TECHNOLOGY PRODUCTION
ence with ESPN+ streaming systems—a key component of Tulane University’s broadcast services—solidified the decision. The building itself was constructed in 1933, and the space identified for the new control room showed clear signs of age. Lachin Architects was brought in to help TSG reimagine the space. “We had to find a way to work within the existing framework,” said AV engineer Jason Martin, lead TSG systems architect for the project. “Many steel beams and bulkheads added decades ago were in the way and simply immovable. As we planned a design around these obstacles, the Tulane Athletics Department brought in a general contractor and electrician to gut and rebuild the space. They completely redid all of the finishes, and installed a new electrical infrastructure and transformer.” The new electrical infrastructure provided TSG with a dedicated feed for the control room, as well as a smaller adjacent studio space they had envisioned for
Tulane Unifies AV and Broadcast for Sports Production T
press conferences and similar needs. “The dedicated feed is important to the integrity of the signals and production,” said Martin. “Without that, the custom production team is sharing their electrical with the rest of the building. That can create havoc on the technology, such as interference from stadium lighting.”
New Fiber Infrastructure With outside electrical interferences gone, TSG and in-house technicians considered the interconnects to and from the three venues. They also worked closely with the campus IT department to establish a new fiber run. More than 100 strands of fiber were run
he autumn signals change like no other
Control Room Choices
season, a change that students and faculty in
Of course, being based in a busy urban area, along
can immediately light up if other strands fail.
higher education work through every year.
with the usual challenges of finding green space on a
Individual fiber strands are used for each camera feed,
Along with the resumption of campuses comes the
university campus, left Tulane University with limited
as opposed to muxing camera signals.
return of fall sports, an activity that bonds students
options for the new facility. “Space is always a
and the surrounding communities. This is certainly
premium on campus here,” said Andrew Alvarez,
and that brings many different camera feeds onto a
the case with Tulane University, an NCAA Division
director of video and broadcasting, Tulane University.
single fiber or sometimes a pair of fibers,” said
1 American Athletic Conference (“The American”)
“As we worked to identify the right location, we
Martin. “All it takes is somebody tripping over the
organization with 17 varsity teams.
realized that refurbishing an existing space was our
wrong cable to bring the entire show to a screeching
only viable option.”
halt. It costs a few more dollars to use individual
Based in New Orleans, Tulane hosts its home football games at Yulman Stadium, a 30,000-seat,
Alvarez and his colleagues envisioned a
between all locations, some being “dark fiber” that
“Camera signal muxing is increasingly common,
strands for each camera, but it provides that extra
open roof venue that opened in 2014. Yulman
1,500-square-foot space that could accommodate
layer of security for staying on the air if any fibers are
Stadium is one of three premier sports venues
overlapping productions, and set their sights on an
damaged during the production.”
located on campus, including the adjacent Turchin
area inside Fogelman Arena that would provide
Stadium (baseball) and the Avron B. Fogelman
substantially more room than the existing facilities.
Arena in Devlin Fieldhouse, home of Green Wave
Finding a much larger space also meant that it was
TSG opted for single-mode fiber to optimize video signal distance, and added Cat 6a network cable and connectors to interconnects between all locations.
men’s and women’s basketball (and later volleyball)
time for significant technology upgrades to improve
Custom-built patch bays with Attero Tech Dante I/O
since the 1930s.
in-venue and outbound production value. In addition
boxes are used with the single-mode fiber at the
to enhancing control room technology and certain
venues. TSG also installed patch bays for SMPTE
new 12-year, $1 billion deal with ESPN, the Tulane
venue systems, it also meant establishing a com-
camera cables with both LEMO and Neutrik opticalCON
University Athletic Department began considering
pletely new fiber and IP infrastructure between the
DRAGONFLY connectors, both of which are positioned
upgrades that would raise the production value for
control room and three venues.
around the venues for live video acquisition.
Around the time when The American signed a
live broadcasts and the in-venue fan experience.
While Alvarez would lead the charge from the inside,
There is also an IP network backbone between the
This required a near complete reimagination of
it was clear that a job of this scope required outside
switches. “We are using Extreme Networks’ new 5520
their AV and broadcast infrastructure, including a
assistance. The fact that Baton Rouge-based Technical
switches,” said Martin. “These are data center-grade
new centralized control center to manage
Services Group (TSG) has near equal experience with
switches used for communication between the
productions.
broadcast and AV integration projects, and has experi-
venues. We have a 10 Gig fiber path for Dante audio
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SCN // March 2022 // avnetwork.com