Super Bowl business: Prepping for the 'big show'

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Thursday, January 26, 2006
-- Brian Hyslop

Prepping for the 'big show'

When the Steelers take the field at the Super Bowl, there will be another team of Pittsburghers in Detroit making them look good.

NEP Broadcasting won't be scoring any touchdowns, but the Harmar company will be bringing the action into living rooms and sports bars across the country.

ABC Sports hired NEP's Supershooters division to provide the production facilities and engineering support needed to broadcast the Super Bowl.

"It's the most complex single-show production there is in television," said Lou Borrelli, chief executive officer of the company.

NEP will have 20 production trucks and technical support vehicles, five LED Screen trucks, more than 100 cameras and 50 people at the Super Bowl.

While this may be Seattle's first trip to the Super Bowl, this will be NEP's 15th consecutive trip to the big game. It also works on "Monday Night Football," which by comparison is done with one production truck, two support trucks and 22 cameras.

Mr. Borrelli said planning for Super Bowl XL began almost as soon as Super Bowl XXXIX ended. Joe Signorino, NEP's Super Bowl XL project manager, developed the overall plan and execution with George Hoover, senior vice president of engineering; Jeff Joslin, vice president of engineering; and Don Simpson, operations coordinator. .

The company's workday won't begin with the kickoff. NEP also is working on the pre- and post-game shows as well as half-time with the Rolling Stones. The company's Denali division, which focuses on entertainment events such as the Golden Globes and the Academy Awards, is working with Mick Jagger and company. And hopefully there will be no wardrobe malfunctions this year.

Does having the hometown team competing make this Super Bowl any different for Mr. Borrelli?   "It means we have more volunteers to work the game than usual and lots of ticket requests," he said. "When people ask me, I tell them I can get a shiny pass with my picture on it that gets me as far as the parking lot ... that's it! "  I will be in the compound meeting with our people and clients a few days before the game, then going home to watch it all in high definition -- the best seat in the house is in my house."