2024 SVG Esports Production Summit by Sports Video Group

ESPORTS PRODUCTION SUMMIT

EVENT PROGRAM

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ESPORTS PRODUCTION SUMMIT SVGESPORTS

ESPORTS PRODUCTION SUMMIT

AGENDA

9:45 a.m. REGISTRATION OPENS

10:25 – 10:30 a.m. WELCOMING REMARKS

PRESENTED BY:

Dave Van Hoy, Advanced Systems Group (ASG), President Jason Dachman, SVG, Editorial Director, U.S.; SVG Esports Production Summit Program Director

10:30 – 10:50 a.m. THE FUTURE OF THE ESPORTS INDUSTRY: Where Are We Heading and Where Have We Been?

Live esports tournaments have rapidly evolved from niche streams to major global broadcasts, pushing the boundaries of technology and creativity along the way. Industry icon Wim Stocks takes the stage to discuss how the industry has transformed over the years and where it’s headed.

MODERATOR: Jason Dachman, SVG, Editorial Director, U.S.

PRESENTER: Wim Stocks, Frequency Advisors, Chief Commercial & Corporate Development Officer

10:50 – 11:15 a.m. OPENING KEYNOTE SESSION: Behind the Scenes at Riot Games’ State-of-the-Art Seattle Remote Broadcast Center

Get an inside look at Riot Games’ second Remote Broadcast Center, which recently opened just south of Seattle. Riot leadership offers a behind-the-scenes look in Seattle and discusses how the RBC model prepares its esports-production team for the future.

PRESENTER: Allyson Gormley, Riot Games, Global Operations Director, Esports Broadcast & Production – Remote Broadcast Center powered by AWS

11:15 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. NETWORKING BREAK IN EXHIBIT

12:00 – 12:40 p.m. INSIDE THE CONTROL ROOM: Tips and Tech for a Successful Esports Production

How are esports event organizers and producers leveraging the latest technologies and storytelling tools to create highly engaging live broadcasts? Production and engineering leaders discuss the emerging technologies that are shaping the esports broadcasting landscape, including the latest cameras and lenses, audio and comms, AI and automation, AR and virtual production, and much more.

MODERATOR: Jeff Jacobs, NEP Group, SVP, Production

PANELISTS:

Evan Cervantes, Lux Machina, Director of Business Development Randell (Guru) Hammond, Esports Engine, Director, Broadcast Engineering Bryce Kongvold, Snapback Productions, Principal and CTO

George Rudaj, OS Studios, Senior Technical Producer Lucas Wilson, Advanced Systems Group (ASG), Business Development

12:40 – 12:55 p.m. CHESS.COM + ASG: 18 Months of Live Cloud Productions

Join Mike Buetsch of Chess.com, and Claudia Souza of ASG as they discuss strategies and lessons learned using software-defined workflows for live production. Hear how Chess.com’s production team aces the player and fan experience.

PRESENTERS:

Mike Buetsch, Chess.com, Director of Broadcast Engineering and Production

Claudia Souza, Advanced Systems Group (ASG), Chief Cloud Officer

12:55 – 1:45 p.m. NETWORKING LUNCH

1:45 – 2:25 p.m. ESPORTS PRODUCTION ON A BUDGET:

Creating High-Quality Broadcasts Without Breaking the Bank

In the world of esports, delivering a high-quality broadcast doesn’t necessarily have to be synonymous with high costs. Industry veterans offer best practices in optimizing workflows and maximizing resources, share practical tips on where to invest and where to save, and provide tips on how to identify cost-effective tools and technology.

MODERATOR: Ryan Thompson, Esports Engine, Co-Founder and Chief Production Officer

PANELISTS:

Corey Dunn, OpTic Gaming & Esports Stadium Arlington, Executive Director

Andrew Lane, ESL FACEIT Group, Senior Director of Broadcast & Production

Paul McAniff, Canon, Senior Technical Specialist

Lydia Pendergrass, OS Studios, Senior Manager of Broadcast Production

Keith Vidger, Panasonic Connect, Engineering Manager

2:25 – 2:55 p.m. THE INFLUENCER IMPACT: Bridging Communities and Content in Esports Broadcasts

The integration of influencers into esports broadcasts has transformed the way audiences engage with content, blurring the lines between traditional broadcasting and social media. Incorporating influencers has proven to drive viewer engagement to expanding audience reach for live esports coverage. Learn how influencers can enhance the viewer experience through live commentary, behind-the-scenes content, and fan interaction, as well as how to balance influencer-driven content with traditional broadcast elements.

MODERATOR: Samantha Gabay, SVG, Social Media and Digital Content Manager

PANELISTS:

Austy Champion, Allied Esports and HyperX Arena, Brand Manager

Ethan Spencer, OS Studios, Executive Producer and Director of Broadcast

2:55 – 3:40 p.m. NETWORKING BREAK IN EXHIBIT AREA

3:40 – 4:20 p.m. BRIDGING THE GAP: How Esports Event Organizers and Broadcast Teams Can Collaborate in Harmony

Esports event producers are often tasked with creating two shows at once: an event with the pomp and circumstance of a high-end concert at the venue and a live broadcast with the look and feel of a competitive sporting event streaming to fans around the world. This requires seamless collaboration between the event organizers and broadcast teams, yet aligning their goals and workflows can be challenging. Learn how these two groups — or more often than not, one group handling both tasks — can work together to synchronize their vision, communication, and execution.

MODERATOR: Corey Dunn, OpTic Gaming & Esports Stadium Arlington, Executive Director

PANELISTS:

Heather “sapphiRe” Garozzo, Raidiant, Founder/EP and Freelance Producer/ Observer Director

Guillermo Parga, ESL FACEIT Group, Senior Director, Event and Festival Operations

Ethan Spencer, OS Studios, Executive Producer and Director of Broadcast Ryan Thompson, Esports Engine, Co-Founder and Chief Production Officer

4:20 – 5:00 p.m. BREAKING DOWN PRODUCTION BARRIERS: The Cloud, REMI, and the Future of Remote Production in Esports

Although the esports-production industry was well ahead of the REMI curve over the past decade, the demand for efficient and flexible production solutions has led to even more remote and cloud-based productions today. This panel will explore how REMI and the cloud provide greater efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and adaptability.

MODERATOR: Andrew Lane, ESL FACEIT Group, Senior Director of Broadcast & Production

PANELISTS:

Mike Buetsch, Chess.com, Director of Broadcast Engineering and Production

Jake Tejada, Deloitte Consulting, Media Engineer

Michael Ulaky, Riot Games, Engineer in Charge, Riot Games Seattle Remote Broadcast Center

JD Wu, Tata Communications / The Switch, Production and Gaming Lead

5:00 – 6:00 p.m. NETWORKING RECEPTION IN EXHIBIT AREA SPONSORED BY

SVGESPORTS ESPORTS PRODUCTION SUMMIT

KEYNOTE SPEAKER

ALLYSON GORMLEY, Riot Games, Director of Global Operations, Remote Broadcast & Production –Remote Broadcast Center powered by AWS

Elevated to her current role in September 2022, Gormley oversees both of Riot’s innovative global circuit of Remote Broadcast Centers (RBCs) powered by AWS, launched under the name “Project Stryker.” In her role, Gormley oversaw the construction and launch of the first RBC in the Swords region of Dublin, Ireland, securing and renovating a 50,000-sq.-ft. former night club into a state-of-the-art broadcast facility supporting live esports events around the world.

SPEAKERS

MIKE BUETSCH, Chess.com, Director of Broadcast Engineering and Production

Buetsch built out a Broadcast department designed around a robust cloud based control room that services 300+ live shows a year and supports a staff across 60+ countries. Buetsch specializes in production workflows primarily focused around cloud broadcasting technologies and remote post-production.

EVAN CERVANTES, Lux Machina, Director of Business Development

Cervantes serves as the director of business development at Lux Machina Consulting, specializing in virtual production and broadcast/live events using video technologies. He works with clients across film, television, live events, esports, broadcast, universities, and other permanent installations.

AUSTY CHAMPION, Allied Esports and HyperX Arena, Brand Manager

Champion is a passionate esports enthusiast with an undeniable flair for entertainment. He currently leads brand initiatives for Allied Esports after having performed and produced events for hundreds of thousands of people through various fields of production.

COREY DUNN, OpTic Gaming & Esports Stadium Arlington, Executive Director

Dunn has worked professionally in esports for 20 years. He began his esports career by commentating 30+ video games over a 10 year span. During his commentating career, the industry migrated from internet radio, to peer-to-peer streaming, to using streaming platforms like twitch.tv.

HEATHER “SAPPHIRE” GAROZZO, Raidiant, Founder/EP and Freelance Producer/Observer Director

Garozzo is considered one of the most successful FPS observers (or in-game directors) for CS:GO and VALORANT, among other FPS titles. Garozzo has been billed on the broadcast line-up for some of the game’s most prestigious events, including the VALORANT Champions Tour 2021 and 2022 and numerous CS:GO Majors including the famed ELEAGUE Boston Major.

RANDELL (GURU) HAMMOND, Esports Engine, Director, Broadcast Engineering

Hammond is the director of engineering at Esports Engine, an ESL FACEIT Group company. He is responsible for curating and developing a highly effective, top-tier engineering team. He and his team have been tasked with the design, execution, and maintenance of Esports Engine’s live broadcasts.

JEFF JACOBS, NEP Group, SVP, Production

Prior to joining NEP, Jacobs spent 10 years with NBC Sports/ Olympics and another 10 with Viacom’s MTV Networks. Following two decades at the network level, Jacobs formed his own company, Skyline New Media, a third-party sports and entertainment content production company specializing in alternate production workflows and creatives.

BRYCE KONGVOLD, Snapback Productions, Principal and CTO

Kongvold built-up a robust portfolio before founding Snapback Productions in 2020. Armed with a specialized background in systems engineering and server programming, he now leads a team of creative technologists, collaborating on projects that range from esports tournaments to live award shows, concerts, and even cruise ship integrations.

ANDREW LANE, ESL FACEIT Group, Senior Director of Broadcast & Production

Lane’s key responsibilities include the delivery of the company’s live broadcasts and events; the design strategies for broadcast development and innovation; the global production strategic sourcing; creating new key broadcast partnerships; and management of the company’s international media logistics and operations.

PAUL

Canon, Senior Technical Specialist

McAniff began his career as an ENG camera operator and video editor covering NFL, NHL, MLB, and NBA for local news outlets before pivoting into the vendor space. Since then, he has worked for Canon, Panasonic, and Adobe where his focuses have included broadcast, digital cinema, and content development.

GUILLERMO PARGA, ESL FACEIT Group, Senior Director, Event and Festival Operations

Parga and his team need to balance the needs of their broadcast and events teams to ensure that both the stream and arena experience equally meet the high quality and standard their fans and partners have expected of them. As you can imagine, this becomes an exponentially larger challenge in a festival setting with multiple stages and broadcast streams under one roof.

LYDIA PENDERGRASS, OS Studios, Senior Manager of Broadcast Production

Pendergrass is the senior manager of broadcast production at OS Studios, a gaming and entertainment production agency, where she oversees production on all broadcast-focused projects. Before joining OS, Pendergrass earned her degree in broadcast journalism and worked as a technical director in local TV for seven years, after which she began applying her broadcast experience to her true passion, gaming.

GEORGE RUDAJ, OS Studios, Senior Technical Producer

Rudaj is a broadcast technical manager and event producer with 15 years of experience in esports broadcast and production, collaborating with top publishers like Activision Blizzard, Riot Games, EA, Microsoft, and 343 Industries. He currently oversees all technical aspects of OS Studios productions.

CLAUDIA SOUZA, Advanced Systems Group (ASG), Chief Cloud Officer

Souza is the chief cloud officer of Advanced Systems Group, a cross functionally integrated solutions and managed services provider for media creatives and content owners. The company’s headquarters are in the Bay Area, with offices throughout the U.S. Souza has spent the last six years leading teams at the forefront of media and entertainment’s cloud transition.

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SVGESPORTS ESPORTS PRODUCTION SUMMIT

ETHAN SPENCER, OS Studios, Executive Producer and Director of Broadcast

Spencer is the executive producer and director of broadcast at OS Studios, where he leads gaming broadcasts for clients like Riot Games, Activision, Microsoft, and EA. He executes major events with his team of producers and production managers as seen in the most recent Call of Duty: Next and CitizenCon broadcasts.

WIM STOCKS, Frequency Advisors, Chief Commercial & Corporate Development Officer

Stocks has been a progressive pioneer, leader, and industry authority in gaming, esports, media, and web3/metaverse businesses since 1990. Currently, Stocks serves as chief commercial officer and is on the Executive Management team for the bespoke tech, gaming, media, and entertainment advisory firm Frequency Advisors.

JAKE TEJADA, Deloitte Consulting, Media Engineer

Tejada leads teams of engineers that bring new technologies together to deliver facilities that enable cutting-edge workflows and solutions to unique business needs. In recent years, he has been a key engineer to deliver a ST 2110 and CDI hybrid ground/cloud distribution and playout facility, multiple Remote Broadcast Centers, and a highly resilient ST 2110 production facility.

RYAN

THOMPSON,

Esports Engine, Co-Founder and Chief Production Officer

Thompson oversees the design, production, and execution of the industry’s most iconic events and leagues across Esports Engine’s portfolio of partners, including AAA game publishers, brands, and other key stakeholders, such as Microsoft, Nintendo, Twitch, Activision, and more.

DAVE VAN HOY, Advanced Systems Group (ASG), President

Van Hoy is president of Advanced Systems Group, a cross-functionally integrated solutions and managed services provider for media creatives and content owners with headquarters in the Bay Area and offices throughout the U.S. Van Hoy is recognized as a leading voice on technology innovations for the media and entertainment industry.

KEITH VIDGER, Panasonic Connect, Engineering Manager

Vidger has been working in television for over thirty years, both in production and manufacturing. His career spans the transitions from analog to digital, SD to HD, and SDI to ST2110. On the production side, Vidger has worked as a camera shader, editor, and TD

LUCAS WILSON, Advanced Systems Group (ASG), Business Development

Wilson has 30 years of experience at the intersection of technology and creativity, with leadership roles in media and entertainment. As VP of sales for Cameron|Pace Group, he helped drive the adoption of theatrical 3D. As CEO of Supersphere, he led over 250 live immersive media productions for major clients like Paul McCartney, Meta, and Samsung.

JD WU, Tata Communications / The Switch, Production and Gaming Lead

Wu is an avid gamer who got his start as a professional League of Legends player. He is now an Emmy Award-winning live media professional. With over a decade of experience in esports and gaming, Wu specializes in the live broadcast of gaming and esports events.