NEP Broadcasting’s International Events Group (IEG) assisted IMG Media, a global sports, entertainment and media company, in providing coverage of the 52nd Annual World Golf Championships – Barbados World Cup live from Barbados. The event took place Dec. 5-10 and was aired on ABC and ESPN.
In order to capture the 28-nation, two-man team global golf tournament for an estimated 200 million viewers, NEP’s IEG used a modern, flexible and fast assembly fly pack infrastructure, and shipped nearly 45 tons of equipment to St. James from NEP Broadcasting’s Pittsburgh headquarters. In addition, NEP sent eight of its core engineers on location to manage and maintain all on-site equipment throughout the event.
Challenged with using a definitive amount of equipment to deliver 12 hours of U.S. coverage on ABC and ESPN Networks while simultaneously covering event highlights for broadcasts in 140 countries, IMG/ABC worked from one main production gallery for overall tournament coverage with an additional smaller production area for the overall international broadcast. The equipment for the main site was outfitted with 62 stacked monitors and 35 isolation monitors and included: a Sony HDS-X3600 64x64 video router accompanied by a Sony HDS-X3600 128x128 audio router; a Thompson Grass Valley DD35 digital switcher; eight Sony Digital Beta tape machines; two six-channel EVS LSM hard disk video recorders; a 52-channel Soundcraft Series 5 mixing console; a 48-channel Yamaha PM 4000 effects console; and 20 cameras comprised of Thompson Grass Valley LDK 6000 HDs and Sony 900 SDs.
While the smaller production unit shared footage from the core production gallery, it also had its own equipment comprised of: a Trilogy Intercom Matrix and a Networks 32x32 video and stereo audio router; a Ross Video Synergy 2.5 MD switcher; two wireless Sony 950 cameras; two Sony Digital Beta tape machines; a Crest Century VX mixing console; and a six-channel EVS LSM.
NEP Vice President Errol Foremaster said that broadcasting in the Caribbean was a challenge, due to the travel distance, time and customs. In addition, the tropical terrain subjects the equipment to the region’s unpredictable weather and humid conditions. To address these issues, the company decided to ship fly packs and set up tents to weatherproof the equipment.
