Ten Years of Rocket Surgery: Engineering Creative Disruption in Broadcast

In 2014, Jim Doyle saw a problem that will be familiar to many broadcast engineers: stations investing in graphic technology but struggling to deliver results that matched what they saw on the trade show floors. 

“They would go to trade shows and see amazing things,” Doyle explains, “then they’d buy the tech and be disappointed with what actually went to air. They didn’t realize they didn’t have the people to fully leverage the systems they’d bought.” 

Filling a critical gap in broadcast graphics  

Doyle, with a background in computer programming and two decades of experience running design hubs for NBC and Media General, knew that this wasn’t a technology gap — it was a talent gap. “You needed people who could manage data, code, and understand control room workflows as well as design graphics. Those people were hard to find.” 

So, in November 2014, he decided to build that team. “We launched Rocket Surgery with five people as a specialized agency that could take on the high-end projects nobody else could touch.”  

Enter Ross Video: A turning point 

Things moved faster than expected from the start. A few months in, Ross Video approached Rocket Surgery for help supporting XPression in the U.S. It was a perfect fit. By March 2015, Doyle was in Ottawa with Ross Video CEO David Ross. “When David asked if we would consider joining Ross, I said absolutely. I’d worked with Ross products and technology for a long time and respected their brand and approach. We were on the same page about many things, and I knew it would accelerate everything. Ross had the resources, the sales network, and the global reach that would take us years to build.” 

At NAB Show 2015, the acquisition became official — and from there, Rocket Surgery’s trajectory steepened dramatically.  

“In the first five years, the growth was insane,” Doyle recalls. “We went from five to 35 people. From a U.S.-centric team to a global operation. From a handful of high-end projects to hundreds per year. Today, we support more than 700 clients and deliver over 400 projects annually.” 

The catalyst for scale: Major League sports 

Much of that growth has come from major sports and live events coverage. “Sports is now more than half our business,” he says. “Working with incredibly experienced people like Kevin Cottam helped us understand that space early on. It pushed our capabilities to a whole new level.” It also helps that the team comes from broadcast, so delivering to inflexible timelines and high-stakes, high-quality expectations is deeply embedded in their culture. 

Rocket Surgery has since become far more than a creative graphics group. “Graphics are only about 20% of what we do today,” Doyle notes. “What makes us different is our expertise across broadcast workflows: Control systems, automation, data integration, real-time rendering, and building production workflows — we’ve brought it all in-house. Clients aren’t just asking us for graphics. They’re asking us to architect end-to-end solutions.” 

Disruption as a business model

Disruption isn’t just a marketing term — it’s foundational to Rocket Surgery’s growth. One of the team’s defining characteristics is a grounded, practical approach to innovation.  

That practical innovation is Rocket Surgery’s hallmark and has allowed them to continue disrupting over the years. “We don’t throw ideas at the wall. We solve real production problems under real-world constraints,” Jim notes. “Timelines are everything. We work backward from the outcome or show date. One of the things that makes us successful here is the box we’re defined by. Everyone talks about thinking outside the box. I always tell people: define your box — then create. Know what success looks like, know your constraints, and build within that. That’s where the real innovation happens.” 

 “We’ve entered spaces that were monopolized for years and forced positive change. The scorebug space is one example. We’re offering clients the first viable alternative in a long time.”  

NAB Show 2025 and beyond

There aren’t many people in live production who do what Rocket Surgery has done repeatedly over the last decade at the level they do it.   

Now, on the eve of Rocket Surgery’s tenth NAB Show, Doyle reflects on the culture that’s driven them. “You’re encouraged to try things. It feels collegiate, collaborative, and open. We’re here to disrupt, but it’s not about chaos — it’s about creative engineering under pressure. We’ve stayed close to the edge of production. We’re working side-by-side with clients, solving the problems they face today. That gives us clarity, urgency, and a reason to innovate.” 

Ten years in, Rocket Surgery has stayed true to Ross Video’s values, staying fast, fun, innovative, and most importantly, obsessed with getting the best results for their customers. “We deliver that by being willing to go further than our competitors,” Jim points out. “That’s why we’ve become a trusted partner for the world’s biggest shows, networks, and sports brands over the years.”  

NAB Show 2025

Rocket Surgery demoed several new solutions, including a turnkey scorebug platform, custom fan engagement games (including one built in Unreal Engine for the Pittsburgh Pirates), and a partnership with Arcturus on AI-driven, 3D navigable replay — possibly redefining how leagues analyze and officiate games.

Arcturus has developed a system that captures and reconstructs multiple video feeds into a broadcast-quality 3D copy of the action, enabling interactive 2D and 3D replays, analysis, and shareable captured moments. “We’re excited to show off what XPression and Voyager can do when you stretch them to their limits,” Doyle beams.