Bringing Esports Back Online: Solution Talk Recap

The final episode of Ross Live Season 2 featured our Esports Business Development Manager, Cameron Reed, as he discussed how esports productions have changed in 2020 and how many within the esports industry have successfully adopted remote and cloud-based production tools and workflows.

Cameron was also joined by TJ Walker, Head of Production with Boombox Group, to discuss how the Ross Production Cloud helped power many of their esports productions this year.

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To watch the Ross Live Season 2 “Bringing Esports Back Online” Solution Talk on-demand, click here.

State of Live Productions in 2020

It goes without saying that this year has been challenging for everyone working in the live production industry. With the physical distancing protocols introduced across production environments around the world, the tools and workflows of broadcast have changed significantly in a short period of time. In esports, for example, large-scale events and arena shows were typically powered by an outside broadcast truck, which offered producers the horsepower and mobility to deliver a high-impact show. With this production workflow no longer feasible in 2020, many turned to subscription software or cloud-based production models.

Remote and Cloud-Based Production

Enter the Ross Production Cloud (RPC), which is a remote solution that allows content creators to include home-based talent and guests into productions while still maintaining high levels of production value. First built for an esports event, this innovative solution delivers outstanding performance at a low and predictable latency with superior reliability and broadcast-quality video. There are no trade-offs to delay, resolution and stutter.

With the Ross Production Cloud, core production staff can operate broadcast equipment from their homes, access MultiViewers via the cloud, and communicate via physical or virtual ClearCom panels. The minimal delay allows for talent to carry on a normal conversation as if they were in the same room.

Boombox Group | Customer Case Study

Based out of Saint-Sauveur, Quebec, Boombox Group is a production company that has delivered hundreds of broadcasts for sports and esports customers alike, including Red Bull, Crankworx, EA Sports, Sony, Wizards of the Coast and X Games.

Kicking off the discussion with Cameron Reed, TJ Walker first explored the major differences between traditional sports and esports coverage before diving into how Boombox has adjusted to remote production workflows for esports events during the pandemic.

“We are forced to press fast forward on this remote production future that had been promised to the industry. Up until COVID hit, [remote production] was still more of an idea, and while there were some interesting test cases, no one was doing it on the regular,” explained Walker.

Walker continued by talking about some of the pain points his team experienced in the early months of the pandemic as they dove head-first into the world of remote production. As his team ironed out their workflow, he credits the Ross Production Cloud for proving a robust offering that powered their most complex shows of the year, including the Magic – Zendikar Rising Championships.

“Over the last 2-3 months, we really have a great [remote production] system in place. It works well, it’s stable, and everyone from the on-air talent to the players that we are bringing into the show finds that it is streamlined. Knowing that the underlying technology is mature, even in this new workflow, is key for us”.

Walker concluded the discussion by speaking about how the Ross Production Cloud Solution has provided esports players and producers alike with a level of comfort that they are used to with physical events. “What I like most about the Ross production cloud is it offers a familiar truck or studio style production environment in a remote setting,“ he said.

Learn More

For more information on Ross Esports Solutions, click here.