Live coverage – Gravity Media

In the Italian Basketball Championship (Lega Basket Serie A, LBA), the Scudetto finals mark the conclusion of the playoffs, following the regular season.

The recently concluded edition featured high-intensity games, tightly contested finals, decisive baskets, and a strongly engaged audience, particularly during the matches involving Virtus Bologna.

According to Anna Pasculli, Sales Manager at EMG/Gravity Media Italy, the company responsible for the television production of the entire championship, the quality of the technical setup and team coordination contributed to enhancing the event, delivering a visual setup that was both effective and coherent with the sports narrative.

Athletic performance was matched by a broadcast production that maintained high technical and narrative standards. From mid to late June, to cover the Scudetto finals, EMG Italy – Gravity Media deployed one of its flagship OB trucks, the Orion 209 unit.

Finals Setup

For the finals series, the production layout was enhanced compared to earlier phases. While semi-finals generally employ seven to eight cameras, the finals feature up to eleven operational units. The OB direction was further reinforced with a Jimmy Jib for dynamic shots and a reverse-side camera (bench side), expanding visual coverage and offering a broader range of perspectives.

One of the newly introduced elements was an RF camera mounted on a Gimbal — a more compact alternative to the Steadicam, capable of delivering fluid movement. This technology, already used in football production, allows for a more cinematic visual result. It uses a Sony camera and is progressively becoming part of the standard equipment for major sporting events.

Camera Layout

The typical finals camera configuration is as follows:

Camera 1: main camera, positioned frontally, for wide shots of play.
Camera 2: close-up for detailed coverage of players and actions.

Both are placed on the stands side, facing the benches.

Cameras 3 and 4: handheld, positioned under the left and right baskets respectively.
Camera 5: central handheld, focused on mid-court action.
Cameras 6 and 7: Marshall-type action microcameras installed on the backboards, fibre-connected.
Camera 8: reverse camera on the bench side, shoulder-operated and cabled, used for time-outs and alternative perspectives.
Camera 9: RF Gimbal for fluid, mobile shots.
Camera 10: additional unit, depending on game configuration.
Camera 11: clock camera, fixed on the game clock for refereeing checks.

All positions are crewed, except for the clock and microcameras (6 and 7).

An Instant Replay system, equivalent to VAR in basketball, is installed at the referees’ table. It includes two ambient microphones to allow on-air playback of official discussions during action reviews.

Graphics and Broadcast

As with the regular season, the finals’ broadcast production is managed by EMG/Gravity Media Italy, which supplies a host feed and customised versions for simultaneous distribution on Eurosport, Discovery+, and DAZN.

Graphics are managed by Boost Graphics, the graphics and virtual production subsidiary of EMG / Gravity Media, specialising in live data integration and fan engagement solutions.

The production team for the finals includes around 30 professionals. Given that the sports arenas are only partially pre-cabled, setup operations are complex. While the regular season typically uses 4–5 cameras, finals coverage extends to 10–11, requiring significant on-site integration with additional equipment.

Broadcast Control and Customisation

Production is carried out entirely on-site aboard the OB Truck Orion 209, although during the season EMG Italy also operates via remote production and centralised Instant Replay from its Cologno Monzese facility.

A second dedicated unit is deployed for Discovery’s coverage. For DAZN, content customisation is handled directly onboard the main OB unit, which is configured with two parallel control rooms, each with independent audio and video compartments. This enables separate productions within a shared infrastructure.

Instant Replay and Operational Workflow

Tommaso Gargàro, EMG Italy – Gravity Media’s technical manager for the finals, notes:

“The new setup required extensive preparatory work. All operations – including graphics and Instant Replay – are carried out locally at the venue.

The Instant Replay is managed by a dedicated computer system that continuously records all camera feeds. When a review is needed, it allows selection of the most suitable angle and enables zooming in on critical details – such as a foot on the line or the moment the ball leaves the hand before the buzzer.

The most sensitive phases of the Instant Replay are also broadcast live using a 2-box layout that shows the same footage as seen by the referee team.

For broadcast replays, two EWS 12-channel systems are installed onboard the OB Truck. Instant Replay, however, is handled separately by a sideline operator, approached directly by referees for action reviews.”

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Producing the international feed for ITF in Bologna

From 10 to 15 September, Bologna hosted the qualification round for the Davis Cup finals, where national tennis teams from around the world faced off. The Unipol Arena was the venue where Italy competed with the Netherlands, Brazil, and Belgium in Group A. EMG Italy’s goal was to ensure television coverage and produce the international feed while maintaining the high standards required for such a significant event in the global tennis calendar.

A high-level TV production

The event featured a large-scale television production, jointly managed by EMG Italy and the International Tennis Federation (ITF), the global governing body of tennis, including the Olympics. EMG Italy provided broadcast equipment, specialized personnel, and logistics for complete event coverage, while ITF augmented the production team with professionals who regularly follow the international tennis circuit. The mobile control room was managed through EMG’s Nova 150 truck, equipped to handle live 4K UHD HDR broadcasts. On this occasion, it operated in HD, serving as the operational hub with a crew of 35 and 12 main cameras, along with one specifically for press conferences.

Among the notable innovations for this year, camera 8 was mounted on a gimbal and connected via RF, capturing dynamic shots of player introductions and the lively Davis Cup audience. Cameras 10 and 11, two PTZ cameras, were positioned behind the players for replays and shots of their support teams, while two more cameras were dedicated to SuperMotion footage.

The production covered about nine hours of live broadcast daily, airing three matches (two singles and one doubles), alongside courtside interviews and final press conferences. Graphics and the Hawk-Eye system were provided by external partners and integrated into the central production.

A smooth workflow

Maurizio Nacher, COO of EMG Italy, stated: “The challenge, as always in major travelling events, was maintaining a very high and uniform standard, comparable to other venues simultaneously hosting Davis Cup matches. Our international sister company, Gravity Media, specializes in tennis, and as EMG Italy, we are proud to support tennis events in Italy and internationally.”

Given the Davis Cup’s global scope, the visual and narrative quality of each match in every city needed to remain consistent. To this end, preparations began months in advance, with teams at the Unipol Arena working from 4 September to set up the technical infrastructure and fine-tune every detail before the first match. From lighting to audio, graphics, and slow-motion replays, everything was designed to provide viewers with an immersive and memorable experience.

Bologna, a tennis hub

Bologna became a central location as one of four cities (alongside Valencia, Zhuahi, and Manchester) where 16 teams competed for the world team championship title. The Davis Cup returned to Bologna in 2022 after more than 40 years, and the city has once again welcomed athletes, journalists, and fans from all over the world. The Davis Cup goes beyond sports results; it creates connections, fosters bonds, and leaves lasting memories for everyone involved.

TV coverage of the Masters 1000 for Supertennis, the thematic channel of FITP: sport and entertainment at the Foro Italico.

From May 6 to 19, the Foro Italico in Rome becomes, as every year, the center of the international tennis circuit with the ATP Masters 1000 and WTA 1000 tournaments and the presence of the best players in the world. Supertennis wanted to offer the public a complete and engaging experience, with extensive coverage, interviews, and continuous studio programming throughout the day to give fans a behind-the-scenes look at the tournament, expert commentary, and the passion of Italian fans.

EMG Italy provided the television production technical facilities on three shifts, from 8:30 am to 1:00 am, to ensure uninterrupted coverage of the event. For this purpose, a mobile control room and a crew of 30 people were activated at the Foro Italico, with a total of 12 cameras: 5 for the studios, of which 2 with RF links, 4 remote cameras and 1 CableCam provided by Sportcast.

The continuous studios are the heart of Supertennis’ programming, with fixed appointments from the central position at 10:30 am (with press review), 12:30 pm, 2:30 pm, 4:30 pm, 6:30 pm, 8:30 pm and the live talk show at 10:30 pm which sees 3 guests, former champions and journalists every evening to tell the stories of the protagonists and the day just ended. All these spaces also dedicated many interviews to the protagonists, expert analysis, real-time updates from the fields and launch on live links from the Challengers of Francavilla, Parma and Turin.

Focus on the Italian tennis movement

Supertennis and FITP focused heavily on the Internazionali d’Italia to celebrate the recent successes of the Italian tennis movement and never before has there been such a great public response with record attendances and a record of over 300,000 tickets sold.

A lot of space was given not only to Jannik Sinner’s meeting with the fans, but also to the Davis Cup winning team, celebrated at the opening of the tournament, and to the many new talents of the Italian movement. Supertennis followed their performances closely, dedicating special spaces and exclusive interviews.

BNL Italy Major Premier Padel: padel takes center stage

From June 17 to 23, it will be the turn of the BNL Italy Major Premier Padel, a men’s and women’s tournament of the IPF International Padel Federation. For the coverage of this event EMG Italy will use an OB Van control room with 7 cameras: 5 cameras for the studios, 1 remote camera on a tripod for the Studio terrace and one RF linked camera.

Supertennis is ready to experience two major sporting events, offering the public a complete and engaging television experience, also offering a rich digital offer. On the channel’s website and social media, it will be possible to follow the matches in real time, with updates, photos, videos and interviews.

In addition, exclusive content will be available such as insights into the protagonists, tactical analysis and interviews with the technicians. Supertennis confirms itself as a reference point for tennis and padel enthusiasts: with its rich and complete programming, the channel is ready to experience a summer of great appeal for sports fans.