Overview
Prior to the 2021-2022 season, the National Lacrosse League (NLL) announced a multi-year, multi-platform media rights partnership with ESPN and TSN, bringing the league’s 15 teams to its largest potential audience ever. With a viewing potential of over 100 million fans, ensuring high production standards for every broadcast was critical to the league’s success.To achieve this, the NLL partnered with BitFire to develop an expanded broadcast production model that would increase quality and consistency across the league, enabling the production team to manage multiple games per week—even multiple games per day.
Why BitFire
The NLL required a scalable, high-quality broadcast production solution to support its expanded media distribution. The key goals included:Consistent Production Standards: Establish a uniform, high-quality broadcast standard across all teams.Scalability & Efficiency: Empower a core team of producers, directors, and technicians to manage multiple simultaneous broadcasts.Seamless Transmission & Distribution: Ensure smooth, reliable game distribution to ESPN in the U.S. and TSN in Canada, while also reaching local TV stations, regional networks, and multiple OTT streaming platforms.BitFire’s REMI (Remote Integration Model) workflow provided the agility and flexibility needed to meet these objectives.
Solution
BitFire and the NLL implemented a centralized broadcast production model, powered by the BitFire Transport Network, ensuring a seamless hybrid workflow that integrates natively with existing broadcast equipment.The BitFire-NLL REMI workflow supports:9x HD-SDI camera feeds from each venue3x HD-SDI return feeds from the control room4x IFB/TB (Interruptible Foldback/Talkback) channels for talent communication4x PL (Party Line) channels for crew coordinationTally signals from the control room to on-site camerasAdditionally, BitFire coordinates and distributes the national program transmission of every game to ESPN and TSN, while simultaneously delivering the feed to local TV stations, regional sports networks, and multiple OTT streaming destinations.
Design & Implementation
Hybrid REMI Production: BitFire’s centralized approach allows the NLL’s core production team to support multiple games remotely, maximizing resources and efficiency.Cloud Master Control: BitFire provides the NLL with a cloud-based master control to monitor all games in real-time, ensuring broadcast consistency and quality control.Scalable & Future-Proof: The model is designed to scale with the league’s growth, enabling future expansion without increasing production complexity.
Feedback
Ed Derse, Broadcast Operations and Technology Consultant for the NLL, praised BitFire’s impact:“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.”
Conclusion
By leveraging BitFire’s REMI production model and transport network, the NLL successfully expanded its audience reach while maintaining high broadcast quality and production efficiency. The centralized workflow ensures cost-effective scalability, enabling the league to grow its media presence while delivering a consistent and professional viewing experience to millions of fans across the U.S. and Canada.