Case Study: The Greatest Spectacle in Racing Goes Live Online
The Creative
Mike Nave, senior designer for the Indy Racing League, wanted to be sure that the look and feel of the broadcast and the media player would be true to the style and brand of IndyCar racing. Nave figured out the best way to complement all of the packages within the program—the multiple cameras, the advertising, and the interactive features—and designed the event to be a cohesive whole. He was also responsible for creating the art for the various advertisers so that the ads would flow with the overall experience yet maintain a small screen footprint and short load time. With the amount of content now available on www.indycar.com, the league is continually adapting its designs and programming to accommodate the addition of new technologies.
The Execution
In order to produce a successful live internet broadcast, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway had to be wired for connectivity. Zach Crowe, senior web applications developer for the Speedway, was in charge of implementing the technical setup for the broadcasts. He tested the encoding hardware to ensure it was functioning in time for the first practice session of the Indy 500.
There are several unique challenges associated with setting up a system in a mobile environment that changes each week. This starts with getting connectivity to the encoding hardware. The location of the production trucks is different at each facility, requiring the lines to be run to a trailer that arrives a few days before it is needed and leaves a few hours after the race is done. The WhiteBlox technical team was instrumental in working with local telecommunications companies to get connectivity arranged at each location.
Crowe arrived at each location a few days prior to the event and began working to get connectivity almost immediately. At most events, all that was needed was a business-class DSL line to cover the audio and video for one 400Kbps stream.
After connectivity was confirmed and tested, the next step was to work with the video production team to get the correct video and audio feed to the encoders. The all-in-one WhiteBlox solution allowed for an easy plug-and-play setup, with remote access giving their technical team in Texas the ability to completely configure the encoder without actually being at the facility. In order to have more control over the product, the video team set up a router to allow for multiple video feeds during an event. This flexibility was a necessity for a successful production, and multiple lines were run between the production truck and the encoding hardware in another trailer.
Once the feeds were run and confirmed as working with the WhiteBlox team, everything was ready for action. While the technical team always strove for the perfect scenario, they quickly found that the key to running a live event was making sure everything was ready when the cars hit the speedway. Ultimately, the fans want to see live cars on the track, and most technical changes will not affect the overall production.
The Results
The first online broadcast of the Indy 500 was a high-octane, heart-pounding success that drew fans from all 50 states and 88 countries around the globe. More than 1.25 million viewer minutes announced to the world that live internet broadcasting of sporting events is here to stay. WhiteBlox delivered seven simultaneous camera feeds that viewers took full advantage of by directing the show themselves.
The overwhelming success of the broadcast prompted the Indy Racing League to sign an exclusive online broadcasting deal with WhiteBlox through 2009. Fans will be able to see practice runs, time trials, interviews, behind-the-scenes action, and races for years to come.
"As an IndyCar Series racing fan myself, it was a real pleasure designing a customized system especially for the Indy Racing League," says Demetriades. "We love seeing the tremendous advantages of the internet enhancement to traditional broadcasting. The Indy Racing League, the fans, and the advertisers all benefit. With this new deal, WhiteBlox has emerged as the go-to technology provider for online sporting events. We look forward to seeing this sector of our business continue to grow.
"The internet broadcast exceeded our expectations. It turned out to be the second closest race in the history of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and the overall event was incredible. The WhiteBlox team is one of the best we have worked with. After we saw the success that the Indianapolis 500 had in drawing a massive global audience through online broadcasting, the decision to move forward was easy," says Payne. "WhiteBlox has delivered above and beyond what we ever expected and the viewership reflects that expertise. We want to give our fans the best access possible to this great sport. Next year we look to bring even more enhancements for the fans. We believe it will be the experience that others will want to emulate."