Intersport, a sports media and production company based in Chicago, has a long-standing reputation for producing top-quality sports broadcasts for a wide range of sports.
Their latest project with the Association of Pickleball Players (APP) marks an exciting new chapter in the partnership. Based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, the APP is dedicated to growing the sport of pickleball, which is rapidly gaining popularity. With nearly 50 million adult Americans playing pickleball at least once, the APP aims to bring the sport to a broader audience through innovative and engaging broadcasts.
The APP’s season-long series of events, featuring nearly a thousand players competing in venues like Highland Park, Chicago, demands top-tier production quality and flexibility.
Their events air on linear broadcast networks and stream extensively on YouTube to cater to a growing fan base eager to watch pro pickleball anytime, anywhere.
The challenge was maintaining high production standards and creating a broadcast that connected with the passion of amateur pickleball players while maximizing value for sponsors. To achieve this, Intersport needed a reliable and innovative production partner.
Another big challenge for APP was the time and expense of painting sponsor logos on every court and every competition. The courts couldn’t be used while they were doing that, and with an ever-changing roster of sponsors, APP was looking for a way to maximize the value they could bring them.
As an existing Ross Production Services (RPS) partner since 2016, Intersport knew they had the right partner to tackle this challenge.
RPS brought a full suite of production services to the APP project, including virtual advertising solutions, advanced instant replay systems, and tools for creating dynamic, engaging graphics. Reliable replay technology was especially crucial, and the Ross team worked closely with Intersport to build the system the APP uses now.
Ross Production Services also collaborated with Intersport and APP to implement a virtual advertisement graphics solution using the PIERO graphics system. The system can be calibrated to a new court in under two minutes, and pre-agreed graphics templates with sponsor logos can be rearranged and rotated during live broadcasts without interrupting the feed.
The collaboration between Intersport, the APP, and Ross Production Services has elevated the broadcast quality of APP events enhancing viewer engagement and increasing sponsorship opportunities, helping to lay the foundation for continued growth and innovation as the sport expands to wider international audiences.
By reducing the need for physical advertising and allowing for rapid changes in sponsorship messaging, RPS’s virtual signage solution with PIERO has provided the APP with a scalable, cost-effective solution that helps them deliver the most value to their sponsors.
“The relationship with Intersport and Ross is one of trust and respect. And it’s one where I know that as we expand our production, whether in size or scope, Ross will be up to the task to help us get there.” — Hank Greening, Broadcast Producer, APP
The products and services
RPS brings together the people, production systems, and Ross technology needed to deliver everything from routine events to major live productions.
Learn moreShare this story
