Tag Archives: broadcast

BitFire Enters Into Three-Year Agreement With National Lacrosse League

The National Lacrosse League (NLL) and BitFire Networks announce a new three-year partnership to present the next three seasons of play, starting with the current 2021-2022 season.

A worldwide audience will watch as these matchups take place all across the U.S. and Canada and are broadcast by ESPN and TSN. The multi-year agreement ensures that BitFire will play a key role in the production and distribution of NLL games, starting with at least 120 games in year one alone.

The National Lacrosse League is a men’s professional box lacrosse league in North America, with fifteen teams: ten in the U.S. and five in Canada. The 2021-22 season represents a transformative year in the 35-year history of the NLL. Recently, the league announced multi-year, multi-platform media rights partnerships with ESPN and TSN, bringing the game’s reach to its largest potential audience ever, more than 100 million fans, establishing the league as a force in the North American sports space.

With a commitment to live sports production that brings viewers closer to the action than ever before, BitFire and the NLL are employing a centralized broadcast production workflow, with BitFire’s Network playing an integral role in supporting the League’s production partners. Utilizing a minimal on-site footprint at each of the teams’ respective arenas, a robust remote production solution was developed to ensure the League’s live content is captured and distributed in a high-quality and consistent manner.

“This partnership with the National Lacrosse League exemplifies how innovative and technically complex sports production has become,” said Bob Sullivan, CEO of BitFire. “Our agreement will ensure the League’s dedicated fans won’t miss any of the fast-paced action by providing a best-in-class broadcast quality experience.”

“Centralized remote production is fast becoming an industry standard for national sports broadcasts with the goal of improving production quality and consistency in a cost-effective manner,” said Joel Feld, NLL Executive Vice President, Broadcast and Content. “In Week 1 alone, we produced seven games, six in the same window. BitFire seamlessly delivered every game to eight takers, including national partners ESPN and TSN, and to the teams’ local partners.”

“The agility and flexibility of BitFire’s transmission network is allowing the NLL to take a big leap forward in the quality and scale of its broadcast delivery,” notes Edward Derse, the NLL’s broadcast operations and technology consultant. “BitFire allows us to provide greater value to the league and its individual teams by allowing us to produce remotely and deliver NLL broadcasts seamlessly and economically to all takers, including the teams themselves.”

BitFire will provide feeds from each venue to NLL production partners, TV networks, local TV stations, regional sports networks and OTT destinations across the United States and Canada. This allows production partners to remotely switch games and produce more than one game simultaneously. The communication component is critical in that BitFire provides the audio, video and communications for each game.

“Our work with the NLL is a custom solution, created by a team of broadcast experts,” added Sullivan. “This partnership shines a global spotlight on our solution-focused capabilities by creating the vision that our partners demand.”

BitFire is working on this new agreement in partnership with the league’s broadcast team, DOME Productions, Freedom Broadcast Group, DRAGONFLi Media Technologies and the league’s 14 active teams and venues spread out across the U.S and Canada.

With the addition of the NLL to its client roster, BitFire’s continued growth by providing superior, scalable, and end-to-end live transmission and production solutions.

National Lacrosse League Signs Historic Multiyear Agreement with ESPN

The National Lacrosse League (@NLL), the largest and most successful professional lacrosse property in the world, today announced the most extensive United States media rights agreement in its history, giving ESPN and ESPN+ exclusive rights in the U.S. and the rest of the world outside Canada for live NLL games. All NLL games will be carried on an ESPN network or platform. ESPN linear networks – with a minimum of 10 live games annually – and ESPN+ will combine to carry up to 139 games exclusively each year. It will be the largest number of live televised games in the history of the league.

“We are so proud, honored and excited to work with ESPN and ESPN+ in this unprecedented landmark announcement for the NLL. Never before in the 35-year history of the league have fans, sponsors, teams and players had this type of access and exposure across the United States,” said NLL Commissioner Nick Sakiewicz. “While we, our sport and the industry continue to focus on digital native fans, we will also have the benefit of expanded reach through live distribution on ESPN linear networks. We’ve been steadily building on our media strategy and towards this kind of distribution over the last few years and are excited about the momentum an announcement like this generates heading into NLL Faceoff Weekend, December 3-4.”

“We’re thrilled to reach this new multi-year rights agreement with the National Lacrosse League, adding to our already extensive commitment to the sport of lacrosse on ESPN platforms. The NLL features elite players competing in an exciting and fast-paced game that we look forward to showcasing across ESPN and ESPN+ in the years ahead,” said Dan Margulis, Senior Director, Programming & Acquisitions, ESPN.

The broadcast schedule for the 2021-22 season on ESPN’s linear networks will be announced in the coming weeks. The regular season begins with the Vancouver Warriors at San Diego Seals on Friday, December 3; and six games on Saturday December 4, including the debut of the expansion Panther City (TX) Lacrosse Club at the Philadelphia Wings and the 2019 NLL Championship Finals rematch between the Calgary Roughnecks and Buffalo Bandits in Buffalo.

The agreement with ESPN follows an earlier announcement for TSN in Canada for both linear television and live streaming coverage of NLL games, the first broadcast deal for the NLL in Canada since 2016.

For the most up-to-date information and breaking news, sign up for the NLL newsletter at NLL.com. Also follow Deputy Commissioner Jessica Berman and Commissioner Sakiewicz on Twitter @JessicaBerman1 and @NLLcommish, respectively.

National Lacrosse League, TSN Announce Landmark Multi-Year Partnership For Canada

The National Lacrosse League (@NLL), the largest and most successful professional lacrosse property in the world, today announced a historic partnership with TSN, Canada’s Sports Leader, to bring games to Canadians across broadcast and live streaming platforms for the first time since 2016. The new agreement is the league’s most comprehensive Canadian broadcast partnership in its 35-year history, and marks the next in a series of major steps the league has taken in recent months as it moves towards returning to play on December 3, 2021.

The multi-year media rights partnership between the NLL and TSN includes exclusive rights to the regular season “NLL Game of the Week,” as well as comprehensive playoff action, including the NLL Championship Series. TSN also delivers NLL coverage to TSN and TSN Direct subscribers through live streaming on its digital platforms, TSN.ca and the TSN app. Schedule details and additional content information will be announced in the coming months. The 2021-22 NLL season begins the weekend of December 3 with 14 teams, five of which are based in Canada.

“As one of our new owners, Wayne Gretzky, reminded people a few weeks ago when we launched our new franchise in Las Vegas, box lacrosse is the national summertime sport of Canada, and we couldn’t be more pleased and eager to bring the NLL back to Canadian fans with TSN, the country’s premier sports network,” said NLL Commissioner Nick Sakiewicz. “This partnership will give us the ability to distribute NLL games to even more fans than ever before and showcase our amazing athletes, coaches, and action that so many Canadians love so dearly and have enjoyed in person.”

“Box lacrosse is an exciting, fast-paced sport, and we are very proud to partner with the NLL to grow the game and bring comprehensive live coverage to Canadian viewers throughout the season,” said Nathalie Cook, VP, TSN and RDS. “The NLL is a significant addition to our live sports schedule, one we know our fans will enjoy for years to come, and we’re excited to deliver expansive coverage, both on and off the floor, to spotlight the league’s talented players.”

For the most up to date information and breaking news, sign up for the NLL newsletter at NLL.com. Also follow Deputy Commissioner Jessica Berman and Commissioner Sakiewicz on Twitter @JessicaBerman1 and @NLLcommish, respectively.

Latino Players Have Their Say In New La Vida Baseball Show, Mas Que Un Juego

Edgar Martinez (credit: Kuyabribri)

La Vida Baseball, the nation’s leading multi-language Latino baseball lifestyle media company, is gearing up to launch its newest show Mas Que Un Juego, on Thursday, January 7, 2021 via La Vida Baseball’s (@lavidabaseball) social media platforms. The new show celebrates the Latino experience through unfiltered conversations with some of the biggest names in baseball including current and former Latino MLB players. This announcement is the first of several new content initiatives and distribution partnerships planned for 2021.

“As Latinos, it is important that we continue to shape our own narrative. Opportunities like Mas Que Un Juego help us do that,” says Luis Tiant, former Boston Red Sox pitcher.

The first captivating episode features a candid and compelling conversation on culture and identity with Hall of Famer Edgar Martinez, Hall of Famer Vladimir Guerrero and former MLB great, pitcher Luis Tiant.

Mas Que Un Juego is an opportunity for fans to hear the most revered figures in sports openly talk about their experiences and stories. The half-hour long episode features authentic and passionate discussions about the game of baseball and the issues that are important to Latinos and their communities. Listeners are granted unprecedented access as these players share intimate stories about their lives outside of baseball and what it means to be Latino in professional sports in the United States.

“La Vida Baseball is launching Mas Que Un Juego to reflect a time when we’re celebrating all things Latinx and taking a hard look at the lack of inclusion in the United States,” says Jesse Menendez, La Vida Baseball Managing Director. “It’s important to continuously engage the growing Latino audience in authentic ways by sharing our stories and journey – from how we arrived in the U.S., to how our upbringing in our país has shaped who we are, uplifting stories about our beloved communities and hearing how the struggles of being Latinx and immigrants applies to all of us, including pro athletes.”

La Vida Baseball host and producer Jennifer Mercedes (@LaChicaDeportes) is at the helm of this roundtable discussion. Mas Que Un Juego will air on La Vida Baseball’s (@lavidabaseball) social media platforms and LaVidaBaseball.com. The series will run throughout 2021.

For more information about La Vida Baseball and Mas Que Un Juego, please visit lavidabaseball.com.

146th Kentucky Derby Airs Live Nationwide on SiriusXM

SiriusXM will offer listeners nationwide coverage of the Kentucky Derby, the second jewel of thoroughbred racing’s 2020 Triple Crown schedule, from Churchill Downs this Saturday, September 5.

SiriusXM, through its broadcasting agreement with Horse Racing Radio Network (HRRN), airs all Triple Crown races – the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes – as well as the Breeders’ Cup World Championships. The wire-to-wire race broadcast of the Kentucky Derby is provided by NBC Sports Audio Network and produced in partnership with HRRN. 

This Saturday, September 5, SiriusXM will air programming throughout the day from Churchill Downs offering listeners pre-race analysis, and interviews with jockeys, trainers and owners. 

SiriusXM’s race-day coverage airs on Sirius channel 219, XM channel 201, and channel 964 on the SiriusXM app and begins at 8:00 am ET with a live edition of HRRN’s Equine Forum show. At 4:00 pm ET, SiriusXM will air HRRN’s call of the Kentucky Derby undercard stakes, leading into NBC Sports Audio Network coverage of the 146th “Run for the Roses,” airing from 5:30 to 7:30 pm ET (post time approximately 6:50 pm ET). Coverage is hosted by Mike Penna, Kurt Becker and Tom Leach.  NBC Sports’ Larry Collmus will call handle the live race call.

The live race call will also air on Mad Dog Sports Radio during a special Saturday edition of The Rap with Patrick Meagher beginning at 4:00 pm ET (channel 82 on SiriusXM radios and on the SiriusXM app).

A special edition of SiriusXM’s Down The Stretch, hosted by acclaimed track announcer Dave Johnson and Bill Finley, will air on Saturday at 10:00 am ET and 11:30 am ET on SiriusXM channel 211.

Additionally, on Friday, September 4, at 4:00 pm ET SiriusXM will air HRRN’s coverage of the Kentucky Oaks, the Grade 1 stakes race for three-year old fillies, run annually at Churchill Downs on the eve of the Derby (Sirius channel 219, XM channel 201, and channel 964 on the SiriusXM app).

At The Races with Steve Byk airs on SiriusXM every weekday from 9:00 am – 12:00 pm ET leading up to the Derby, featuring daily interviews with handicapping experts and trainers and an in-depth look at the field (Sirius channel 219, XM channel 201 and channel 964 on the SiriusXM app).

SlatersPicks.com Launches Online and On the Air

SlatersPicks.com, a sports consulting website launches featuring long-time radio host Andy Slater. Slaters Picks has announced its plans to launch in September to the public officially after a successful private run this summer releasing late breaking MLB news and seeing how their clients could act on the news. Lining up with the start of the college and NFL regular season, Slater’s service is attempting to bring unique insight to the industry with late-breaking value picks.

To this point, SlatersPicks.com was only accessible through invite-only. Slater’s team has worked hard to ensure that the website is ready for launch to the public, opening up his vast knowledge of the world of sports handicapping to everyone.

Over the last couple of decades, Slater has built up his reputation in the sports industry as a radio talk shows host based in South Florida. He covers all the major sports on his weekday show, The Andy Slater Show which is known globally beyond Miami.

While sports betting has become legalized in more states this year, the sports radio show and website Slaters Picks is designed for those who want all the tips and information Slater has on upcoming games. This is a great opportunity for not only beginners to get a feel for betting responsibly, but seasoned sports gamblers to hone their craft as much as possible.

Anyone who signs up when SlatersPicks.com launches will have the opportunity to link their phone number with their account. This benefit allows for text alerts, as well as access to Slater’s picks by calling right before a game. It’s crucial to have the best edge in sports. Information can change a pick right before an event starts. That’s why it is so essential to Slater that his service provides the latest news at all times.

In the next few weeks, SlatersPicks.com will release the subscription prices for all first-time members. Discounts will be available for those who sign up for longer subscriptions, and initial pricing will depend on how many sports a person wants picks for. To learn more, all updates will be available online or via the company’s phone number (888-364-4003) and on SlatersPicks.com. This will be a year we look back and prove that pundits, radio hosts, and journalists can make a difference even in the sports gaming world.

WPT Hits Latin American Audience With Spanish Broadcasts On TV Azteca

(Photo: Business Wire)

The World Poker Tour’s established three-pillar strategy for creating extraordinary live events, distributing the highest level of poker content, and utilizing innovative online monetization methods is coming to a Latin American audience on July 12.

The World Poker Tour today announced the arrival date of WPT® television programming and social gaming in Latin America across a wealth of distribution channels via TV Azteca. On Friday, July 12, World Poker Tour’s Season IX will debut on TV Azteca’s Channel 7 in the coveted 11:00 p.m. local time slot.

This announcement comes on the heels of TV Azteca entering into a term sheet with the World Poker Tour’s sister company, Allied Esports. The term sheet provides for TV Azteca to become a shareholder of Allied Esports, a global esports entertainment company, through $5 million equity investment in Black Ridge Acquisition Corp. (NASDAQ: BRAC). As previously announced, Allied Esports and WPT, both currently owned by Ourgame International Holdings Limited, will be acquired, once all applicable shareholder and regulatory consents have been obtained, by Black Ridge Acquisition Corp. to form Allied Esports Entertainment.

The TV Azteca-distributed WPT television show will complement WPTGO, the social poker gaming site jointly developed by TV Azteca and WPT specifically for the Latin American online and mobile gaming marketplace. The intended timing of WPTGO’s release will be contemporaneous with the premiere date of the WPT television show on Channel 7.

WPTGO, which we believe will be the first social poker gaming platform created exclusively for the Spanish-speaking community, will include poker, casino games, and education, and will incorporate a new rewards program.

As previously announced, the World Poker Tour and TV Azteca entered into a multi-faceted deal to bring the WPT’s poker content library to a massive Latin American audience. The debut of the World Poker Tour television show on TV Azteca and the launch of WPTGO will be the first steps of a long-term approach to bring the premier name in poker to millions of homes throughout Latin America.

The WPT television show’s premiere date on TV Azteca, and the launch of WPTGO, ties to the strategic pillars first established when the strategic agreement was signed in March 2019. WPT and TV Azteca are committed to continuing the growth of the WPT’s globally renowned poker content through localizing it for the Latin American market, and monetizing the WPT brand-name across Latin America through WPTGO and WPT-branded merchandise in retail stores throughout the region. In addition, WPT and TV Azteca remain aligned in their efforts to bring live WPT events to Latin America. Timing for events as part of the world-class WPT LATAM Tour will be announced at a later date.

WPT’s episodes will be localized for the Latin America market, featuring Spanish-speaking talent delivering the action for TV Azteca viewers. Inés Sainz, a Mexican television personality and a journalist for Azteca Deportes, will anchor the show. Commentating alongside Sainz will be Santiago González Álvarez and professional poker player Angel Guillén. Guillén is a recognized high stakes player and a World Series of Poker bracelet winner, who will bring his poker expertise to the TV Azteca audience.

TV Azteca is the number-one sports network in Mexico and controls more than 40 local broadcast and regional free-to-air stations, as well as providing cable packages, including Netflix and HBO, for the region. TV Azteca’s free-to-air stations reach over 95 percent of the Mexican market and have the potential to make WPT appointment programming. WPT will air on TV Azteca’s Channel 7 immediately following weekly futbol coverage, which we believe will reach an unprecedented audience throughout the region.

“The deal between the World Poker Tour and TV Azteca reaches an incredible level of activation with the commencement of the WPT television show and launch of WPTGO across Latin America,” Adam Pliska, CEO of the World Poker Tour, said. “The continued growth of the alliance between WPT and TV Azteca allows us to further expand our content and social poker gaming assets to this burgeoning Latin American audience and grow the game of poker in ways never previously imagined. It is my pleasure to formally welcome Inés Sainz, Santiago González Álvarez, and Angel Guillén to the WPT Family and watch them reach viewers across Latin America.”

For more information regarding the World Poker Tour, head to WPT.com.

ESPN, Caesars Announce Sports Betting Content Deal

Caesars Entertainment Corporation logo. (PRNewsFoto/Caesars Entertainment Corporation)

ESPN is joining forces with Caesars Entertainment (NASDAQ: CZR) to bring the best in sports betting news and entertainment content to fans around the world. The deal includes building a new ESPN-branded studio at The LINQ Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, where sports betting-themed content will be created, along with segments for ESPN’s recently launched sports betting-related show, Daily Wager. Caesars’ data and branding will also be integrated across ESPN programming within the coming weeks for use across ESPN’s content.

“The sports betting landscape has changed, and fans are coming to us for this kind of information more than ever before,” said Mike Morrison, VP of Business Development at ESPN. “We are poised to expand our coverage in a big way and working with a category leader like Caesars Entertainment will help us serve these highly engaged, diverse sports fans with the best and most relevant content possible.”

Added Chris Holdren, EVP and Chief Marketing Officer at Caesars Entertainment: “We’re really excited about the long-term value this collaboration with ESPN will create and thrilled that, starting immediately, ESPN’s platforms will begin featuring odds information generated by Caesars Entertainment. Millions of sports fans look to ESPN as a sports authority, and Caesars is honored to have been selected for having the best odds to serve those fans. When you combine that level of exposure alongside the unique opportunity to build a studio along the famed Las Vegas Strip, this deal is truly unique.”

The studio will serve as a Vegas hub for odds-related content and will contribute to any number of ESPN linear, digital and social shows as well as ESPN.com and the ESPN app. It will also play a vital role during major sporting events, and especially during the growing number of marquee events hosted in Las Vegas. The new studio will launch in 2020. 

Caesars will also serve as ESPN’s official odds data supplier across TV and digital, receiving associated attribution across ESPN. Additional advertising and sponsorship activations will roll out in the coming months and throughout the deal term. 

“Between an increased interest in sports betting among fans, regularly hosting marquee sporting events – like the upcoming NFL Draft and NBA Summer League as well as premier UFC and Top Rank bouts – and the arrival of the Golden Knights and the Raiders, Las Vegas has become an epicenter of sports culture,” said Connor Schell, EVP of Content, ESPN. “Having a great partner in Caesars Entertainment and soon a full studio presence in Las Vegas will help us create content that taps into that culture and grows our offerings to avid bettors and more casual fans.”

More than two-thirds of avid sports bettors already watch ESPN (Source: Langer Research Associates, 2018). This agreement with Caesars builds upon a stable of betting-related content that dates back more than 10 years. In addition to the previously referenced Daily Wager on ESPNEWS, ESPN betting-related content has included:

  • Behind the Bets with Doug Kezirian podcast 
  • Stanford Steve and The Bear podcast (football season) 
  • Betting news, discussion segments in signature shows (SportsCenter, OTL)
  • “Bad Beats” on SportsCenter with Scott Van Pelt
  • ESPN Insider content – PickCenter tools, projections, recos, analysis, news articles, etc