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The flexibility afforded by IP-based re-
mote production workflows has proven
particularly valuable as broadcasters seek
to cover more events without proportional
increases in production costs.
“Sports broadcasters and streaming plat-
forms are under more pressure than ever
to deliver high-quality, immersive live ex-
periences while managing the complexity
of increasing content demands,” said David
Edwards, product manager at Net Insight.
“The shift toward IP-based workflows,
cloud scalability, and software-defined pro-
duction models continues to drive conver-
sations.”
Cloud-based production is increasingly
integrated into workflows, providing scal-
ability and flexibility previously unattain-
able with traditional infrastructure – and
enabling automation.
“Broadcasters are looking for solutions
that enable them to expand coverage
across premium and lower-tier events
without the constraints of traditional infra-
structure,” Edwards said. “One of the core
drivers of this shift is the growing need for
efficient, scalable, and high-quality live con-
tent transport over unmanaged networks.”
The transition to cloud workflows has
particular relevance for sports broadcast-
ing, where production requirements can
vary dramatically between events.
“We expect to see a lot of focus on
cloud-native workflows that facilitate glob-
al content distribution without sacrific-
ing quality or reliability,” Edwards noted.
“Broadcasters are looking for ways to sim-
plify their live media transport processes
while maintaining the agility to scale up or
down depending on the event.”
Automation gains momentum
As production teams manage increasing-
ly complex workflows across multiple dis-
tribution channels, automation has become
essential for maintaining quality while con-
trolling costs.
“The industry’s growing recognition that
automation and efficient quality control
are essential for successful direct-to-con-
sumer sports coverage,” Johnson said. “At
Hitomi, we’re seeing increased interest in
software-based deployments of our solu-
tions as broadcasters prepare for distrib-
uted production models that can efficiently
serve both traditional and streaming work-
flows.”
The evolution extends beyond simple
process automation to sophisticated mon-
itoring systems that help operators priori-
tize their attention.
“As broadcasters handle more chan-
nels with fewer personnel, especially in
multi-language sports coverage, there’s
growing demand for tools that can alert
operators to potential issues rather than
requiring constant manual monitoring,”
Johnson explained. “This shift toward auto-
mated monitoring allows technical staff to
focus their attention where it’s most need-
ed, ensuring consistent quality across all
distribution channels.”
The increasingly competitive landscape
is pushing broadcasters to innovate across
multiple dimensions simultaneously.
“Live sports continue to be a major driver
of audience engagement, but the landscape
is becoming more competitive,” said Simon
Hawkings, director, sales strategy and busi-
ness acceleration, Ross Video. “Streaming
platforms like Amazon and Apple are ag-
gressively securing sports rights, challeng-
ing traditional broadcasters to find new
ways to differentiate themselves.”
The response involves embracing new
technologies while focusing on creating
distinctive viewing experiences.
“To stay ahead, broadcasters are invest-
ing in AI-assisted production for tasks like
automated highlight generation, real-time
data analytics, and enhanced fan engage-
ment,” Hawkings added. “Remote produc-
tion and cloud-based workflows are also
playing a bigger role, helping networks re-
duce costs while maintaining high-quality
coverage. The focus is now on delivering
more immersive and interactive sports
experiences to keep audiences engaged
across multiple platforms.”
Cinematic sports aesthetics
The visual language of sports broadcast-
ing continues to evolve, with viewers in-
creasingly expecting cinematic production
values even in live sports coverage.
“We’ve seen a concentrated shift in the
creative direction of sports production,
driven by viewers’ appetite for more cin-
ematic moments during live broadcasts,”
said Stosh Durbacz, vice president of sales,
optical devices division, Fujifilm North
America Corporation. “Fujifilm recognized
this need and, with its long history and ex-
pertise in cinematic optics, felt there was
an opportunity to innovate, ultimately cre-
ating a new category of lens to facilitate this
growing demand.”
This aesthetic shift represents more
than just a technical evolution — it reflects
changing audience expectations shaped
by experiences across multiple media plat-
forms.
Financial pressures reshape priorities
Despite technological advances, tradi-
tional broadcasters face significant finan-
cial headwinds as they compete for pre-
mier sports rights against deep-pocketed
streaming platforms.
“The biggest challenge in live sports pro-
duction today, particularly for traditional
broadcasters, is not technical but financial,”
Otto noted. “Securing the TV rights to the
big, high-profile events and leagues has
been the top priority in broadcasting since
the 1990s, when satellite and digital chan-
nels began to dominate sports coverage.
These days they all have to compete with
streaming platforms to cover the major
competitions.”
This competitive landscape has pushed
some broadcasters to explore alternative
content strategies.
“The challenge for those broadcasters
is to target sports that are either up-and-
coming, such as women’s football, rugby
and cricket, or less mainstream, including
darts, snooker, bowls, curling and the luge,”
Otto added.
With private equity increasingly invest-
ing in sports media ventures and technol-
ogy companies racing to provide more
accessible and powerful production tools,
NAB Show 2025 will showcase an industry
navigating rapid change while seeking sus-
tainable business models.
“Private Equity groups are jumping in
with both feet and are betting on new tech-
nologies to power multi-partner global
rights deals and bring their live coverage
to new digital platforms previously out of
reach,” Young said. “Live sports are being
delivered at a larger scale and with deeper
content customization possibilities than
ever before.”
As the exhibition approaches, it’s clear
that sports production stands at the inter-
section of multiple industry trends all while
facing intensifying competition for viewer
attention.
Continued from previous page
The increasingly
competitive landscape
is pushing broadcasters
to innovate across
multiple dimensions
simultaneously.