NEP Broadcasting has agreed to purchase HD and SD teleproduction assets and contracts to provide teleproduction facilities for broadcast of several national sports events from National Mobile Television (NMT).
NEP, which is a general partner of NEP Supershooters, and NMT are two of the nation’s biggest providers of remote teleproduction facilities for the sports and entertainment industries.
The contracts include an exclusive agreement with ABC Sports to facilitate “Monday Night Football,” college football, golf and other sports broadcasts; an agreement with FOX to provide facilities for its NFL “B” and “C” game broadcasts; and a contract with ESPN to use one HD mobile unit.
NEP also will acquire three HD mobile units — NMT’s HD4, HD7 and HD8 — used to support these agreements and certain other SD operations and mobile units in Hawaii as well as related support units and tractors.
Most of the NMT employees who act as the dedicated crew on each of these mobile units are expected to make the transition to NEP, which will provide continuity of expertise and know-how for each specific truck.
The agreement will make NEP Supershooters the exclusive provider of television production facilities and services to ABC and expand the company’s existing relationships with FOX and ESPN.
According to NMT CEP Mark Howorth, proceeds of the transaction will be used to expand the company’s regional sports business and position it for growth in the future.
NMT will increase its focus on regional sports networks in all markets, particularly in New York, Florida, Boston, St. Louis, Los Angeles and San Francisco, according to the company. Its locations across the country are well-positioned to serve the Rainbow Regional Sports Networks, FOX Sports Net, New England Sports Network and new broadcasters like iNDEMAND and CSTV, he said.
To provide additional service for the regional sports networks, NMT is building the first of five new HD mobile units scheduled to debut in 2005. The first is slated for use in the San Francisco area in April.
The closing of the transaction between NEP and NMT is expected next month, according to the companies.
For more information, visit www.nepinc.com and www.nmtv.com.
