Tip-Off: ESPN, Turner Gear Up for NBA Return

摘要

The 2019-2020 NBA season is officially returning Thursday night in a double header on TNT, the league’s first regular season game since March. ESPN and Turner Sports are down in Orlando in the “bubble,” and the last few weeks have been spent figuring out just how the rest of this season is going to look. “Throughout the company there’s just an overall feeling of excitement to be part of bringing sports back to the fans in what’s a historic moment for the company and the league,” said Mike Shiffman, vp of production for ESPN, during a media call on Wednesday. “Even before the games are up and running, I feel like as a company we’re off to a very good start with our coverage of league events and bringing fans the sights, sounds, storylines, anecdotes, reporting from down here in Orlando. Looking ahead, we’re a little more than 48 hours from us kicking off and 24 or so hours from our friends at Turner tipping off, really excited about some of our new camera angles which was a collaboration between us Turner and the league.” A total of 22 teams are returning to play, and each team will play eight remaining regular season games before playoffs begin. Finals start on Sept 30. The NBA and Disney teamed up for games to be played at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, with no fans in attendance. The NFL, MLB and NBA combine for 78% of live sports revenue, and in 2019 the NBA brought in $9bln in revenue, over 30% from national media rights fees. “It is most important for TV ratings and revenue that the NFL returns, followed by the NBA, owing to their large media rights fees and implied ad revenue streams,” Needham told clients in a research note this week. “Because its games are played indoors in a controlled environment, we believe it will be successful returning to play at ESPN’s Center in Orlando but may take awhile before consumers are willing to attend NBA games in-person.” Warner- Media and Disney are currently in the middle of a nine-year rights deal that’s valued at over $2.6bln per season. Turner will present a total of 18 games, highlighted by Tuesday doubleheaders and Thursday tripleheaders. ESPN is running the production of 20 NBA seeding names up to 44 playoff games. While ESPN and Turner are the only nets in the bubble, they’re also coordinating with the RSNs for games that aren’t nationally televised, while still giving the nets some control over cameras. “We’ve rehearsed with them and have had great communication with all the RSNs as to anything specific they’re looking for,” said Shiffman. “While we’re producing it, if we’re showing a replay of the visiting team they could stay with the live camera. They have some flexibility of choices. It’s ourselves and Turner, we’re splitting all the non-national games for the local markets.” Speaking of RSNs, Fox Sports Southeast announced on Wednesday it will televise seven additional seeding games, adding to the eight Memphis Grizzlies games it already had on the slate. Broadcasting games without fans looks a little different, and ESPN and Turner are navigating how to bring the best experience to viewers at home. Without fans in the audience, there’s a lot more option for camera placement. Both groups are utilizing a new “railcam” putting viewers just a few feet away from the action. “You do feel closer to the game and it’s a much more intimate experience,” said Shiffman. “We don’t want to be jarring to the fan where all the sudden a sport they’re familiar with and viewing on our air looks suddenly different, but I think we wouldn’t be taking full advantage if we didn’t use the rail-cam for beyond just replays.” And as for arena sound, the NBA put 34 microphones under the court in order to hear the sounds of “sneaker squeaks” from players, and fans can expect to hear more chatter from between the players. Sound will be pumped into the venue, but each game will sound different. “They’re making it natural to the home team. If it’s a Lakers game, it’ll sound like Staples Arena, which will be different than Boston, Milwaukee, etc,” said Shiffman. “It feels authentic in that way in that it sounds like what a home game would sound like.”