The New UmpCam is being used by ESPN, Fox Sports and Apple TV for MLB broadcasts
After debuting during Fox Sports’ coverage of the MLB All-Star Game last year, RF Wireless’ new UmpCam system has been popping up across broadcasts on ESPN, Fox, and Apple TV during the opening two weeks of the season. While similar systems have been on baseball coverage in the past – both Fox and ESPN deployed similar systems on catchers and/or umps back in the early 2000’s – RF Wireless’ system is the first that can be integrated into the line cut and properly shaded in the truck to it nearly matches the rest of the cameras in the broadcast.
The UmpCam positioned in place on umpire face mask.
“Our goal was to avoid any disruption of the workflow in the truck and make it as feel like it is in time with every other resource,” says RF Wireless President Rob Bunn, “while at the same time putting a device on the umpire that was light enough and small enough so that he wasn’t disrupted either.”
Three-Plus Year of Development: ‘Many, Many Rounds of Testing’
MLB and RF Wireless have been developing the system – which features a small Marshall board-level POV camera, miniaturized RF transmitter, and custom housing for the type of mask the umpire is wearing – for nearly three years. MLB first approached RF Wireless about the concept after the league saw the quality of the RefCam systems RF Wireless had developed for NHL coverage.
“MLB came directly to us and asked if we would be able to do something similar [to NHL RefCam] for them on the umpire,” says Bunn. “The technology was pretty much ready to go, but we had to build something that was safe for the umpire and would work in that environment without disrupting them. So what followed was many, many rounds of impact testing and lab testing.
RF Wireless and MLB tested the various iterations of UmpCam during games at the University of Lowell, Massachusetts. Broadcasters like Fox and ESPN also provided input and encouragement throughout the development process.
RF Wireless created a custom camera shading system for the UmpCam in-house to ensure that it looks as similar to the other cameras in the line cut as possible.
A close up view of the positioned UmpCam.
“The only way we were going to do this is if we could figure out how to paint cameras correctly,” says Bunn. “We didn’t want to just have another wearable POV camera that looked different from every other camera in the broadcast. So even though it isn’t an exact match to the [broadcast] cameras, it’s certainly a lot closer than anything else out there that I’ve seen.
Bunn adds that going with a traditional RF transmission system akin to those used on wireless handhelds, cable-based cams, and other specialty cameras allows the UmpCam feed to be timed nearly perfectly with the rest of the broadcast cameras. As a result, the UmpCam can be used in the line cut – something a few directors have already done – in addition to be utilized for replays.
“We spent so long developing the system because if we weren’t able to match the other cameras and it sync with them while also making the umpire happy, this would have been just another fad camera that lasted a few games and then disappeared.”
Going Live at MLB All-Star and Opening Night
A side view of the camera positioned on the face mask.
Home plate umpire Bill Miller was the first to put wear the UmpCam during Fox’s 2022 MLB All-Star Game coverage, as well as on ESPN’s White Opening Night broadcast on March 30. He wore the mask for four innings on Opening Night and the umpire for ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball broadcast the following night wore it all nine innings.
“I think the real secret to success has been our ability to work directly with the umpires,” says Bunn. “We learned from hockey that if this this can’t just be a broadcast [tool] that we’re attaching to an umpire or ref; it needs to be something that the umpires are comfortable with first and foremost. They need feel like we’ve listened to them, we’ve taken their feedback, and developed it into a solution that works for them on the field.”
In terms of the workflow, the broadcasters video techs shade the cameras themselves in the truck, while an RF Wireless tech is on-site to look after the receive site and monitor all the data back and forth. A second RF Wireless tech is also on the field level to change out batteries periodically throughout the game and handle any issues that might come up with the umpire or the system during the game.
“It’s definitely come a long way,” says Bunn. “The first iteration looks very different than the iteration that’s actually made it to the field. And we’re already working on the next iteration, which hopefully we can roll out next spring.”
Fox Sports on UmpCam: ‘One of the Most Significant Additions to the Broadcast’
Camera footage from the UmpCam of a pitch during the Phillies v Rangers game on April 2.
Fox Sports SVP of Field Operations Mike Davies says that the biggest advantage of UmpCam thus far has been on replays, where it offers a new perspective that makes a replay package much more interesting.
“We debuted the UmpCam for the All-Star Game last year, and it was one of the most significant additions to the broadcast,” says Mike Davies. “Not only sheer eye candy, but a unique, dramatic perspective that all fans could get behind.
More footage from the UmpCam of a pitch during the Phillies v Rangers game on April 2.
“The idea of the UmpCam has been something we have been chasing since CatcherCam back nearly 20 years ago,” adds Davies. “But all credit to Umpcam’s development goes to MLB and RF Wireless who led this iteration. They spent the time and developed the relationships to make this a reality.”
Between the UmpCam, the USFL HelmetCams and the NASCAR Drivers’ Eye system, Fox is putting more and more emphasis on first-person-view cameras.
“We are looking for more ways to cover the game from the inside out,” says Davies. “We are hoping to use [UmpCam] as much as we can to be honest; it’s a super-valuable angle that we think makes a difference in our coverage.”
ESPN on UmpCam: ‘Particularly Effective Presentation for Younger Viewers’
“[It’s been] mostly good,” says ESPN VP of Production Phil Orlins. “Baseball is played on a large field with cameras forced to shoot from a substantial distance. It’s great for the viewer to be able to see the pitch from the vantage point of someone who is, by design, positioned in the perfect spot to see the pitch. We use UmpCam very aggressively for replays and we are constantly evaluating how frequently we use it live. Thus far it has been well received. We look forward to using it a bit more aggressively live.”
During the College World Series last June, ESPN presented an UmpCam altcast on ESPN+ and ESPNU featuring full coverage with all the same commentary, replays, and graphics as the primary coverage. The only difference was that pitches were simply shown from UmpCam rather than the conventional center-field camera.
ESPN has also used this approach periodically during its KayRod Cast coverage on so far this season to provide another layer of differentiation.
“We are likely to continue that approach and consider other opportunities,” says Orlins. “We believe it is a particularly effective presentation for younger viewers.”
Looking Ahead: Fox, ESPN, and Apple TV All on Board
In terms of future deployments, ESPN is looking to use the UmpCam on at least 15 Sunday Night Baseball Games this season, Fox plans to deploy it as often as possible on its MLB broadcasts, and Apple TV will feature it on the majority of its Friday Night Baseball broadcasts (which are produced by MLB Network). The deployment for each game will depend on the umpire’s willingness to wear the UmpCam, approval from MLB operations, and whether RF wireless has the appropriate housing for the umpire’s mask. Bunn says his team now two housings that cover about 90% of the masks used by umpires today.
“I’m really proud of my team for sticking with it and overcoming all the challenges along the way,” says Bunn. “It’s been an amazing effort between RF Wireless, MLB, and the various broadcasters and we’re excited to be supporting them moving forward now that everyone wants to use it. We have a whole new challenge of keeping up with the demand. We’re scrambling to find technicians and build more units to get online, which is a good problem to have for sure.”
