103-year-old Ohio Stadium presents unique challenges for a high-powered production
The NHL Stadium Series is a game that is twofold: it brings the sport of hockey back to its roots in the outdoors and places professional and collegiate sports’ greatest venues on a national stage. Due to the wide variety of buildings that has hosted this annual contest, ESPN’s operations team is now tasked with bringing the infrastructure of the 103-year-old Ohio Stadium up to modern standards capable of powering an NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs-caliber production.
“We’ve faced unique challenges due to the unconventional nature of this venue,” says Erin Orr, senior manager, remote productions and operations, ESPN. “Despite these challenges, our team is experienced in handling complex environments and will implement innovative solutions to ensure the seamless production and broadcast of this game.”
Camera positions were optimized for viewing a hockey game in a football stadium.
A Year’s Worth of Planning: Crew Executes Onsite Visits in the Early Stages
To achieve the necessary tech and operational foundation for a broadcast of this size, the network began planning for this event nearly a year ago. Working with NHL Operations, ESPN Ops hit its final stage of preparation six months ago to organize and finalize a logistical plan. This period was filled with meetings and onsite visits to visualize the layout that they would install in the days before puck drop. During this time, a handful of lessons were learned that have better positioned the team for a smoother show on gameday.
“One key lesson was the importance of patience,” says Orr. “Events of this scale require significant coordination and flexibility, as the smallest detail can impact overall success. Whether it’s adjusting camera placements, coordinating schedules, or accommodating unforeseen challenges, patience ensures that the team remains calm and focused.”
Along with patience, communication was a critical piece to the puzzle. This included a back-and-forth dialogue between ESPN, the league, tech vendors and manufacturers, local partners and staffers, and other stakeholders about their goals and expectations as well as troubleshooting potential issues. All parties understood that producing a hockey game in the third largest football stadium in the United States would be no small feat.
“Ultimately, the planning process reaffirmed that thorough preparation, attention to detail, and effective collaboration are essential for executing a successful event,” adds Orr. “This is particularly true when dealing with the logistics involved in large-scale production like this.”
NEP Group has provided two mobile units, EN2 and Supershooter 16, in Columbus.
Hockey in the Horseshoe: Temporary Infrastructure Offers Much-Needed Connectivity
From the onset, the operations crew knew that additional tech infrastructure would need to be built to withstand an influx of modern-day workflows. Prior to the network being able to increase their connectivity and tech backbone, they had to wait until NHL Events and NHL Operations put the finishing touches on both the rink that would be constructed on the grass and the environment surrounding the ice. Once the playing surface was laid down the week leading up to the event, the four-letter network got to work on implementing their additional equipment.
“We closely collaborated with the league on configuring the space and determining camera angles that were suited for TV,” says Orr. “Broadcasting from Ohio Stadium requires setting up a temporary technical infrastructure, including running cables for power, data, and audio signals to support camera feeds and live commentary in non-traditional football locations.”
Aside from worrying about potential inclement weather in the forecast, which was the case at last year’s NHL Stadium Series after snow flurries hit the New York City metropolitan area the day before the first of two games, camera placement and positioning could greatly affect the viewing experience.
NEP’s EN2 will be used for game coverage.
“In a typical hockey arena, camera angles are designed for the game, but in a football stadium, cameras must be placed in unconventional positions, including field level, behind the goals, above the ice, or in temporary structures to capture all the action,” says Jeff Werner, senior remote production operations specialist, ESPN. “The ice surface may also have a different reflective quality than in a standard arena, requiring special attention to lighting and camera settings to avoid glare and ensure visibility.”
Other than camera installations, the audio plan is altered from playing outdoors. Without a roof covering the building, as well as the horseshoe-shaped structure leaving one end of the building more exposed than the rest, factors like wind and the introduction of more fans in the stands can create an interesting dilemma for the network.
“The sound of the puck, skates, and sticks is vital in a hockey broadcast, but in the open-air environment of a stadium, these sounds are harder to capture and could be drowned out,” adds Werner. “We’ll be using specialized microphones to pick up the game’s audio while balancing crowd and stadium noise.”
Inside the game production mobile unit.
Big Tech for a Big Game: Flurry of Workflows Matches Production’s Vision
In addition to a suitable pack of 96 microphones for outdoor hockey, this year’s edition of the NHL Stadium Series will see numerous workflows play a vital role on the broadcast. This decision was made in response to this specific game’s growth since the network’s first attempt in Raleigh, NC in 2023, but also with the large amount of space around the ice.
“The evolution of the Stadium Series, especially in terms of technology and operations, has been remarkable, and this game marks a significant milestone in this progression,” adds Werner. “This stadium provides ample space for innovation, which required our team to bring in a substantial amount of additional gear to support both the live broadcast and in-venue experience.”
This expanded arsenal of technologies will include a trio of aerial devices, including a Skycam, drone, and plane; a jib camera at ice level to implement virtual graphics for both studio and game coverage; two shallow depth-of-field Skate Cams that’ll be used on the ice during stoppages in play; a POV camera for the “Best Seat in the House” activation with talent and local celebrities and guests; 11 NEP Specialty Capture robotics; various beauty cameras around the stadium; and three cameras dedicated to the mobile studio set.
NEP’s Supershooter 16 will drive onsite studio programming.
Outside in the broadcast compound, the network is leaning on the A and B units of NEP’s EN2 mobile unit for game coverage and NEP’s Supershooter 16 to house the studio show’s production crew. The main game truck will also bring in video feeds from NHL Events’ mobile unit that is producing the in-stadium entertainment and performances during pregame and intermission. Although this sounds like a heavy lift, the partnership between ESPN’s operations and production made a task like this a lot easier to accomplish
“From the very beginning, both teams worked hand in hand to ensure that every aspect of the event was thoughtfully planned and executed,” says Orr. “Production brought their creative vision and operations focused on the technical feasibility. Together, we brainstormed solutions to make sure every idea came to life without a hitch.”
Inside the studio production mobile unit.
A Month-Long Juggling Act: Ops Provides Massive Support for February’s Tentpole Events
The NHL Stadium Series is the current priority, but this outdoor spectacle is the conclusion to an entire month of high-level NHL on ESPN broadcasts. Last week, the inaugural 4 Nations Face-Off came to a resounding close in Boston on Feb. 20. The operations team in Columbus, OH was involved with this tournament by helping their production colleagues with a setup at Montreal’s Bell Centre for the first four games and a stateside setup at TD Garden in the Massachusetts capital for the final three games. Orr, Werner and their team of Operations Specialist Jon Winders, Operations Producers Matt Pecarovich and Phil Erwin, Senior Operations Coordinator Carson Kenney, and Operations Coordinator Adam Moossmann, had to worry about each tentpole event at the same time.
“Our team demonstrated exceptional dedication while managing both the NHL Stadium Series and the 4 Nations Face-Off,” continues Orr. “They juggled these dual responsibilities with such professionalism, and it underscores their unwavering commitment to delivering world-class sports programming.”
ESPN’s operations team played a large role in transforming Ohio Stadium into a NHL-capable venue.
Heading into Saturday night’s effort, this battle-tested operations team feels confident in their work and their ability to adapt at a moment’s notice. Like many productions during the sports calendar, a show couldn’t be done without the knowledge of an expert operations team.
“Our crew is our most valuable resource,” adds Orr. “Whether it was providing backup when needed, stepping in during peak moments, or supporting each other’s work, we wouldn’t be able to achieve this level of success without each person.”
