Objectives

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Racing TV, a premier horse racing broadcast channel, partnered with their client, Ladbrokes, a leading online sports betting operator, to produce a high-quality and engaging preview show for the prestigious 2025 Cheltenham Festival. The core challenge was to establish a professional temporary broadcast studio within a busy and unconventional location – a bar and pizza kitchen in High Wycombe – under significant time constraints. Racing TV sought a reliable and experienced remote sports production partner capable of providing agile broadcast solutions to overcome these logistical hurdles and deliver a premium viewing experience for their dedicated sports betting community.

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Strategy

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Sports Broadcast Media (SBM), a specialist in high-quality sports media production and innovative remote video production services, was selected for this critical project. Leveraging their deep expertise and cutting-edge mobile broadcast technology, the SBM team, led by Chief Technology Officer Mark Hitchings, Programme Director Gavin Puszczalowskyi, and Senior Video Producer Sam Hart, rapidly mobilized to transform the Mad Squirrel taproom into a fully functional pop-up broadcast studio.

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Implementation:

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• Rapid and Agile Studio Deployment: In under an hour, SBM's experienced team expertly deployed a professional temporary studio setup within the bar. This included the swift installation of broadcast-quality cameras, efficient lighting rigging, and seamless audio configuration, demonstrating our commitment to agile broadcast solutions.

• Technical Excellence in Remote Sports Production: Utilising SBM's advanced remote production rig, featuring high-performance BlackMagic Pocket Cinema Cameras and versatile BlackMagic Studio Cameras, coupled with an ATEM ISO switcher for dynamic live mixing and individual camera feed recording, ensured a visually engaging output for the online sports audience. Crystal-clear audio capture of the expert commentary and analysis was guaranteed through the use of discrete lavalier microphones.

• Seamless Execution: The three-hour shoot was executed flawlessly, with zero technical disruptions, resulting in a polished and professional final product immediately ready for distribution across Racing TV's digital channels, reaching the target sports betting community.

 

Results

 

SBM successfully delivered the Cheltenham Festival Big Preview Show on time and to the highest broadcast standards, exceeding the expectations of both Racing TV and their client, Ladbrokes. This engaging sports content resonated strongly with viewers, achieving over 33,000 views on YouTube within days of its release, demonstrating the effectiveness of our remote sports production services. Positive viewer feedback consistently praised the high production quality and the insightful expert analysis provided.

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Technology Used:

• BlackMagic Pocket Cinema Cameras

• BlackMagic Studio Cameras

• ATEM ISO Switcher

• Lavalier Microphones

 

Client Testimonial:

 

Will Hayler, Head of Digital Content, Racing TV, commented: "Sports Broadcast Media helped us to deliver an exceptional preview show. Their ability to transform a challenging venue into a professional studio was truly impressive. The quality of the production and the positive viewer response exceeded our expectations and those of our client, Ladbrokes, who were extremely pleased with the show’s results."

 

SBM Perspective:

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Mark Hitchings, Chief Technology Officer, Sports Broadcast Media, stated: "Our goal was to deliver a studio-quality production in a non-traditional environment. The BlackMagic rig's versatility and our team's experience allowed us to overcome the challenges and deliver a seamless broadcast for Racing TV and Ladbrokes' audience. The overwhelmingly positive reaction from viewers and the satisfaction of our clients underscore our commitment to providing innovative and high-quality remote production solutions for the sports and online betting industries."

 

Looking for expert support for your external broadcasts or studio-based recordings in the sports and online betting sectors? Contact Sports Broadcast Media today to discuss how our agile solutions can elevate your content.