OBS outlines production and technology plans for 2028 Summer Olympics broadcasters

Olympic Broadcasting Services and the LA28 organizing committee brought broadcasters from around the world to Los Angeles for the World Broadcaster Meeting, where they reviewed production, technology and operational plans for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

About 270 people attended, including more than 150 representatives from 44 media rights-holder organizations. 

OBS CEO Yiannis Exarchos opened the main session July 22 with LA28 CEO Reynold Hoover and nine-time Olympic gold medalist Carl Lewis.

“There has been significant progress on all fronts of the Games. That doesn’t happen by chance. It happens because people work together every day, coordinating teams and focusing on delivering the best possible Games,” Exarchos said.

“The Organising Committee continues to build momentum. We’re delivering, we’re on track, and we’re bringing more stakeholders on board every day,” Hoover said.

Lewis discussed broadcasters’ role in telling athletes’ stories to audiences worldwide.

“For every one of my stories, there are thousands exactly like it that you may not know. That’s what the Olympic Games give us: the chance to have the same feelings, the same heart and the same experiences I had,” Lewis said.

OBS said it expected to produce about 3,800 to 4,000 hours of competition and ceremonies coverage involving nearly 12,000 athletes across 51 Olympic sport disciplines.

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Production plans included expanded use of first-person-view drones, real-time 360-degree and stroboscopic replays, point-of-view cameras, microphones on officials and coaches, dynamic graphics, behind-the-scenes access and additional digital content.

OBS also outlined a next-generation host broadcast architecture using virtualization, cloud-based workflows and infrastructure designed to support artificial intelligence applications. Other areas under consideration included expanded cloud services, AI-assisted production workflows, digital content delivery and new content distribution methods.

LA28 updated broadcasters on plans for the International Broadcast Centre at Warner Bros. Studios’ Ranch Lot in Burbank. The facility will serve as the operational hub for OBS and media rights-holders during the Games.

Broadcasters also received updates on venue readiness, competition schedules, accreditation, accommodations, transportation, security, communications and workforce planning.

A July 23 venue tour included 2028 Stadium, Intuit Dome, Exposition Park Stadium, the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Peacock Theater, DTLA Arena and the Ranch Lot.

OBS Chief Production Officer Mark Wallace discussed host broadcast plans for the venues, while OBS Director of IBC Construction Eugenia Sofia Fuenmayor and the LA28 venue management team presented plans for the broadcast center.

More than 70% of Olympic competition sessions are scheduled to take place in existing venues, with the remainder in temporary facilities. LA28 said the Games would be staged without construction of new permanent competition venues.

The final two days of the meeting included planning sessions among rights-holders, OBS and LA28 covering production, technical and operational requirements.

Construction work for the IBC fit-out is scheduled to begin in early 2027. A third and final World Broadcaster Meeting is planned for summer 2027.

The Olympic Games will take place July 14-30, 2028, followed by the Paralympic Games from Aug. 15-27, 2028.

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