Fox Sports is bringing back DirtCams, FlyCam, UmpCam and Drones

All NLDS, NLCS and World Series broadcasts are produced locally using trucks

Fox Sports is dropping the first pitch of its MLB postseason run this weekend on Saturday with the start of the National League Division Series and has plenty of technological firepower for its coverage. Once the NLCS and World Series take place, Fox Sports will deploy several of the specialty camera systems that have become a staple of its MLB coverage this postseason, including DirtCams, FlyCam, UmpCam and live drones.

“We are continually improving workflows and will have new camera sensors, transmission and remote control of our entire arsenal of specialized camera technology for this offseason,” he says Brad Cheney, Vice President, Field Operations and Engineering, Fox Sports. “We spend a lot of time with our vendors throughout the season to find the best locations for these camera systems. Some work, some don't, but when we get to the postseason we're ready to put them to use and show the world how great these players are.”

After producing the majority of regular season games remotely as HRP (Home Run Productions) from its PICO location in Los Angeles, all NLDS, NLCS and World Series broadcasts are produced locally. Fox Sports' primary mobile units in the postseason will be Game Creek Video's Yogi (A and B units) and NEP's ND1 (A, B, C and D). Even in the off-season, I will continue to rely on remote technicians for some tasks.

Fox's NLCS and World Series coverage includes 18 to 20 manned cameras (including 10 Super Slo-Mo systems with varying frame rates), as well as one RF handheld, two RF MoVI gimbal systems, six robos, three POVs and two Phantom Ultra Film Cameras. High-speed systems, two dirt cams (a third will be added for the World Series), a FlyCam cable system and a drone from BHA.

In addition, Fox will introduce 52 effects microphones and three parabs to capture the sounds of the game, as well as a variety of replay resources – 128 recordings and 30 playouts for NLCS and 142 recordings and 32 playouts for World Series – to ensure that every Der Moment of drama is captured.

Postseason pregame and postgame shows for the NLDS will begin in the Los Angeles studio before moving to on-site locations for the NLCS and World Series. These remote studio shows are produced on-site in a separate truck, with additional remote technicians supporting the show.

Major vendors supporting Fox include CP Communications, Fletcher, Lumen, LiveU, The Switch, Game Creek Video, NEP, CES Power, RF Wireless, Beverly Hills Aerials, Bexel and Pure Polish Fiber.

The operations team is led by Fox's longtime MLB star Francisco Contreras and also includes: Anil Leatherwala, Nick Utley, Nicole Perrin, Judy Acone, Eric Guyton, Monika Chislov, Jennifer Freund, Pam Chvotkin, Itzel Rocha, Hannah Seaman, Tom Lynch, Sid Drexler, Taihe Miller, Patrick Karayan, Brady Polansky, And Lou D'Ermillo.

“We had another great regular season, Francisco Contreras, Nick Utley, And Nicole Perrin “We, along with our on-site technical team, did an outstanding job coordinating and executing our productions across the league this year,” recalls Cheney. “We produced the majority of our games at PICO, where we were able to continue to utilize all of the facility's resources that contributed to our broadcasts.

“We are ready,” Cheney added. “The postseason features the best players from both leagues and we have a fantastic team ready to bring it to your home.

FOX Sports begins its postseason coverage on Saturday, October 5 at 4:00 p.m. ET FOX, FOX Deportes and the FOX Sports app as the New York Mets take on the Philadelphia Phillies in Game 1 of the NLDS at Citizens Bank Park.