Tennis – Gravity Media

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.