Case Study
Kyle Field
SECTION 1
Introduction
They say that everything is bigger is Texas and this is especially true in the world of college football. With a seating capacity of 102,733, Kyle Field in College Station is home to the Texas A&M Aggies football team as well as the famed “12th Man”.
The Aggies play in the NCAA Southeastern Conference (SEC) and with three national championships to their name along with 18 conference titles, Texas A&M is a true power in college football and that is reflected in all aspects of their program. The program’s success extends to content production by 12th Man Productions, which is held to exceptionally high standards.
Section 2
The Challenge
As the award-winning production arm of Aggie athletics, 12th Man Productions handles the video production needs for all of Texas A&M’s sports teams
As a leading group within the Collegiate ranks, 12th Man Productions are continually looking to push the boundaries with their television shows, digital content and in-venue productions and this is done with the goals of elevating the Aggies brand, generating interest from corporate sponsors, and most importantly, attracting the best athletic recruits to the school.
To reach their lofty goals, 12th Man Productions began to re-evaluate the quality of their game-day production within Kyle Field. They wondered if they could introduce an element to their videoboard show that has become the gold standard in football broadcasts across network television – virtual first-down lines!
Section 3
The Solution
As an existing Ross customer, 12th Man Productions reached out to the Ross Sports & Live Events team to explore potential solutions
Through a product demonstration of the PIERO Graphics platform, Justin Argo, the Director of Broadcasts at 12th Man Productions, quickly realized that PIERO offered far more than just first-down lines.
Argo discovered that the PIERO Live Down & Distance product enabled their in-venue production staff to effortlessly deliver a comprehensive suite of broadcast features. These features included First Down Lines, 3D Play Clocks, Red Zone Markers, Field Goal Target Lines, and on-field branding. In addition to these cutting-edge graphics, PIERO also provided the capability to deliver player highlights, such as spotlight graphics and speed trails.
We love the flexibility that PIERO offers. When using it in-venue, we like that the first down markers and graphics are bigger than what you would see on a television broadcast. We want 100,000 people to be able to easily see the down and distance. You can quickly adjust the placement of the down and distance based on the offensive formations on the fly. If you want to add a sponsored logo, or team logo, it’s a couple of clicks away
Justin Argo
Director of Broadcasts with 12th Man Productions.
Virtual First Down Line Solution
Section 4
The Impact
As 12th Man Productions quickly familiarized themselves with PIERO Live Down & Distance, they were amazed by the system’s power, functionality, and user-friendly nature.
Operationally, the solution has been engineered for maximum simplicity and flexibility so that it meets the needs of student operators. Since it works via optical tracking, there is no requirement for additional (and costly) camera equipment. Setup time takes 10 minutes or less per camera, and the suite of graphics options at the fingertips of the operator are all customizable.
From a brand standpoint, the team not only uses their own customized graphic overlays during the live action, but they can deliver produced highlight packages during halftime. These highlight packs, featuring analysis graphic effects, are then repurposed throughout the week across A&M’s coaches’ shows, social media channels and other digital properties. With the added capacity to generate compelling content throughout the season, this has led to increased engagement across all platforms as well as offering new sponsorship opportunities.
Most significantly, the introduction of PIERO Live Down & Distance has elevated the game-day production to a standard that in many cases exceeds what is seen in professional leagues, which has strengthened recruiting efforts – a win-win for Texas A&M.
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