Bexel, a Vitec Group Services Division unit, is working closely with the National Hockey League (NHL) in broadcast production planning to ensure that games take to the air flawlessly despite the ever-increasing complexity surrounding such productions.
"[The] NHL initially asked us for help with an issue they were having with their RF and fiber infrastructure, and this led to working on a series of projects for them," said John Mills, Bexel’s business development manager. "Throughout the past year, each of these projects has demonstrated the extent of our capabilities, further building the NHL’s trust in our solutions. With every new project, we get more involved from a planning and logistical perspective, ultimately accomplishing the task at hand with great success."
Bexel has been supporting NHL productions in the areas of frequency coordination, facility engineering, equipment rentals, cable management, camera placement rights, and more. Bexel has also facilitated remote truck—venue pickup interconnection, with the creation of a fiber booth kit.
"Instead of having to run many copper cables, the fiber rack allowed us to run just two cables," said Justin Paulk, Bexel’s broadcast fiber solutions manager. "The distance between the set and the truck was exceptionally long, so by utilizing our fiber rack system, it allowed for easy configuration and resulted in a more streamlined setup and strike."
Bexel also facilitated production of the playoffs and Stanley Cup Finals by providing additional video equipment, interconnectivity, as well as audio enhancements.
"After the success of working together this year, the NHL has truly experienced all that Bexel has to offer," Mills said. "This is just the start--we are working with our partners and bringing the very best technology to the NHL and future-proofing that technology as we install it. We like to think of our relationship growing to the point where we’re more than a service or equipment provider, but a partner, and we value being a part of the team."
