By Jason Dachman, Editorial Director, U.S., Sports Video Group
Thursday, June 5, 2025 – 4:25 pm
ESPN tips off its 23rd consecutive year producing the NBA Finals with ABC’s broadcast of Game 1 tonight in Oklahoma City. And, after nearly a quarter century delivering games from the biggest stage in basketball, the broadcaster somehow continues to find new ways to innovate.
Among this year’s highlights: the Finals debut of its new state-of-the-art Flagship mobile unit, a 52-camera complement stocked with dozens of cutting-edge new toys, and a host of AR data-visualizations that will bring a whole new level of insight to the Pacers-Thunder matchup.
However, none of this wealth of technology would be of any use if it were not for ESPN’s tireless crew behind the scenes. For the ESPN operations team, the Finals mark the ultimate chapter in a grinding seven-month run that has included dozens of broadcasts and no shortage of logistical challenges.
“I’m extremely proud of, and honored to, work with our resilient and caring NBA operations team,” says Eddie Okuno, senior remote operations specialist, ESPN. “This team always focuses on taking care of one another while executing at the highest level.”
On the Court: Cameras Galore, Comprehensive Audio, and Data-Fueled AR Graphics
ESPN’s camera arsenal for the Finals will be nearly identical to its already robust complement for the Western Conference Finals, allowing the production team to “get in sync, work out the kinks, and find their groove,” according to Okuno.
Chief among the new additions this year for the WCF and Finals are a pair of Sony HDC-5500 4K UHD high-frame-rate (HFR) cameras – one on the camera side and one on the reserve side – with zoom capabilities to enhance ESPN’s game coverage and documentation. These cameras help make up ESPN’s complement of 16 SSMO cameras, which are a mix of Sony HDC-5500, -P50A, and -4800 systems.
Also on hand is an ARRI Alexa Live Camera system with Canon 50-1000mm PL full sized sensor cinematic lens.
A Sony HDC-5500V Variable ND camera will also play a key role with the new on-demand optical unit that gives the UJ122x8.2 lens new capabilities, extending the focus range even with a fast aperture and – more importantly – providing shallow depth of field.
Other key tools include an RF Wireless Canon EOS C80 camera on DJI Ronin Gimbal (with RF courtesy of NEP Specialty Capture) to offer shallow depth of field looks, a Skycam wired aerial system (outfitted with an HDC-Sony P50 and SkyTrax data for AR/VR insertion), and a live drone outside the arena in both OKC and Indy.
ESPN has a total of 120 replay channels at its disposal courtesy of EVS 1080p XT-VIA production servers. Among the key specialty replay features are EVS XtraMotion (super-slo-mo-deblur-cinematic AI enhancements), EVS 4K UHD Zoom, and two Sony 4800 4K UHD 4x with Zoom.
On the audio side, ESPN has deployed a DPA 5100 mobile surround mic, Voyage Audio DANTE spatial mic, and Q5X Player Mic X systems on multiple players and coaches.
In terms of graphics, ESPN is utilizing five VIZRT Gen5 graphics units, two of which are AR/VR over the Skycam, drone, and RF shallow depth of field cameras. TGI Sport is providing Virtual On Court Ads as it has all season. And, although ESPN won’t be producing full InsightCast alternative presentations during the Finals, the ABC broadcasts will have full access to the same data-visualization technologies including SMT Shot Distance Tracker, SMT OPTICS Tracking (Hot / Cold Player Tracking), Vivid 3D Shot Charts, and GRACE Dunk Score visual enhancements.
In addition to the game action, ESPN’s NBA Today – as well as its Hoop Streams digital pregame show and Hoop Collective podcasts – will originate from onsite in both cities. The set in OKC is located in a suite, while the Indy set will be in the Gainbridge Fieldhouse atrium and features a jib to capture fans and energy prior to the game.
In the Compound: Flagship Has Its NBA Finals Coming Out Party in Indy
Tonight marks the NBA Finals debut of Flagship, Game Creek Video’s new state-of-the-art three-truck SMPTE ST 2110 mobile unit that was designed specifically to produce a Super Bowl–level show in UHD HDR. After debuting in April and working ESPN’s A-game package throughout the playoffs, Flagship will now work the Finals in Indy before transitioning to Monday Night Football this fall.
“GCV Flagship with its full IP ST 2110 Infrastructure, capacity, and density allows a large show like the NBA Finals with multiple customers — game, multiple studio shows, altcasts, international, world feed, NBA TV, arena feeds — more options and flexibility to easily deliver all of their feeds requested in the format they desire,” explains Okuno.
Inside ESPN’s 38,000 sq. ft. broadcast compound in OKC, NEP’s EN1 (A, B, C, D, and E units) is handling the main game production and also supporting INET productions (ESPN Deportes, LATAM, Brazil, Australia, Netherlands). NEP’s Supershooter 15 is home to the onsite studio show production as well as streaming productions (including ESPN’s HoopStreams digital pregame show). Also on hand are Mobile TV Group’s MU46 for the NBA World Feed and NEP’s NCP2 (A and B) for NBATV’s productions. This year’s NBA Finals – the 23rd in which ESPN/ABC has worked with NEP – will be their final outing together.
“Our sincere and heartfelt thanks to everyone at NEP Group who has touched the NBA on ESPN/ABC over the past 23 years,” says Okuno. “They have helped create the lasting images, sounds, memories, and legacy of the NBA and NBA Finals.”
When the action moves to Indy for Game 3, ESPN’s 56,000 sq. ft. broadcast compound will be about 3,000 feet away from the arena (the same location that was used for the 2024 NBA All-Star game). Flagship (A, B, and C units plus GCV’s Maverick standalone truck) will serve as home to the game production and also support INET productions. Meanwhile, GCV’s Gotham mobile unit will handle the onsite studio show and digital productions, while Live Media Group’s MU3 and MU21 are on hand for the NBA World Feed and NBATV, respectively.
Besides the onsite operation, ESPN is leveraging its REMCO production model for game coverage with four replay operators, all graphics operators, AP, and clock & score operator based in Bristol, CT. In addition, the studio show is using a REMI hybrid production model, including line cut cameras with full integration in their Los Angeles-based production facility to Bristol.
Between the OKC and Indy compounds, ESPN has rolled out 12 office trailers and four 500kW quad generators, as well as 75+ transmission paths and a sat uplink.
It Takes a Village: Sharing Resources and Cross-Promotion in OKC and Indy
Also of note, ESPN is embracing multi-production synergies in both OKC and Indy. With the Women’s College World Series finals taking place at Devon Park just down the road from Paycom Center in OKC, both the NBA and WCWS production team will be taking live feeds of one another’s coverage to help cross promote their respective events.
Meanwhile in Indy, ESPN’s WNBA will be using the Skycam (a first for WNBA) as a shared resource for the New York Liberty vs. Indiana Fever game on ABC on June 14. The NBA and WNBA ops and tech teams are coordinating diligently to make sure the transition of Game 4 of the NBA Finals on late Friday evening to an early morning WNBA game on ABC goes smoothly.
OKC Ops and Tech Team:
- Alan McDonald – Sr Specialist – Game
- Nolan Lynch – Tech Specialist – Game
- Justin McIntosh – Remote Operations Producer – Game
- Johnathan Williams – Sr Remote Operations Producer – Game
- David Quintanilla – Sr Operations Coordinator – Game
- Traci Flohr – Sr Remote Operations Producer – Studio
- David Baker – Tech Specialist – Studio
- Jake Daigle – Tech Specialist – Studio
- Alex Frutuoso – Remote Operations Coordinator
- Shane Smith – Operations Manager – Game
- Judi Weiss – Operations Manager – Studio
- Gianfranca -Focareta – Remote Operations Coordinator
- Danny Reifert – Sr Ops Producer
- Jason Dorsey – Ops Coord
- Brittany Johnson – Ops Coord
- Tim Parfaite – Audio Engineer
Indy Ops and Tech Team
- Joe Rainey – Sr Specialist – Game
- Tommy Clark – Tech Specialist – Game
- Christine Rouskas – Remote Operations Producer – Game
- Kelley Nagi – Sr Remote Operations Producer – Game
- Luis Manuel Lopez – Sr Operations Coordinator – Game
- Kimberly Conrad – Operations Coordinator – Home Base
- Kristianna Bryant – Sr Remote Operations Producer – Studio
- Jake Daigle – Tech Specialist – Studio
- Gianfranca Focareta – Remote Operations Coordinator
NBA on ESPN support staff
- Crewing: Stephanie Canon and Candice Manning
- Resources: Laurie Niziolek
- Mobile unit group: Vicki Detolla and Liza Cole
- Remote Traffic: Daryl Timothy, Chris Baylis, and Neang Ne
- REMI Team: Scott Chamberland, Ben Neiger, and Marissa Bonnertz
Additional Support:
- SR TD – Ross Flagg
- SR A1 – Scott Pray
- SR Audio Guarantee – Devin Barnhard
- SR Comms – Patrick Martin
- SR RF Audio – Matt Leshner and Steve Simone
- SR Video – Mark Morel
- SR EVS – Nathan Beck
- NEP SR EIC – Bruce Hogenboom
- NEP Tech Ops Manager – Zach Rosser
- NEP VP – Michael Pean
- GCV Engineering Manager – Brian Nupnau
- GCV Project Manager – Rob Dally
- GCV SR EIC – Brian Proksch
- GCV EIC – Andrew McManus, Alex Williams, and Austin Hall