edits and 2 After Effects stations plus three voice-over booths and three announce booths. All in all over 170 cameras were deployed by Gravity clients.
Embracing the latest technological advancements, this year's broadcast of the US Open Tennis Championship featured state-of-the-art technical innovations including Ashe produced in UHD with Dolby Atmos and full EVS Via Server rollout and associated upgrade to XHub Via and Xsquare VIA Suite of tools.
The coverage from the 2023 US Open Tennis Championship also used Gravity Media’s Specialty Cameras.
Introducing a range of cutting-edge technological innovations, promising an even more immersive and engaging experience for viewers, the team deployed NetCams across three course, three “Towel Cams” – mini PTZ cameras on Ashe, 11 MRMC AFC 100’s, 32 “Special Cams” around the grounds and on the courts, RF Gimbal Cameras and 10 RF Cameras capturing site wide coverage.
“Gravity Media is proud to be a part of this iconic sporting event for yet another year, showcasing the world's best tennis players as they compete for glory on the grand stage,” explained John Williams, Gravity Media’s director – media services & facilities. “We are truly dedicated to capturing the essence of this tournament and bringing it to the homes of millions of fans, making it an unforgettable experience for all. This year's US Open offers a platform to showcase the versatility and depth of our services, demonstrating the remarkable synergy that unfolds when we unite as a team.”
“The US Open provides an excellent opportunity to highlight the flexibility and depth of our services, and how we can really make the magic happen when we all join forces and come together,” added Ed Tischler, Gravity Media’s managing director. “As a premier global provider of sophisticated live broadcast facilities, the annual US Open presents an exceptional occasion for us to harness our collective expertise and resources to capture, shape, and produce compelling content that ignites passion and exhilaration. The outstanding coverage thus far reflects the dedication and teamwork of every crew member who has collaborated seamlessly to bolster the unilateral facilities. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to everyone who has played a vital role in this endeavor.”
