BOSTON—Regional sports network NESN has tapped Fahad Haider as vice president, operations and engineering, leading its broadcast operations, broadcast engineering and studio production operations organizations.

NESN televises Boston Red Sox baseball games, Boston Bruins hockey games and other events to a territory comprising the six New England states. Its programming is also available via direct-to-consumer app NESN 360.

A 20-year industry veteran, Haider most recently served as vice president and general manager of operations for FanDuel Sports Network. He also held engineering leadership roles at Spectrum’s SportsNet LA and had previously been NESN’s VP of broadcast engineering and CTO.

“Fahad is one of the most accomplished operations and engineering leaders in our industry, and his track record building and running large-scale live sports operations is the leadership NESN needs as we keep modernizing how we deliver content across every platform,” said David Wisnia, president and CEO of NESN and Sportsnet Pittsburgh. “We’re thrilled to welcome him back to the team.”

Over his career, Haider has been responsible for high-visibility live broadcasts for more than 50 Major League Baseball, National Basketball Association, National Hockey League and National Football League teams, NESN said, earning three Emmy Awards for live productions, operations and engineering.

“NESN holds a special place in my career, and returning to lead its operations and engineering organizations at this moment is a tremendous opportunity,” Haider said. “The network is building towards an ambitious future across linear and streaming, and I’m excited to help shape how NESN delivers that experience to fans.”

New England Sports Network (NESN) has chosen Harmonic, working with Astound Business Solutions, as its enterprise technology partner to transform primary distribution of live sports.

NESN is leveraging Harmonic’s technology, including its XOS Advanced Media Processor and DMS X Distribution Management System, to deliver video to 4 million homes and unlock new monetization opportunities.

“Harmonic’s XOS media processor provides us with a rock-solid, reliable foundation for distributing sports content to our affiliates,” said Kenny Elcock, vice president of technology at NESN.

“The software-based primary distribution solution has set us up for immediate success, while providing the flexibility to add new, advanced features in the future. Even better, the XOS solution features game-changing ad insertion capabilities at the edge, paving the way for exciting new revenue opportunities.”

Relying on Harmonic technology for primary distribution, NESN securely distributes live sports content to its affiliates, including cable, telco and video streaming providers, over managed IP and open internet delivery networks, the company said.

Harmonic’s XOS media processor ensures high-quality video for NESN while delivering up to 50% bitrate savings through AI-powered EyeQ content-aware encoding for cost-effective video quality optimization. The processor extends support for video formats up to 4K HDR, it said.

The company’s ProStream X stream processor distributes live sports to all affiliates using Secure Reliable Transport (SRT), it said.

Harmonic’s DMS X solution for the XOS media processor provides efficient centralized management for ad insertion, program localization and remote playout. It also enables HTML graphics, clips and playlist insertion as well as supports edge device monitoring, elevating primary distribution for NESN, the company said.

Astound Business Solutions ensured deployment went smoothly, which allowed NESN to launch its new primary distribution platform in two months. Astound also provides NESN with its distribution network, end-to-end management of video services and continuous network monitoring to ensure operational success, Harmonic said.

Harmonic will showcase its primary distribution solution during 2025 NAB Show New York, Oct. 22-23, at the Javits Center in New York City.

See Harmonic at 2025 NAB Show New York booth 533.

More information is available on the company’s website.

BOSTON—Sports network NESN today relaunched the NESN 360 app with a redesigned user experience and upgrades.

Available in time for the second half of the Boston Red Sox season that begins tonight, the relaunched app is powered by cloud-based streaming platform ViewLift and is available on iOS and Android devices, as well as major connected TV platforms, NESN said.

The new app is designed to bring fans a sleeker, more intuitive experience. The sign-in process has been condensed and focuses on providing users with stable and reliable streaming of live games. NESN, the TV home of MLB’s Red Sox and the NHL’s Boston Bruins, will continue to develop new features for the app that will roll out throughout the rest of the year, it said.

“We’ve approached the NESN 360 infrastructure in an entirely new way to meet the wants and needs of our fans: better performance, easier navigation and more reliability,” David Wisnia, president and CEO of NESN and SportsNet Pittsburgh, said.

“Innovation is core to NESN’s DNA, and there’s a real thirst across our team to continually elevate the fan experience. This relaunch is not just a one-time update,” he continued. “It’s the beginning of a foundation for ongoing improvement. We’re excited to deliver a better experience for a promising second half of the Red Sox season, the upcoming Bruins season and all other content that NESN is proud to exhibit.”

Also Read: NESN Gives Red Sox-Reds Matchup a Retro Makeover

ViewLift will manage the underlying technology powering the NESN 360 and streaming going forward. The company currently manages streaming for 16 professional teams and six other regional sports networks, including other NHL and MLB teams’ streaming.

“NESN is a pioneer regional sports network,” ViewLift CEO Rick Allen said. “We are excited to bring the new NESN 360 app to New England’s sports fans, especially as the Red Sox press toward the playoffs. As we head towards the Bruins’ new season, subscribers will see an extended roll-out of new features and even more devices, reflecting NESN’s legendary leadership.”

The relaunch comes at a pivotal moment in sports media as streaming now accounts for the largest share of TV consumption in the U.S. (44.8%), according to Nielsen, surpassing both broadcast and cable for the first time.

NESN 360 reached its highest subscription numbers at the start of the 2025 Red Sox season following a price reduction in February for annual plans from $330 to $240.

More information about the app and how to download it is available online.

Watching live sports on TV these days is a delicate balance for broadcasters—how much information is too much?

Sports fans in the 1970s didn’t have to deal with that dilemma, when graphics were so primitive that fans expected “just the facts, ma’am.” Oftentimes, viewers coming upon a baseball game mid-inning would have to wait for the announcer just to get the score.

NESN, the TV home of the Boston Red Sox, decided to have some fun with this scenario, broadcasting part of a game between the BoSox and the Cincinnati Reds this week in the same manner a fan would view it in the mid-’70s.

The occasion was to commemorate one of the most memorable World Series in baseball history (at least to Red Sox fans), when the BoSox lost to the 1975 champion Reds in seven games.

To honor the 50th anniversary, NESN broadcast the third and fourth innings of the July 2 game at Fenway Park using vintage-inspired graphics and scorebug, throwback outfits, immersive flashbacks and other nostalgic broadcast elements. Members of the 1975 BoSox, including Fred Lynn and Dwight Evans, joined the broadcast team of Dave O’Brien, Lou Merloni and Jahmai Webster to reflect on the series.

NESN had been planning the retrocast for months, according to Amy Johnson, coordinating producer for the Red Sox at NESN.

“The idea of doing like a flashback inning came about from one of our producers, who was also a big fan of that ’75 team,” she said. “And so I immediately started watching a lot of YouTube videos. When I mentioned it to our graphics operator and our A1, they were all super on board and excited about it.”

Johnson said the network had to balance the idea of reducing on-screen informational graphics while also giving Sox fans the live coverage they had come to expect.

“We narrowed it down to two innings, and then we had some conversations about how ‘1970s’ we could go while still serving the audience,” she said. “So that's how we ended up with kind of the retro-looking score bug.”

To recreate the lower-grade “look” of a 1975 broadcast, the network had to alter its usually pristine 4K HDR resolution. To do that, they turned to NESN Technical Director Michelle Schlickman.

“She essentially created one version with crushed blacks and pulled out some of the Chroma, and then she keyed that over the same source to create some modulation,” Johnson said. “She was really excited by the challenge and she definitely took it head on, and it came out great.”

The graphics department was fully on board with the concept from the beginning, according to Johnson.

“This was truly a labor of love for our graphics operator; the minute I told him the idea he was all over it,“ she said. ”And then our senior graphics producer, Patrick White, helped us find a font that we had in house that looked similar to what NBC used in 1975 and then Bridget Sheeran, our graphics producer for the Red Sox, was the one who executed, making sure that we had the individual batter fonts updated throughout the innings.”

Social media lit up during the broadcast and the response was almost unanimous: Fans young and old loved the look, with some wishing the move to less graphics (or even none) could be an option going forward. Johnson said that while there are no plans to offer such a graphics-less feed, she sees this desire eventually being fulfilled by technology.

“I do think all media consumption is continuing to evolve toward personalization and people being able to choose what is on their screen for a broadcast,” she said. “We don't have any plans to do anything like that, but you can kind of see that down the road.”

Johnson said the broadcast showed how live sports TV can take liberties with new looks and sound to bring new experiences to fans.

“My biggest takeaway is, how can we keep challenging people throughout a baseball season to do some different fun things and kind of push our broadcast to the next level?” she said. “You know, there’s a lot of baseball games and nights to have something like this that's a little bit different.”

That said, Johnson said any experimentation will never distract from NESN’s ultimate goal.

“Our No. 1 priority is always coverage of the game and quality of the game,” she said. “So I felt like we kind of got that happy medium in the look that we went with.”

BOSTON and NEW YORK—The sports network NESN has announced that it has selected ViewLift provide solutions and technologies to upgrade the viewing and streaming experiences available for NESN 360, the direct-to-consumer streaming home for the Boston Red Sox, Boston Bruins and other New England sports programming.

The upgraded DTC and TVE streaming offerings, which will use ViewLift’s “out of the box” features and functionality, are scheduled to relaunch this summer. NESN 360 allows fans to stream all locally-available games live on major devices, including mobile, web and connected TV platforms.

“The fan experience continues to be at the forefront of everything we do. By entering into this partnership, we will continue to focus on delivering dynamic, first in class products for fans of the Red Sox, Bruins and all of our programming,” said NESN president and CEO David Wisnia. “We’re excited about partnering with ViewLift to power feature-rich, reliable streaming for the next iteration of NESN 360.”

In making the announcement, the companies noted that NESN has a long history of tech innovation, which the current agreement continues. NESN was the first to provide fans with High-Definition broadcasts and then the first to offer 4K game broadcasts. In 2022, NESN was the first to launch a direct-to-consumer streaming platform in NESN 360.

“We are particularly proud to work with NESN, a consistent innovator in live sports,” said Rick Allen, CEO of ViewLift. “Our platform now streams 14 US pro teams and five RSNs, more than our competitors combined, and we will bring this experience to bear for the passionate fans of the Red Sox, Bruins, and the other pro and collegiate teams that New Englanders have come to enjoy from NESN.”

With the new deal, ViewLift’s roster of clients now includes streaming platforms for the NHL, and 14 professional teams across that League and the NBA, WNBA and MLB, as well as the Professional Fighters League, LIV Golf, and other sports leagues and teams around the world. The company reported that its robust cloud-based platform ensures seamless, buffer-free streaming and supports flexible monetization models, real-time analytics, fan personalization, and rapid deployment.

BOSTON—New England sports fans nationwide will now have a new FAST channel bringing them news, insight and live programming covering its major league and college sports franchises.

NESN, New England’s premier sports network, announced today the launch of NESN NATION, its first free, ad-supported national streaming television (FAST) channel. NESN NATION will feature more than 30 hours of weekly live and original programming—featuring NESN’s coverage of flagship teams like the Red Sox, Bruins and Liverpool FC to women’s sports, New England Division III teams, and the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). Content will include live games, live gameday content, live press conferences, interviews, game and sports betting analysis, features, documentaries and video podcasts, as well as content from NESN’s award-winning library.

“Given sports fans unwavering demand for their favorite teams, we’re excited to expand our portfolio with our first FAST national channel that provides easy access to both our globally recognized brands as well as our award-winning content,” said NESN President & CEO, David Wisnia. “NESN NATION will deliver a range of new, live and original programming and further our mission to provide a multitude of ways for fans to engage with our must see content.”

NESN NATION is available today on Prime Video, The Roku Channel, Twitch and Plex, and is arriving soon on Samsung TV Plus in the coming weeks. NESN partnered with AMC Networks, a leader in the FAST space, to build out the distribution and syndication of NESN NATION and the companies will continue to work together on the optimization of content strategy and will be announcing further distribution partnerships in the future.

Some of the original and third party programming that will begin in the coming weeks includes:

• Four (4) live Red Sox Spring Training Games on February 23, March 2, March 9, and March 23 - available on NESN NATION on Prime Video, The Roku Channel, and other select participating platforms. The March 9 and March 23 games will be available on Samsung TV Plus.
• Live streams of Boston Bruins Morning Skates and Pregame Skates, including upcoming Morning Skate dates on March 11, and March 17 and Pregame Skates on February 25, March 4, and March 15.
• Unobstructed Views, the alternate, commentary-driven game coverage show (featuring Tuuka Rask, Patrice Bergeron and Andrew Raycroft).
• Live baseball analysis with 310 to Left Podcast shows through February 20.
• Six Athletes Unlimited women’s basketball games.
• Postgame press conferences from professional teams.
• Liverpool FC coverage, including a weekly three-hour block featuring match highlights, recaps, and analysis plus team-produced behind the scenes content.
• Hockey Chowdah: unique half-hour mashup shows featuring Bruins (Charlie Coyle, Brad Marchand and Hampus Lindholm), with other professional athlete features to come.
• Eight different video-enabled podcasts including Boston Has Entered the Chat and Morning Bru.
• Original titles such as Marchand at 1,000 and A Century of Boston Bruins Hockey.
• Live game telecasts from select colleges.
• Select programming from The BetMGM Network including Bet Sweats (Mondays and Fridays from 9 a.m.-12 p.m.).
• This Week in Hockey East, a league-produced program previewing the most important games of the weekend.

BOSTON—In a first for regional sports, the Boston Bruins, NESN, and National Hockey League have announced that they will produce “Best Snow Day Ever,” which feature an animated version of a NHL game between the Bruins and the Panthers. It will air on March 11 at 7 p.m. ET locally on NESN+ and the NESN 360 app, alongside the main broadcast of the Bruins-Panthers game on NESN.

“Best Snow Day Ever” is one of several NHL animated data visualizations that are being produced in association with NHL innovation partner Sony’s Beyond Sports for the 2024-25 season. It marks the first time one of these games has been done regionally.

This program represents a continuation of the NHL’s innovative efforts to further engage young fans and families and to demonstrate applications of NHL technology initiatives like NHL EDGE Positional Data.

In addition to an animated version of the game, “Best Snow Day Ever” will bring kids on an imaginary snow day with no school where they follow Blades, the Bruins’ mascot, on an adventure as he’s transported into a snow globe of an imaginary Boston.

The story incorporates a mix of STEM-focused lessons, using hockey as a vehicle to make math, physics and science concepts come together in a way that is both fun and educational. NESN reporter Adam Pellerin will lead the animated play-by-play, with former Bruin and 2011 Stanley Cup Champion Andrew Ference providing analysis.

“The Boston Bruins are thrilled and grateful for the opportunity to work with the National Hockey League and our regional broadcast partner NESN to bring to life the first regional animated data visualization in our market,” said Andrea Mazzarelli, Bruins vice president of marketing. “‘Best Snow Day Ever’ is more than just bringing hockey into a fantasy environment; our program is designed to educate and engage younger audiences and families with integrated STEM lessons throughout the program, which can live on in classrooms well beyond March 11.”

“We’re constantly searching for innovative ways to bring sports to new audiences. This animated data visualization provides us the opportunity to reach kids in a fun, relevant and educational way – because while fans may not consider it, sports are all grounded in STEM – from the speed of the puck to the angle of the shot,” added Josh Jun, vice president of content for NESN. “Working with the Bruins and NHL to develop this project has been such an incredible experience and we can’t wait for young hockey fans to tune in.”

In addition to the STEM lessons, the animated data visualization will feature appearances from Bruins players during intermissions, where they will participate in interactive segments designed to make learning even more fun. Viewers will also experience a Boston-centric narrative, showcasing local landmarks, history, and culture, all while highlighting STEM lessons that tie back to the on-ice action between the Bruins and Panthers.

The animated program builds upon the Bruins’ and NESN’s ongoing commitment to engage with and educate kids through sports. Through the Bruins Academy, the Bruins offer youth hockey programs and free curriculum materials that integrate the sport of hockey with STEM-focused lesson plans, while NESN’s weekly show, NESN Clubhouse, gives kids a backstage look at the skills, technology and fitness necessary to be a professional athlete.

Boston Bruins corporate partners TD Bank, Rapid7 and JetBlue are supporting the initiative with integrations throughout the animated broadcast.

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif.—New England Sports Network (NESN) has partnered with Bitcentral to add state-of-the-art media management and production tools to its operations to deliver a richer viewing experience to Boston-area sports fans.

NESN, the regional sports network home of the NHL’s Boston Bruins and MLB’s Boston Red Sox, turned to Bitcentral for its ability to elevate content creation. It will leverage Bitcentral’s Core News suite, a comprehensive set of tools designed to enhance content management efficiency, reduce content-generation complexity and maximize the value of the NESN product to fans on multiple platforms, Bitcentral said.

“The sports media landscape is evolving rapidly, and our audience demands seamless, high-quality content delivered to linear, digital and social platforms,” NESN Vice President of Technology Kenny Elcock said.

“Our partnership with Bitcentral ensures that we not only keep pace with the evolving industry but continue to stand as leaders and drive innovation,” Elcock said. “Bitcentral’s Core News suite offers the scalability and cutting-edge technology we need to stay ahead in this competitive environment and deliver exceptional content to our audience.”

The partnership includes the integration of two new NESN partners, Adobe Creative Cloud with Adobe Premiere editing platform and Dixon Sports Computing. Dixon Sports Computing’s metadata logging capabilities are vital to sports content creation, allowing NESN the ability to search for the best content instantly for delivery to fans, it said.

The collaboration promises an enriched viewing experience for sports fans with more dynamic and engaging content delivered more quickly and efficiently. For the industry, it signals a shift toward more integrated and advanced media workflows that could set a new standard for sports viewing engagement, Bitcentral said.   

Bitcentral’s commitment to advancing the capabilities of its media solutions reflects its mission to drive the future of sports and new media production, the company said.

“Teaming up with NESN allows us to demonstrate the full potential of our Core News Suite in the high-stakes world of sports broadcasting,” Bitcentral Chief Operating Officer Sam Peterson said. “By integrating our technology with NESN’s operations, we’re not just enhancing their media capabilities—we’re redefining what’s possible in the industry.”

More information is available on the company’s website.  

BOSTON—New England Sports Network (NESN) and Boston-based cloud storage provider Wasabi Technologies have entered into a multiyear partnership that makes Wasabi the first official studio sponsor of the regional sports network’s Boston Bruins telecasts at TD Garden.

The newly branded Wasabi Studio will be the centerpiece for NESN’s coverage of the NHL team, including Bruins pregame, intermission and postgame coverage throughout the season. The studio was unveiled at an Oct. 10 ribbon-cutting ceremony.

“Our new partnership with Wasabi is an exciting step forward for NESN as we continue to evolve in sports broadcasting,” Cosmina Schulman, senior vice president of broadcast and digital partnerships at NESN, said.

“With their cutting-edge technology and Boston roots, Wasabi is an excellent partner for us, and we are thrilled to showcase their brand in our Bruins broadcasts,” Schulman said. “The Wasabi Studio will be a hub of activity throughout the Bruins season, providing fans with innovative programming and expert analysis and insights before, during and after every game.”

The studio’s Wasabi branding and signage will be the backdrop for NESN’s live Bruins coverage. The sponsorship also extends to in-game broadcast features and commercial programming with a prominent presence for Wasabi across NESN’s Bruins content. The studio will be home to live shows including “Bruins Face-Off Live,” “Bruins Overtime Live” and “Bruins Postgame Final Live.”

“We’re thrilled to deepen our partnership with NESN by unveiling Wasabi Studio at TD Garden,” Michael Welts, Wasabi chief marketing officer, said. “This collaboration brings together two Boston icons, and we’re excited to support NESN and the Bruins with hot cloud storage while engaging fans with dynamic gameday experiences throughout the season.”

The partnership builds on Wasabi’s existing relationship with NESN. The company also holds the naming rights to the NESN studio at Fenway Park, which made its on-air debut in 2022 as the Wasabi Fenway Studio. That studio is home to NESN’s pregame and postgame coverage of the Boston Red Sox.

More information is available on the NESN and Wasabi websites.

BOSTON–New England Sports Network (NESN) has appointed David Wisnia president and CEO, effective Oct. 28.

Wisnia will succeed Sean McGrail, who is retiring after 40 years at NESN and president and CEO since 2000. McGrail will continue as senior advisor to NESN’s board.

NESN’s new president and CEO comes to the company with extensive experience at some of the most well-regarded companies in the network business, including Fox Sports, CBS and MGM Studios. He joins NESN from Alvarez & Marsal, a global management consulting firm, where he was a managing director, specializing in media and entertainment operations and strategy. Wisnia will oversee both NESN and SportsNet Pittsburgh.

“NESN has been home for Red Sox and Bruins fans for over 40 years,” said Fenway Sports Group principal owner John Henry. “We are grateful to Sean for guiding NESN’s growth through significant technological changes and positioning it for continued success amid immense industry disruption. With David’s appointment, we have a top-tier media executive with extensive experience, both domestically and globally, at leading companies in the network business. He shares our vision for NESN’s future and will ensure that shifts in the media landscape do not change our core goals: to connect directly to our fans, to provide local businesses with valuable opportunities to associate with our great clubs, and to tell stories about our teams that fans want to hear. We thank Sean for his remarkable leadership and welcome David as we look forward to NESN’s next chapter.”

Wisnia’s appointment follows a nationwide search conducted by NESN’s board of directors and McGrail, led by search firm CAA. He brings a wealth of global experience in the media industry to NESN, having built, scaled and turned around media assets for some of the world’s most prominent companies, NESN said.

Throughout his career, Wisnia has held senior roles at major media organizations, including Fox Sports, CBS Corporation, STAR TV and MGM Studios. As executive vice president at MGM Studios, he led the Global Networks Group, overseeing the operational and growth strategy for MGM’s domestic and international direct-to-consumer and linear networks. His leadership spanned programming, affiliate and advertising sales, partnerships, marketing, traffic, engineering and operations.

“I am honored to join NESN and build on the incredible foundation that Sean has established over the last two decades,” said Wisnia. “NESN has long been a leader in sports broadcasting, and I look forward to working with ownership and the talented team here to drive continued growth and deliver world-class sports coverage to our fans.”

McGrail will continue as senior advisor to NESN’s board.

BOSTON—Boston Globe Media and the New England Sports Network (NESN) are launching “Boston Globe Today,” a jointly produced, in-depth news and sports program debuting across multiple platforms this Spring. The half-hour show will air Monday-Friday at 5 p.m. on NESN and will stream on the NESN 360 app, the Globe's app, and on Globe.com.

BGM said Boston Globe Today will provide “an in-depth perspective on stories from the Globe's newsroom, offering a deeper dive of major news, politics, business, and entertainment stories and how they impact New Englanders.” 

"We are continuously improving the ways that we deliver vital news and information to our community and are excited to build a television show that will bring the Globe's award-winning journalism to a broader audience," said Linda Henry, Boston Globe Media CEO. "Boston Globe Today reflects our commitment to serve our community, invest in local journalism, and for Boston Globe Media to be an innovative news leader."

Veteran television host and national media personality, Segun Oduolowu, will host the series.

"I'm thrilled to join the Boston Globe Today team, working on this exciting collaboration between the Globe and NESN," said Oduolowu. "I look forward to diving into the stories affecting this historic city and New England at large, drawing on the considerable talents of the Globe newsroom."

Boston Globe Today—which will air from a new, state-of-the-art broadcast studio in The Boston Globe's downtown newsroom—will focus on news Monday through Thursday, while devoting Friday to sports, which will be anchored by Boston Globe sports columnist Christopher Gasper. 

"NESN is excited to partner with The Boston Globe to deliver compelling news coverage to our viewers across our television and digital properties," said Sean McGrail, NESN President & CEO.

NESN 360 is available via direct subscription or can be authenticated with the viewer’s TV provider by downloading the app or visiting NESN360.com. The NESN 360 app is available on iPhone, Android, Apple TV, Roku, Google TV and Fire TV. Globe subscribers will have access to stream the show on Globe.com and on the Globe's app, which is available on iPhone and Android

VANCOUVER, B.C.—Sparx Technology has announced that the New England Sports Network (NESN) will continue to have unlimited use of Sparx’s real-time engagement platform for NESN’s broadcasts of live Boston Bruins games during the 2022-23 Boston Bruins season. 

The Sparx real-time platform is a flexible, multi-faceted platform that is used to engage audiences with voting/polling, predictive questions and trivia.

The platform enables broadcasters, streamers, and video producers to engage viewers for longer, generate new revenue opportunities, and create lean-forward experiences for audiences eager to join the action, the company said. 

Millions of users can connect to the Sparx platform and interact simultaneously on their mobile phone, tablet, or computer anywhere in the world, in real time.

CAMBRIDGE, Mass.—Akamai Technologies, Inc. and NESN, the broadcast home of the Boston Red Sox and Boston Bruins, have announced that they are working together to live stream all 2022-23 Bruins home games and future Red Sox home games in 4K/HDR through the NESN 360 app. 

The first 4K/HDR live stream was the Bruins home opener on Saturday, October 15th, making NESN is the first regional sports network (RSN) in the United States to live stream Major League Baseball (MLB) and National Hockey League (NHL) games in 4K/HDR natively via a streaming app, the companies said. 

The partnership between NESN and Akamai is part of the significant investments that NESN has made to produce games at Boston’s TD Garden and Fenway Park in 4K/HDR. 

NESN is using Akamai Adaptive Media Delivery (AMD) to power 4K/HDR live streaming for the NESN 360 app. Built on the Akamai Intelligent Edge Platform, a network spanning more than 4,100 locations across 135 countries, AMD is optimized for adaptive bitrate (ABR) streaming to provide consistent, high-quality viewing across varying network types and connection speeds, Akamai reported. 

“We are so excited to bring 4K/HDR into New England homes on NESN 360,” said Ahmed Darwish, NESN’s chief marketing officer. this technology provides a rich, immersive experience for NESN 360 subscribers and those with access through their TV provider. Fan reaction when we piloted 4K/HDR during the Red Sox season was spectacular, and we look forward to wow’ing Boston sports fans this Bruins season.”

Users can watch the 4K/HDR streams on the NESN 360 app via direct subscription or by authenticating with their TV provider on an iPhone, Android, Apple TV, Fire TV and Google TV. 2023 Red Sox home games will be available in 4K/HDR on the NESN 360 app beginning in April. 

“Akamai has been a crucial partner in providing the streaming infrastructure that we need to deliver 4K/HDR,” said NESN’s vice president of technology, Kenny Elcock. “The NESN team broke new ground, testing around the clock, to produce and package live home games in native 4K/HDR. Akamai media delivery solutions helped get it all into viewers homes as fast as possible,” 

“NESN is proving that the technology to live stream 4K/HDR at scale and consumer demand for the content have both finally arrived,” added Will Law, chief architect, Edge Technology Group, Akamai. “Akamai is proud to partner with NESN in this cutting-edge streaming service and excited to help bring it to our hometown base of avid Boston sports fans.”

Adding 4K/HDR live streaming to the NESN 360 app is the latest in a long string of innovative “firsts” for NESN, the company said. 

With its introduction of NESN 360 earlier this year, the network was the first regional sports network (RSN) to offer a direct-to-consumer streaming service. During the 2022 baseball season, NESN became the first RSN to broadcast MLB games in native 4K/HDR when it announced availability of all Red Sox home games in the high-quality format on DIRECTV, Verizon Fios and fuboTV. Bruins home games on NESN will also be broadcast on 4K/HDR for DIRECTV, Verizon Fios, and fuboTV customers. In 2015, the network was the first RSN to fully automate studio production and the first to deliver all professional MLB and NHL games in HD.

BOSTON—The New England Sports Network (NESN) has become the first regional sports network (RSN) to offer a direct to consumer service (DTC) with the launch of NESN 360, a digital subscription service that will allow fans to purchase a direct subscription to NESN’s live programming and video-on-demand content. 

The NESN 360 SVOD regional sports service allows Red Sox and Bruins fans to stream 220+ live games through a direct subscription or a participating TV provider account.

The service was launched in partnership with the Boston Red Sox, the Boston Bruins and Major League Baseball (MLB). 

The launch comes at a time when Sinclair's Bally Sports and others are planning to launch similar DTC services this year.  

NESN has also announced that it will introduce new features and functionality in the upcoming months, including 4K HDR, cloud DVR, and will expand its reach with FIRETV and Google TV apps. NESN is also exploring an exclusive live home batting practice feed in partnership with the Red Sox.

“NESN 360 is the latest iteration in NESN’s long history of innovation and providing fans with the best sports viewing experience,” said Sean McGrail, NESN’s president and CEO. “We believe the direct subscription option will build on NESN’s reach in the region, and will be an excellent complement to the existing, valuable partnerships we have with TV providers to bring NESN to all homes in New England.”

Fans who choose to subscribe directly have an annual and a monthly subscription option, each with its own limited time promotion for the launch of the new product. The monthly plan will bill $1 for the first month, followed by $29.99 once per month. Annual subscribers will be billed $329.99 once per year, which reflects the first month as just $1, and will receive eight tickets to a 2022 Red Sox game of their choosing, while supplies last. 

Subscribers can stream NESN’s live feeds and video on demand (VOD) library directly to their computer, iOS, Android, Apple TV or Roku device. Fans who already have NESN through a participating TV provider will be able to authenticate into the NESN 360 app to access the same experience, including streaming live Red Sox and Bruins games and VOD content.

In addition to the live TV programming, NESN 360 will include expanded access to Red Sox content, including highlights and select on-demand historical Red Sox games, as well as Bruins games, Bruins highlights, exclusive new content and a library of hundreds of video-on-demand titles, including NESN original shows. Additionally, NESN 360’s video-on-demand library will feature full games of notable 2022 Red Sox season matchups, including nationally broadcast games after they’ve aired.

NESN has also invested in original content featuring notable personalities, including baseball content creators Jared Carrabis and Pitching Ninja. There are also collaborations in progress with other content partners such as The Boston Globe.

NESN (New England Sports Network) this week previewed its new studio at Fenway Park that will make its on-air debut this Friday, April 15 at the home opener of the 2022 Boston Red Sox season. 

The 20x24-foot studio space will be the new home for NESN’s pregame and postgame shows for Red Sox home games, replacing the Jersey Street set. One highlight of the set includes a 20x9-foot mural wall consisting of 1,968 baseballs and 60 34-inch wooden baseball bats, which provide the backdrop for a five-foot tall illuminated NESN logo.

“We are so proud to debut our brand-new NESN studio in conjunction with the 2022 Red Sox home opener,” NESN president and CEO Sean McGrail said. “It is our top priority to bring unparalleled access and connection to our fanbase, and this new space in the center field concourse of historic Fenway Park will bring our fans closer to the game than ever.”

A large window, approximately 18 1/2x5 3/4 feet, faces the ballpark, offering viewers an expansive view of the field. Opposite the opening is a 19x13-foot blueprint of Fenway Park, produced by NESN’s creative services department, inspired by a dozen antique blueprints of the park from the Red Sox archives dating from 1933-1969.

The fourth and final wall of the studio is a clear plexiglass wall that extends floor-to-ceiling, providing fans with a sneak-peek into the on-air action. 

The fabrication of the anchor desk and the signature baseball bat and ball mural were produced by Mystic Scenic Studios, Inc. based in Norwood, Mass.

For a gallery of images of NESN’s brand-new pregame and postgame studio at Fenway Park, click here. 

MONROE, LA.—Lumen Technologies has announced that the New England Sports Network (NESN) has selected Lumen for its broadcast and content backhaul delivery services. 

As part of the deal, Lumen will provide these video delivery services for all Boston Bruins and Boston Red Sox away games, and will also leverage the Lumen dedicated Cloud Connect platform for disaster recovery.

Lumen will provide signal acquisition, packaging services and disaster recovery solutions, for approximately 150 Red Sox games and 70 Boston Bruins games.

Packaged services include a combination of video delivery of all Bruins and Red Sox away games, as well as services such as data and phones to support NESN’s remote-production requirements. 

In addition, Lumen’s Dual Managed Video Network Services platforms will be deployed to NESN to support all content acquisition and distribution. 

Lumen Vyvx Cloud Connect will be used to deliver all Bruins and Red Sox games to NESN’s cloud provider as disaster recovery.

More information on the Lumen Vyvx broadcast solutions is available here. 

BOSTON—New England Sports Network is ready to go full 4K/HDR with a brand new studio space. The regional network’s 360-degree customizable studio space will debut in time for the Boston Bruins season-opener on Jan. 14, but will show its full potential with 2021 Red Sox games that will be broadcast in 4K/HDR later this year.

NESN’s new studio was designed in partnership with Jack Morton Worldwide, as well as AV Design Services, New York City Lights and Propmasters. The space integrates aesthetic blending technology with natural materials for what the network calls a “sleek and modern” look.

The renovation of NESN’s 50x50-foot space began in early 2020 with the goal of the fully redesigned studio to be ready for 2021. The new studio features six LED monitors, two of which are 20x7 feet and 14x7 feet, spanning the width of the space on opposite ends.

Part of the renovation also included upgraded technology in NESN’s master control. The network also transitioned its satellite distribution platform to high performance hybrid fiber to shoot, produce and air 4K/HDR quality video.

“We are thrilled with the Bruins’ return to play and excited to debut our new 4K/HDR studio for fan enjoyment in conjunction with the first game of the season,” said Sean McGrail, president and CEO of NESN. “The studio’s renovation is one of the final elements in our plan to deliver a 4K/HDR broadcast in 2021. Continuing our tradition of being the first to introduce cutting edge technology, we are excited to bring New England fans closer than ever to the games they love.”

NESN’s coverage from their new studio will begin at 6 p.m. ET on Jan. 14.

FRISCO, Texas—MediaKind is the choice of The Switch to provide the next-generation IP infrastructure and content delivery services for New England Sports Network (NESN) as it transitions from satellite distribution to an IP-based terrestrial distribution system.

MediaKind’s Cygnus Distribution product will be a key piece to this transition, which combines video processing and content protection technology from MediaKind and The Switch’s hybrid fiber network to help NESN deliver live 4K UHD, HDR quality content.

The Cygnus Distribution platform controls the workflow, which consists of the MK Stream Processing software-based stream processing application for ensuring high availability and delivery efficiency on broadcast and multiscreen platforms; the System Multiplexer to support NESN’s stream processing applications in terrestrial central headends, which can be updated for future expansions; and RX1 Receivers for delivery of NESN’s content at low-latency. The workflow is also supported by SRT open source transport specification.

“NESN now benefits from a flexible video distribution network, and guaranteed delivery of superior live sports feeds for Boston Red Sox and Boston Bruins games, as well as hundreds of other live college sports events,” said Robert Szabo-Rowe, senior vice president of engineering and product management, The Switch.

NEW YORK—New England Sports Network has selected The Switch to provide the station with a new IP infrastructure and content delivery services. This will include having The Switch’s hybrid fiber/internet network replace NESN’s existing satellite distribution platform.

The Switch’s terrestrial distribution platform is designed to offer a fully integrated, state-of-the-art system that features next-gen video compression, encryption, receiver management & control and a redundant transmission network. For NESN, this is expected to deliver superior live sports feeds of Boston Red Sox, Boston Bruins and Connecticut Sun games, as well as college sports events.

As part of the deal, NESN can ensure redundancy to its major affiliate distributors without impacting the final viewing experience, it says. Also, The Switch provides live monitoring from its New York City Operation Center for every game, as well as continuous network operations and engineering support.

“We are now in a position to utilize the best capabilities of fiber and internet to ensure the highest possible signal quality for live broadcasts and we have now laid the important groundwork to deliver our broadcasts in 4K HDR,” said Fahad Haider, CTO and vice president of Engineering at NESN.

For more information, visit www.theswitch.tv.  

WATERTOWN, Mass.—When NESN moved out of Boston’s Fenway Park and into a 40,000-plus-square-foot. Building in Watertown, Mass. 14 years ago we became the first regional sports network to broadcast every single Red Sox and Bruins NHL game in HD.

Along with the move to HD, we also began to lay the foundation to transition to 5.1 audio by purchasing two 32-fader Solid State Logic C100 digital broadcast mixing consoles, one for each of the two new studios.

Today, NESN uses audio to create a more captivating live sports experience.

MOVE TO DANTE

Two years ago, we decided to replace the C100s with the intention of adopting a Dante audio-over-IP infrastructure and eventually move to AES67. We felt moving NESN’s core audio infrastructure on a Dante network would be beneficial because hundreds of manufacturers and products support Dante, offering a high level of integration going into the future.

We were also looking for a console that could handle live pre- and post-game productions in our studios, as well as live game programming. Plus, the mixing platform needed to integrate tightly with our Ross OverDrive automation and Evertz EMR router. SSL’s System T broadcast platform met all of our requirements, so in February 2019, we commissioned twin System T S500 consoles with 48-fader control surfaces, each with redundant Tempest processing engines, together with a number of SSL’s Network I/O interfaces.

In our facility, the System T consoles manage more than 300 active inputs—a mix of native Dante, analog, AES, SMPTE ST 2110 and SDI-based sources. Operators can switch between different layers on the 48-fader surfaces—for instance, one layer could be the pregame setup, which flips with the press of a button to the game programming build. The Tempest T80 Engine has an 800-path capacity, and we are nowhere near maxing that out. We are now using close to 400 paths after adding an extra control room and integrating more Dante-enabled peripherals to handle added productions during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Dante integration is key to the flexibility that System T has brought to NESN’s operations. In a traditional audio infrastructure, physical cables are needed for each individual signal path. With Dante, the individual cables are not necessary as long as all the devices are connected to the same network; audio signals could be made available everywhere and anywhere inside NESN and at remote sites. This made the entire process for NESN engineering and the audio engineers to implement and support new audio consoles much easier.

EASY PATH TO SET UP

A1 and NESN engineering now support all the network audio controls to all edge devices without getting involved in physical point-to-point infrastructure for each edge device. If we need more I/O we just plug in a suitable Dante device and it’s instantly available everywhere on the network. We can add any device from any control room, studio or master control. Yet there is a layer of protection that prevents one console from taking a route from the other, so you can never inadvertently affect the setup in the control room next door.

Even though the new T platform has been designed from scratch with a new OS, our A1s required minimal time to get up to speed on the new system. The control interface is very flexible—some of our operators prefer to use the touchscreens, others prefer the hardware panels. We also utilize the SOLSA (SSL On/Offline Setup Application) software, which can access console routing and resources we can’t control from, say, Ross OverDrive.

The rapid development of consumer television and audio devices over the last decade has expanded the range of listening experiences. NESN’s move to next-generation audio-capable devices fits our roadmap to stay ahead of the curve and enhance the home viewers’ viewing and listening experiences.

Fahad Haider serves as CTO and vice president of engineering at New England Sports Network. He has led efforts to implement new strategies to enhance operations, production, engineering and transmission workflows and efficiencies utilizing established and emerging products. He can be contacted at sports@nesn.com.

For more information, visit www.solidstatelogic.com.

BOSTON—New England Sports Network (NESN) has cut the ribbon on a new digital facility that it constructed with the help of PNC Bank, appropriately named the PNC Bank Digital Studio at NESN.

This new space will be used to produce daily video and audio content for NESN digital platforms. PNC Bank will provide branding backdrop for all content that is produced in the studio as well as have exclusive naming rights to all digital content produced in NESN’s digital studio.

“Our team at PNC Bank is excited to work with NESN to enhance its powerful digital news platform, bringing interesting content to Boston sports fans online and everywhere,” said jon Bernstein, PNC regional president of Boston.

For more information, visit www.nesn.com. 

WATERTOWN, MASS.—NESN (New England Sports Network) is the broadcast home for the world-champion Boston Red Sox and Boston Bruins. The network is delivered to homes throughout the six-state New England region and nationally as NESN National. Automation and digital content management has almost always been an important part of our broadcast workflow, and the presence of both has only continued to increase since NESN first transitioned to HD.

While discussion around these topics tend to be video-focused, the automation of broadcast audio is a significant component. Audio requires flexibility to move between live and automated playout—especially when it comes to sports programming. Additionally, support for both file-based ingest and surround sound is a must; and on the back-end, business toolsets for monitoring, logging and legal reporting are needed to meet performance requirements and remain in compliance.

CUSTOMIZATION

Our requirements, responsibilities, and goals for audio playout have continued to evolve across our productions. Our evaluations soon led us to ENCO’s DADtv solution.

DADtv is used in our two main studios, with six regular users. There is an immediate benefit to multi-user communities, as all operators can establish their own user profiles. This provides immediate access to each user’s window layout, audio cuts and more, without having to save each session. The system immediately picks up where that user left off, regardless of who else has used the system in between.

User flexibility has naturally been improved. DADtv offers touchscreen and hardware control options; we opted for the latter, as we prefer physical button arrays. The hardware controller (DADpad) provides 10 banks of 40 buttons, providing us with immediate access to 400 audio cuts, more than enough to support our most complex production requirements.

The migration to ENCO allows simplified macro programming of automation. We can now build a small macro set in our Ross Overdrive system that can easily recall a variety of rotating playlists. This allows us to be stylistically discreet about which cuts are used for what broadcast—and overall more fluid in how we manage broadcast audio.

DADtv makes moving between live and automated workflows simple. Maintaining both local and remote control of each server can be a challenge across mixed productions. DADtv’s Universal Translator feature simplifies distinction of manned and unmanned operations by instructing the system to listen for automation commands. In the end, it’s one double-click motion to toggle between the two environments. Once in manual mode, audio engineers have limitless flexibility in how they stack a specific show, choosing from our library of categorized music cuts to match the mood of the event.

DADtv also improves the way we manage content, and comply with various regulations. DADtv’s Dropbox utility automatically ingests audio cuts across a wide network of PCs and workstations and pulls in all associated metadata, creating a far more efficient process than real-time loading. We can now add hundreds of cuts with a single drag-and-drop function.

FLEXIBLE SEARCH

For the first time, we have true search-ability of our audio assets by track title or metadata. If we don’t know the exact cut ID number, we have a variety of efficient search methods available to find the right cut. Real-time ingest also simplifies content management through drag-and-drop functionality that even allows us to pull new cuts into a live broadcast on the fly. This was not an option before.

DADtv provides us with software-defined toolsets to log information around each audio cut, from start time and duration to playout confirmation. This offers an ideal reference point to reconcile that content was broadcast as expected. Queries regarding specific cuts and standard commercial music reporting are easily accommodated with DADtv. The AsPlay log function of the system has been exceedingly valuable in this regard.

DADtv is highly interoperable across multiple platforms, working reliably with our Overdrive system as well SSL C100 audio consoles, GPIO triggers, networked storage servers and digital audio workstations. Overall, moving to DADtv has streamlined our audio production workflow and strengthened how we automate and manage content.

George Morgan is the lead audio engineer for NESN. He can be reached atgmorgan@nesn.com.

For more information on ENCO, visitwww.enco.comor call 248-827-4440.

WATERTOWN, MASS.—NESN is dropping the puck for in-market live streaming of Boston Bruins games for the current NHL season. NESN reached a licensing agreement with the NHL to stream NESN-televised Bruins games in the network’s home territory through NESNgo.com and its NESNgo app for mobile phones and tablets.

NESNgo is available to “authenticated subscribers” at no additional cost, with fans just needing to sign in using their existing TV provider username and password.

TV service providers that have currently activated authentication for NESN live streaming include Atlantic Broadband, BELD, Xfinity (Comcast), Cox Communications, DirecTV, Full Channel, MetroCast, PlayStation Vue, RCN, SELCO and Waitfield Club. NESN reports that other distributors have plans to authenticate in the future.

WATERTOWN, MASS.—There’s not much else like experiencing a game at Fenway Park and for the next four nights select fans will have the chance to do so from their couch. Regional sports network NESN has teamed with Intel to produce four Red Sox games with the Intel True VR system, starting tonight, Sept. 5, and running for the next three games.

Fans with select Samsung phones can use Samsung Gear VR headsets to view unique camera angles in virtual reality. Phones that will work for the broadcasts include Samsung Galaxy S6, S6 Edge, S6 Edge+, S7, S7 Edge, S8, S8+, Note 5 and Note 8.

During the game, viewers will be able to select between four locations at Fenway Park to view the VR broadcast, or they can select a mode that automatically switches between seven locations. Real-time statistics will display behind viewers in the 360-degree landscape. Commentary and HD replays from the NESN broadcast will be included in the VR broadcast. Each game will also offer a new camera location.

For people to watch the VR broadcast, their Samsung Gear VR headset and Samsung phone need to have the NESNgoVR app. In addition, the VR broadcast is only available to consumers who can authenticate with their TV provider.

WATERTOWN, MASS.—New England Sports Network, the official network of the Boston Red Sox and Boston Bruins, is upgrading both its studio and mobile production with help from Ross Video and LiveU.

NESN studio

 NESN will issue a facility-wide deployment of Ross production, automation and asset management tools. Among them were two Acuity production switchers and Overdrive Automated Production Control systems; Xpression Dual Channel Character generators with Streamline Asset Management system to create new graphic packages for NESN news and Boston Bruins studio; CamBot robotic pedestals; openGear Terminal equipment; and three Xpression engines.

In addition, NESN plans to use LiveU’s LU500 portable transmission units to cover Boston Red Sox spring training games in Florida without a mobile truck, satellite signal or wired connection. Using multiple cameras feeding back to NESN’s Boston studio through bonded cellular technology, NESN is able to switch between cameras with minimal latency. Audio, including announcers, will still be taken from the stadium, but the set-up includes two options for return feeds, including one that will allow the announcers to see graphics and replays from the Watertown control room.

Training is underway for the Ross Video upgrades and is expected to launch in January. NESN will use the LU500s during the Red Sox’s 2016 spring training.

NEW YORK—The New England Sports Network cut a deal with the National Women’s Hockey League to air eight Boston Pride games for the remainder of the 2015-16 season. This new partnership marks the NWHL’s first broadcasting agreement during the league’s inaugural season. The NESN schedule begins this Sunday, Nov. 22 when the Boston Pride host the New York Riveters at 3 p.m.

“The broadcast value of the women’s game has never been better, and we’re happy NESN is providing a stage for and shining a spotlight on some of the best players in the world,” said NWHL Commissioner Dani Rylan.

“This is a great opportunity for women’s hockey to reach the four million viewers in NESN’s coverage area. Harvard Athletics and the staff at the Bright-Landry Hockey Center deserve a big thank you for their support of this deal.”

The Boston Pride, one of four teams in the NWHL, play their home games at the Bright-Landry Hockey Center on the campus of Harvard University. Bright-Landry was recently remodeled, and has historically prided itself on being a state-of-the-art facility for video production and broadcasting.

“We are excited to become the first television partner of the NWHL during its inaugural season,” said Joseph Maar, NESN’s vice president of Programming & Production. “Some of the best women hockey players in the world will play on NESN this winter. We hope fans will catch this new league on Sunday afternoons.”

The following Boston Pride games will be broadcasted on NESN and/or NESNplus:

Sunday, Nov. 22 vs. New York Riveters 3 p.m. ET – NESN
Sunday, Nov. 29 vs. Connecticut Whale 3 p.m. ET – NESN
Sunday, Dec. 6 vs. New York Riveters 3:30 p.m. ET – NESN
Sunday, Dec. 20 vs. Buffalo Beauts 3 p.m. ET – NESN plus
Sunday, Jan. 3 vs. Buffalo Beauts 3 p.m. ET – NESN plus
Sunday, Jan. 10 vs. New York Riveters 3 p.m. ET – NESN plus
Sunday, Jan. 17 vs. Connecticut Whale 3 p.m. ET – NESN
Sunday, Feb. 14 vs. Connecticut Whale 3 p.m. ET – NESN plus

All of the games on the NESN schedule will also be broadcast on the NWHL’s YouTube channel via the NWHL Live: Cross Ice Pass for fans living outside the New England area.