As the University of Texas (UT) at Austin prepared for its highly anticipated move to the Southeastern Conference (SEC), it faced both new challenges and opportunities. Joining one of the most competitive and high-profile collegiate conferences required more than just a new patch on their jerseys—it demanded a complete transformation of their broadcast approach.
The rigorous SEC/ESPN standards meant that a cutting-edge production hub was needed to meet these new demands while still providing students a hands-on production experience.
Historically, the university outsourced its productions, but the quality no longer aligned with evolving media expectations. Transitioning to the SEC meant they needed to bring productions in-house, retire the Longhorn Network, and meet the rigorous SEC/ESPN broadcast standards. Their mission: build a cutting-edge production hub capable of handling increased broadcast demands, delivering top-tier content to fans, and keeping pace with the ever-evolving world of live sports production—all while providing students with hands-on production experience.
With the responsibility of producing high-quality live content for the SEC Network now resting squarely on their shoulders, UT Athletics turned to its trusted integration partner, Diversified, to reimagine and rebuild its broadcast infrastructure from the ground up. Together with Diversified, UT began building Texas Studios—a cutting-edge broadcast facility centered on an SMPTE 2110 IP architecture and flexible control room design.
This shift also required upgrading to the latest technology to enhance workflows and production quality. Ross Video, provided a proven 2110 infrastructure, delivering scalable, cutting-edge technology with a common platform tailored to each control room’s needs. This integrated workflow improved usability, efficiency, and production quality, ensuring seamless operations across all venues. With Ross’ expertise and reliable solutions, Texas successfully modernized its production environment, meeting the evolving demands of college athletics while providing a world-class viewing experience for fans and stakeholders.
At the heart of the build:
• Ultrix and Ultrix Acuity switchers provide a powerful hybrid routing and switching solution
• XPression graphics bring storytelling flexibility and real-time visuals to life
• openGear infrastructure streamlines signal management
The new Texas Studios is a game-changer for innovation, education, and professional growth. By bringing production in-house, UT Austin has created a cost-effective, future-ready solution that meets SEC/ESPN standards while preparing students for careers in media.
With hands-on training and industry-leading technology, students gain real-world experience, making Texas Studios a premier recruitment tool for aspiring sports media professionals. This cutting-edge facility positions UT Austin at the forefront of collegiate broadcasting, delivering high-quality content tailored to Longhorn fans.
By eliminating reliance on external production companies, the university has reduced costs while maintaining full creative control. As a model for the future, Texas Studios sets a new standard for university-based media production, ensuring UT Austin remains a leader in the evolving sports media landscape.
Served as the foundational routing and signal-processing backbone, facilitating UT’s ability to manage complex live production signal flows with reliability.
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Streamlined UT’s control rooms by merging switching, routing, and processing into one system—reducing complexity, saving space, and delivering the high-end production power needed to meet SEC/ESPN standards.
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Elevated storytelling capabilities—powering real-time, visually engaging graphics on video boards and live feeds, and giving UT the creative flexibility to adapt visuals dynamically during events.
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Underpinned signal management infrastructure, offering modular, centrally managed signal-processing—enhancing adaptability, monitoring, and long-term support across multi-vendor environments.
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