Show Preview: C4-Sports in Las Vegas - May 2006  

S&T takes a look at what’s on offer at the forthcoming C4-Sports trade show and conference in Las Vegas, which takes place between 17 and 19 July. No exhibition has ever been dedicated entirely to sports media technology. C4-Sports fills this void.

Scheduled for 17-19 July at the Las Vegas Convention Center, C4-Sports will focus on the four critical components of sports technology: content, convergence, communications, and competition, and will present a variety of technology tools for capturing, managing and delivering sports content. Workshops will offer attendees technical solutions that can be tailored to meet any end of the budget spectrum, including creating and ultilising HD content.
At C4-Sports, coaches, agents, players, scouts, advertisers, and sports organisations will learn new media options that will allow them to leverage content to assess performance and help athletes perform at a higher level. Stadium owners, broadcasters, colleges and universities, as well as satellite, television, telecoms, wireless, and web-based service providers will discover that content is a product that can be optimised to increase revenue, reach larger audiences, and enrich the viewer, listener, and subscriber experience.

It’s in the Gene(s)

C4-Sports is the brainchild of Gene Sanders, the show’s general manager and a 24-year veteran trade show executive. While serving as the head of Exposition sales for the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) convention from 1999-2003, Sanders recognised that although a small number of sports organisations registered for the convention, the sports industry wasn’t one focused on at NAB, or any other trade show. With his passion for sports, the media, and its supporting technologies, Sanders decided to launch a show aimed entirely at the sports industry.
“As the idea began to evolve, I was fortunate enough to meet Kim Nichols and Tom Stout, who provide the business experience, depth, and resources needed to launch C4-Events, and ultimately C4-Sports,” said Sanders. “As I originally envisioned, the event will show members of the sports industry how electronic media technology can improve the way content is created and presented, improving the performance of athletes and enhance the experience of fans watching any sporting event.”
C4-Sports will kick off with a keynote address by Brian Bedol, CEO and founder of College Sports Television (CSTV), the nation’s leading digital sports media company. Mike Krzyzewski, US Olympic men’s basketball and Duke University coach, will also speak on the importance of leadership and team building.
Many leading sports media technology companies will be on the exhibition floor showcasing innovative products, ideas, and services. Sony, an early supporter of C4-Sports, will present cameras and solutions for every budget level, in addition to various other technologies beneficial to the sports market. Attendees will have the opportunity to network and interact with peers and leading professionals from across the industry, which will ultimately help shape a new era of seamless sports content transfer across a wide variety of platforms.
“The ultimate goal of C4-Sports is to build a community where those seeking technology solutions can find the answers and tools they need, regardless of budget. This will be accomplished through education via stimulating presentations, panel discussions, cutting-edge technical demonstrations, and training sessions on the trade show floor,” added Sanders.

Practical issues addressed

The C4-Sports exhibition will feature an intense Sports Media and Technology Conference presented by Future Media Concepts (FMC) and sponsored by Avid Technology, will be held on 18 and 19 July. The conference will allow sports media production professionals to learn techniques specific to the sports television production environment, and it will be comprised of three simultaneous tracks: sports production facility management, content creation, and next-generation delivery.
The sports production facility management track is geared towards individuals responsible for sports facilities who wish to learn about technological trends in both hardware and software. The second track, content creation, will focus on innovative ways to catch the audience’s attention and enhance brand awareness. Recognising that sports is much more than terrestrial broadcasting, the next generation distribution track will educate those who distribute sports content using the latest media distribution mediums and technological solutions.
“Our Sports Media and Technology Conference offers a unique training opportunity for professionals in the sports television production industry by providing them with an education that is geared entirely to their work,” said Ben Kozuch, president and co-founder of Future Media Concepts. “With more than 45 technical and training sessions, the conference will show attendees how to meet the challenges that are presented by the push for HD digital media and the desire to receive content on new platforms, such as cell phones and iPods.”
The FMC conference will feature two keynote presentations. Ken Adelson, NBA Entertainment’s senior vice president of production operations and planning, will deliver his keynote on the first day of the conference. Adelson has been instrumental in NBA Entertainment’s push into digital media in production, distribution, and archiving.
Additionally, CBS Sports’ Creative Director Doug Towey and Flying Machine Co-founder and Creative Director Micha Riss will partner to deliver a keynote presentation addressing the integral elements of the broadcast screen: technology and design. Other presenters and panelists include certified trainers such as Richard Harrington, Gary Adcock, Art Phillips, and Bruce Nazarian; industry power users including Tom Fletcher, Dan Friedman, and Scott Sheppard; and key executives from major leagues and sports networks.

For more information about the show, or to register online, visit www.c4-sports.com.

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