The trends that drove broadcast design in 2016

Iconography

2016 also saw designs, particularly in the sports arena, that incorporate classic visual iconography in the set design in both subtle and not-so-subtle ways.

The large set for TBS’s Major League Baseball coverage mixes architectural elements of classic and modern ballparks with more modern and abstract interpretations of scenic elements.

Mixing large, virtual set extensions that great an atrium look and view of a baseball field with more traditional hard scenic elements such as faux brick and metal gridwork drove home the feel of a baseball stadium while still allowing for more modern storytelling elements such as numerous LED panels, both flat and curved.

ESPN’s “The Jump” takes a similar approach — though perhaps a bit more subtle, with the basketball related imagery being conveyed more through the use of materials, textures and shapes.

The design here made the basketball connections a bit less obvious beyond the basketball shaped window in the center. In many ways, a viewer could feel like the space was designed to be simply a modern, loft-like design, but peeling back the layers revealed hidden and symbolic iconography.

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