By Brian Galante
Weekly Tech Roundup
When viewers tuned in to watch Pickleball Slam 4 live from Seminole Hard Rock Live in Hollywood, Fla., on April 16, they saw a polished, fast-paced national broadcast showcasing some of the sport’s biggest personalities. Behind the scenes, the production was the latest chapter in a relationship that stretches back more than 16 years between mobile production specialist TNDV (a division of Live Media Group) and sports production company Ohlmeyer Kusserow Group (OKG).
Tasked with producing and directing the live broadcast for a major U.S. sports broadcaster on behalf of client Horizon Sports & Experiences and GSE Worldwide, OKG once again turned to TNDV for technical production support.
The partnership dates to 2010, when OKG founders Lou Kusserow and Chris Ohlmeyer launched their company and selected TNDV to support some of their earliest tennis broadcasts.
TNDV deployed its flagship Exclamation production truck for the main live broadcast and its Modulation truck for satellite uplink and transmission support. The production marked TNDV’s first pickleball event and required a workflow tailored to the unique pace and presentation style of the rapidly growing sport.
Unlike traditional tennis broadcasts, Pickleball Slam 4 emphasized player interaction and personality as much as game action. TNDV and OKG collaborated on a camera strategy designed to capture both the speed of play and the candid exchanges between competitors throughout the event.
“Pickleball moves incredibly fast, and there’s a lot more conversation between players than you see in many sports,” said Rob Devlin, President of TNDV. “We spent time studying previous productions and finding ways to streamline the technical approach while still delivering everything the broadcaster needed.”
The production utilized nine Sony HDC-4300 broadcast cameras, two jib cameras, and three Panasonic UE150 robotic cameras positioned throughout the venue to provide dynamic coverage and player-focused perspectives. A wireless camera captured player entrances and feature elements, while all four competitors and the referee were equipped with wireless microphones to bring viewers directly into the action.
At the center of the workflow was Exclamation’s Evertz NEXX routing infrastructure, which managed video and audio signal routing, audio embedding and de-embedding, transmission feeds to the Modulation uplink truck, and in-house IMAG feeds displayed throughout the venue.
TNDV also relied on DSC Labs ChromaDuMonde color charts to precisely match camera systems and maintain consistent image quality across the production.
Communication was equally critical. Kusserow directed the broadcast using a comprehensive RTS/Clear-Com communications system that connected production personnel, on-air talent, venue staff, technical crews and event stakeholders throughout the facility.
For OKG and TNDV, Pickleball Slam 4 represented more than another successful live broadcast, which culminated with event winners Andre Agassi and James Blake triumphing over Anna Leigh Waters and Genie Bouchard. As all see it, it demonstrated how long-term partnerships, combined with modern production technology and experienced crews, continue to elevate live sports coverage for national audiences.
