New event honors both active players and baseball legends
MLB is looking to launch its own version of the Oscars on Saturday night with the All-MLB Team Show live from Las Vegas. MLB Network has rolled out a production crew of more than 100 for the show featuring comedian and die-hard baseball fan Roy Wood Jr., who is hosting; a star-studded lineup of baseball legends; and, of course, this year’s All-MLB Team electees.
“This is the first time MLB Network will broadcast an awards show in front of a live audience,” says Dan Komyati, coordinating producer, MLB Network. “We plan on creating an experience that the entire sport will want to be a part of for years to come. Roy Wood Jr. is a real fan of the game. His unique ability to combine humor with his love for baseball will set the stage for an unforgettable sports night out.”
Wood — along with Hall of Famer Fred McGriff and MLB Network broadcasters Greg Amsinger, Mark DeRosa, Harold Reynolds, Lauren Shehadi, and Siera Santos — will preside over the festivities as selections for the All-MLB Team and Hank Aaron Award are revealed to the world from HyperX Arena at the Luxor Hotel and Casino.
MLB Network will broadcast a glittery All-MLB Team Show live from HyperX Arena in Las Vegas.
Interspersed throughout the program, which will also stream on MLB.com and MLB.tv and in the MLB app, will be entertainment by the Blue Man Group and DJ Joe Green as well as special appearances by former MLB All-Stars Bartolo Colón and Andre Ethier.
Although MLB Network is no stranger to studio and remote production, this event presented a particular challenge: to honor the best active players in the game while celebrating several legends in attendance.
“Our goal is to produce an entertainment event for those in attendance while capturing a broadcast for those watching on MLB Network,” says Tom Healy, senior director, MLB Network.
With that in mind, the MLB team selected a theatrical venue — HyperX Arena — with built-in facilities for both broadcast and in-house production. MLB Network added staging, lighting, audio, and video assets to complement the existing equipment.
“There are always challenges working in an unfamiliar venue with new production partners and tech teams,” says Mike Martin, senor coordinating director, MLB Network. “An enormous amount of planning conversations, meetings, and Zoom calls took place well before arrival at the venue.”
MLB Network was tasked with converting HyperX Arena, traditionally an esports venue, into a site for an extravagant award event honoring the biggest names in baseball. The smallest details had to be considered, from standardizing file formats and methods of asset delivery to large-scale concept CAD drawings that would be used to fabricate an event stage and atmosphere fit for a night full of stars.
“This has been a true collaborative effort,” says Martin. “We have been working with MLB and MGM for months to produce this event. Although it is not without its challenges, we have genuinely enjoyed the process.”
MLB Network has partnered with Faction Media Group for a Steadicam and CineCam rig and added Aerial Video Systems to help with RF needs. JitaCam is providing a JitaJib, which has been inverted along a 20-ft. track and mounted to a truss to help the coverage span the length of the stage. The production team is also leveraging HyperX’s strategically placed robotic PTZs to complement the coverage.
MLB Network complemented HyperX Arena’s broadcast and in-house production facilities with staging, lighting, audio, and video assets.
MLB introduced the All-MLB Team honor in 2019 to recognize the breadth of a big-league regular season, complementing the All-Star Game selections, which are made just past the season’s midpoint. Introduced in 1999, the Hank Aaron Award is awarded annually to the best overall offensive performer in each league.
Saturday’s program marks the culmination of the inaugural All-MLB Weekend, a multi-day offseason event offering MGM Rewards members the opportunity to attend the All-MLB Team Show and join All-MLB players and legends for a private dinner in Rivea at Delano Las Vegas and a golf outing at Shadow Creek.
The production operation is being overseen in Vegas by Zaac Christopher, senior remote technical manager; Jason Hedgcock, senior director, remote technical operations; and Tommy Guidice, VP, remote operations. Other key contributors are Marty Montalto, senior coordinating producer; Mark Capalbo, senior coordinating producer; Ben Friedfeld, coordinating producer, field production; Field Producers Sande Charles and Jenna Van De Ryt; Ian Theodoridis, producer; David Beun, production manager; Doug Jaclin, VP, news and production; Connor Fortier, segment producer (who is overseeing all the editing); Ian Harmand, segment producer, graphics; Emily Mastrobuoni, segment producer, graphics; Ashley Allen, producer, graphics; and Rob Quist, director, creative design; Jonathan Kudzmas, segment producer, editor (who produced and edited the tease); and Editor Jesse Hutchinson.
