'Monday Night Football' relies on Harmar firm
Monday, November 5, 2007
PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW
By Rob Amen
About 108 of them.
Rothman and Dean will be stationed inside a 53-foot production truck parked outside the stadium, monitoring every tackle, every graphic, every super slow-motion replay.
It's just a small part of what it takes to broadcast "MNF."
"It's a moving circus that goes from city to city each week," said Dan Wilhelm, executive vice president of marketing for NEP Broadcasting, a Harmar-based company that provides ESPN with technical, engineering and logistical support.
NEP, which owns the production trucks, worked with ABC on "MNF" before ESPN took over broadcasts two years ago.
The company has worked with NBC, Fox, HBO, the Golf Channel and World Wrestling Entertainment, to name a few, during the past 20 years and has become a major player in other live sports and entertainment events.
"We have grown as ESPN has grown," Wilhelm said. "Our growth has very much mirrored the growth of the cable-sports industry and the industry in general."
In addition to the 20 or so NEP workers each week, ESPN brings in its own "MNF" production team of about 200 people.
Some are responsible for the two-day set-up, including construction of on-site studios for other ESPN programming during the day and the fishing of about four miles of cable through Heinz Field.
Others will operate the 27 cameras placed throughout the stadium, four of which will capture "the artistry of football in super slow motion," Dean said.
Another camera, the wireless RF Steadicam, is strapped to a camera operator, who is allowed onto much of the field when the clock is stopped.
"When Pittsburgh receives the opening kickoff, the cameraman will walk with (Ben) Roethlisberger onto the field," Dean said. "It's our version of 'Forrest Gump' when he's running down the sideline. It's meant to bring the viewers right to the stars.
Wilhelm said he's happy to bring his employees home, even if just for one weekend.
"It's kind of nice to have a home game," Wilhelm said. "We like to welcome our own staff back home. You don't get a chance to do that very often.
"As soon as we're done here, we'll pack up and go."
'Monday Night Football' by the numbers
- 3: Number of 53-foot production trucks used for telecast each week
- 15: Digital recording devices recording game action
- 19: Seasons singer Hank Williams Jr. has appeared on "MNF"
- 30: Cameras typically covering the games each week
- 108: Monitors on wall of production truck
- 200: ESPN personnel typically working games
- 20,000: Feet of cable used each week
- 20,000: Miles ESPN's fleet of production trucks will travel during season
- 80,000: Maximum weight in pounds of each production truck
Source: ESPN
Rob Amen can be reached at ramen@tribweb.com or 412-320-7982.
