NBC will produce the Derby in 1080p HDR for first time
With a spectacular new $200 million paddock and plenty of drama on tap for the historic 150th running of the Kentucky Derby, NBC Sports Group is amping up its production firepower at Churchill Downs this year. In addition to deploying a new studio set and a Skycam four-point cabled system in the paddock area, NBC will produce the broadcast in 1080p HDR for the first time.
NBC’s operations and technical managers for the Kentucky Derby: (from left) Tim DeKime, Keith Kice, John Roche, Brett Fifield, and Ethan Balcer
“Our whole team at NBC absolutely adores covering this event,” says Senior Producer Lindsay Schanzer, working her 13th Derby for NBC Sports and leading the production team for the third time. “The Derby is a thrill and an honor to put on every year, but we expect this to be bigger and better than ever. There’s a lot more excitement [for the 150th anniversary].
NBC Takes Viewers Inside New Paddock With Studio Set, Skycam
The new paddock marks a significant moment for the oldest continuously held major sports event in the U.S. (dating back to 1875). With that in mind, NBC has put it at the center of the pre-race broadcast, erecting a new set location overlooking the renovated paddock, as well as enlisting a Skycam system to fly overhead.
NBC has deployed a new set on the third floor of the paddock area.
“Part of [the paddock’s impact on the broadcast] is just the visuals,” says Schanzer. “It does look drastically different. A lot of that will help build the drama of it. We’ll showcase it throughout the event. The Skycam will give us the best opportunity to do that from a visual standpoint.”
NBC has deployed a Skycam to cover the action at the paddock.
The sprawling paddock now features a stadium-like layout and horseshoe design offering clear views of Churchill Downs’ iconic Twin Spires. The overall paddock area was expanded from 5,100 to 12,000 sq. ft., has more than doubled capacity (from 1,000 to 2,400 people), and includes 3,600 new seats and standing room for 3,200. Schanzer says the “coliseum-like environment” is similar to paddocks often seen in Europe and marks a major improvement for fans as they arrive onsite.
“Now you walk in,” notes Schanzer, “and it’s this sprawling horseshoe-shaped behemoth with the Twin Spires front and center and the horse stalls in a horseshoe beneath them. It gives you that breathtaking, jaw-dropping experience when you first walk in. We’ll start in that paddock set, so we’ll have that as the backdrop to begin things. We’re excited to see it in play for Derby Day.”
NBC’s new set is located on Level 3 in Paddock and is fully enclosed to avoid weather-related issues; rain is currently in the forecast. As the broadcast progresses, NBC’s on-air team led by Mike Tirico will segue to a second set, located at the first turn with the iconic Churchill Downs grandstand, Twin Spires, the infield, and the track in the background.
“It lends itself well to the anticipation that builds towards the race,” says Schazner, “and, of course, the walkover is a dramatic moment in the coverage: all the Derby connections and the horses themselves make their way over from the barn to the front side. They pass right by our desk. I think it gives the guys at the desk a feeling of being right in the middle of it. They’re able to see the horses. I think the move from the paddock to the front side at that point works very well with the crescendo of the day.”
Robbie Earle (left), Rebecca Lowe (center), and Robbie Mustoe will host Premier League Live onsite from Churchill Downs on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday across NBC, USA Network, and Peacock.
In addition to the primary broadcast, Premier League Live is onsite from the Churchill Downs paddock Thursday-Saturday (across NBC, USA Network, and Peacock), adding another element to NBC’s colossal production in Louisville. NBC Sports is also providing ancillary programming and technical support for other NBCUniversal properties, including The Today Show, The Tonight Show, The Matthew Berry Show, NBC News, and Telemundo.
Cameras and the Compound: NBC Rolls Out New Truck, Plenty of Tech Toys
In all, NBC Sports Group has deployed 57 of its own cameras (along with six ENG cameras) and is utilizing 12 track-camera feeds throughout Churchill Downs.
In addition to the Skycam system, NBC will have a BatCam wired aerial system flying alongside the horses as they race down the backstretch.
Fletcher Sports is providing Antelope Nucleus cameras on finish lines (not track official) for both the dirt and turf tracks to provide unique super-slo-mo looks at photo finishes. The systems run at 240 fps in 4K or 480 fps in HDR with real-time digital PTZ in either format.
BSI is once again on hand to manage all RF cameras and microphones.
Key specialty cameras include an RF Phantom handheld super-slo-mo capable of running more than 1,000 fps (depending on light levels), a live drone, two live jockey-cam systems, and a POV camera in the stewards room.
A 360 Glam Cam is also on hand at the red carpet, where celebrities show off their Derby Day outfits and make their race picks.
For replay, NBC has 11 EVS XT-VIA servers, one Sony 4K server, and one Nucleus server at its disposal throughout the action at Churchill Downs.
NBC has opted for a hybrid live-production model to produce 15 races over two days: today’s five hours of Kentucky Oats coverage, along with other broadcasts appearing on USA Network, are produced remotely out of NBC Sports Group’s Stamford, CT, broadcast center; Saturday’s production on NBC will be fully onsite.
Inside NEP ND2 A unit, which serves as home to NBC’s 1080p HDR Kentucky Derby production this year
NBC has rolled out its new NEP ND-2 (known as SNF-1 during NBC’s Sunday Night Football season) A, B, C, D units to serve the 1080p HDR production. Other Derby regulars in the truck compound include BSI, providing all video and audio RF products, and Filmwerks, providing power via twin 700-kVA generators set up as primary and secondary for POWER 4 (four 160-kVA UPSs).
Data Drives the Drama: SMT Returns to Louisville
SMT, in its 14th consecutive Triple Crown collaboration with the Peacock, is providing real-time statistical information, up-to-the-second odds, engaging visual elements, and commentator analysis tools.
SMT’s Live Leaderboard System offers real-time updates on the running order of the top six horses of the field’s 20 contenders. SMT’s ISO Track system enables viewers to easily track individual horses, thanks to on-air pointer graphics incorporating real-time data, such as speed, current standing, and distance from the finish line.
SMT’s Ticker platform delivers real-time odds and bet payouts sourced directly from the race’s Tote provider, enriching the viewing experience with up-to-the-minute wagering information. Additionally, the ticker curates and visually displays social-media feeds, providing viewers a glimpse into the excitement unfolding at the track.
SMT’s interactive videoboard displays odds and payouts for all races throughout the day, offering an engaging platform for NBC Sports analyst Eddie Olczyk to explain the intricacies of horse wagering to viewers.
SMT’s interactive videoboard presents real-time odds and bet payouts for all races throughout the day for NBC Sports handicappers Matt Bernierto (left) and Eddie Olczyk.
A live-odds “L-bar” pylon graphic highlights horses during the paddock-to-post, updating in real time as odds change and enhancing the pre-race excitement. In addition, a thumbnail track-map virtual graphic in the corner of the screen allows viewers to see exactly where horses are located on the track.
SMT seamlessly integrates live data feeds into NBC’s live race presentation and pre/post-race analysis, enriching the viewing experience with real-time advanced odds and countdowns.
Behind the Scenes: Derby Marks Culmination of Year-Round Effort
The operations team is being led once again by Tim DeKime, VP, sports operations, NBC Sports; Keith Kice, senior director, technical operations, NBC Sports; and Technical Managers John Roche, Brett Fifield, and Ethan Balcer. Director Kaare Numme will direct the Derby alongside Schanzer. Saturday’s early race coverage is produced by Billy Matthews and directed by Timothy Nelson.
Skycam operators on hand at Churchill Downs
“We love working together,” says Schanzer. “This is the greatest group, and we are great friends [and] colleagues. Everybody works hard for the year between Kentucky Derbys. We call a lot of racing otherwise, but there’s a really deep dive all year-round in making sure we know the stories and get to this point and are really prepared.
“It’s just a fun event,” she continues, “and we do our best to cover every aspect of it. I feel honored to be a part of it and to get to bring this spectacle to audiences around the country and, hopefully, amplify it with great stories and give people a look at every element of the race, this iconic venue, and the great traditions that make this such a memorable event.”
