NESN to automate production with Ross, deploying virtual studio

New England Sports Network (NESN), the official network of the Boston Red Sox and Bruins, is automating its broadcast production of studio and news shows with Ross Video.

“We chose Ross because of their ability to provide a bundled system for the entire studio production workflow — from camera robotics to production switchers and graphics,” NESN vice president of engineering Dave Desrochers said. “Ross also supports our future technical plans and provides us the best flexibility moving forward; that coupled with a competitive price made the choice easy.”

Set Design

NESN

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The facility-wide deployment of Ross production, automation and asset management solutions includes:

• Two Acuity Production Switchers and OverDrive Automated Production Control Systems
• Four  XPression Dual Channel Character Generators with Streamline Asset Management System
• Four CamBot Robotic Pedestals, and openGear Terminal Equipment
• Three XPression engines will also be part of the upgrade as NESN is also deploying a complete Ross Virtual studio system

Founded in 1984, NESN upgraded its main studio in 2013 with a design from John Casey Production Design, who helped relaunch NECN this year.

NESN produces three daily sports newscasts that re-airs up to eight hours per day on a virtual set, plus multiple pre- and postgame shows 225-plus days per year. NESN’s productions will originate from two studios at the network’s television center plus remote studios at Fenway Park and TD Garden.

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The Ross Creative Services team is working closely with NESN to recreate both the NESN news and Boston Bruins studio graphics packages using XPression and Streamline.  The rebuild focus is to help NESN move to an automated MOS-based template package from the previous manual operator-driven package.