RomoVision, which received the prestigious George Wensel Technical Achievement Award at the 2022 Sports Emmy, changed the way football fans interpret plays on the field. It uses augmented reality for dynamic replays of some of the game’s biggest plays, becoming so engrained in the production philosophy that its replays became the first replay shown on the broadcast.

“RomoVision is possible only with our tremendous relationship with the NFL and their NextGen data and our partnership with Genius Sports’ Second Spectrum,” says Jason Cohen, VP, remote technical operations, CBS Sports. “We wanted to show the X’s and O’s in a meaningful way and gave the front bench another tool to dissect a play.”

Winning an Emmy Award can spur interest in pushing the technology to the next level or developing something entirely new. Heading into the 2022-23 season, Cohen and company decided to stick with what works and further improve the RomoVision implementation with new visual cues and graphics.

“You’ll see a different look that’s a more modernized with our overall graphics,” said Cohen. “You’ll also see player identification with jersey numbers or names of players running routes and on defense. I think it’s one of those projects that probably will continue to be evolved every year as we get different ideas and suggestions.”

For game coverage, the camera complement boasted some noteworthy additions and bolstered by other notable pieces of hardware. For each goal line, C360 provided new wired Pylon Cams capable of pan, tilt, and zoom tracking in 4K. On each of the four cameras, the PTZ aspect with full 200-degree range of motion provided angles that were used in both live and replay setting.

“We used to have individual cameras within the pylon that forced us to quickly cut [to each angle] to show the progression of a player crossing the goal line and getting into the end zone,” said Cohen. “Now I think there’s going to be some opportunities to experiment with taking the pylon feed live before going back to a traditional camera angle.” More than 30 cameras were used for the A package with the highest and best technology.

Hybrid Approach: Rotating Production Trucks, Integrated Remote Workflows

As the sports-video-production community progresses further from the depths of the COVID-19 pandemic, broadcasters have adopted a hybrid environment with both onsite and remote workflows.

At CBS Sports, remote services will play a large role on all televised games. From a replay perspective, at least one Hawkeye operator will be contributing remotely to the network’s tape room. In addition, Grass Valley AMPP (Agile Media Processing Platform) will provide monitoring for quality control and troubleshooting.

In the compound, the broadcaster has lined out the first three weeks of mobile-unit assignments, featuring a rotating cast of trucks from NEP Group, Game Creek Video, and F&F Productions. The roster covered a schedule that spanned the country. For games played in September, 10 mobile units will be parked at 15 venues.

Talented and Production Crew at the CBS Sports telecast

For the A package, play-by-play commentator Jim Nantz, analyst Tony Romo, and reporter Tracy Wolfson were together for their sixth consecutive season. For the B package, play-by-play commentator Ian Eagle, analyst Charles Davis, and reporter Evan Washburn worked together for their third straight. NFL rules analyst Gene Steratore were also back this year.

Other games on the schedule were called by the teams of Kevin Harlan, Trent Green, and Melanie Collins; Greg Gumbel, Adam Archuleta, and AJ Ross; Andrew Catalon and James Lofton; Spero Dedes and Jay Feely; and Tom McCarthy and Tiki Barber. Beth Mowins featured as a play-by-play commentator, and Amanda Renner, Michael Grady, and Aditi Kinkhabwala served as additional reporters.

On the production side, producer Jim Rikhoff and director Mike Arnold handled the A package, and director Suzanne Smith — in her first full year as the director of the network’s B package — worked alongside producer Mark Wolff. Taking over the position after the retirement of Sports Broadcasting Hall of Famer Bob Fishman, Smith had joined CBS Sports in 1983 as a broadcast associate and is one of the first women to direct NFL games. This season will also be her 40th year working on football, both collegiate and professional, at the network.

“We’re excited that trailblazing director Suzanne Smith is going to be directing our No. 2 team,” said CBS Sports Chairman Sean McManus.

Having joined CBS Sports as a researcher in 1985, Rikhoff has been at the Eye Network almost as long as Smith has. The two broadcast vets will be at the front bench on their respective games. He recalls the way Smith reacted to being tasked with directing the 2022 AFC Championship Game between the Cincinnati Bengals and Kansas City Chiefs on Jan. 30 after last-minute changes due to COVID-19.

“She found out this would be her assignment a few days before the game,” he said. “To do a game of that size [on short notice] tells you what type of director she is. We’re in capable hands with Suzanne, and I can’t wait to see the work she does this fall.”

By Kristian Hernández