BBL hiring in-house production company

[dandayr]

Surprised that while a post went up about Giants for sale, no post so far about this other off court development at the BBL being reported in the last week:


www.broadcastnow.co.uk/production/bbl-hiring-in-house-production-team/5180666.article


If I recall right, Bristol and Surry even in the days of the BBL player had their own teams in place to raise the game and push the other clubs on, and now they are all almost on a par.
So do people think on the wording of this it means the existing links some may have with universities to do the production will end and move to this central team?

[LTfan]

Apr 3, 2023 17:25:56 GMT dandayr said:

Surprised that while a post went up about Giants for sale, no post so far about this other off court development at the BBL being reported in the last week:


www.broadcastnow.co.uk/production/bbl-hiring-in-house-production-team/5180666.article


If I recall right, Bristol and Surry even in the days of the BBL player had their own teams in place to raise the game and push the other clubs on, and now they are all almost on a par.
So do people think on the wording of this it means the existing links some may have with universities to do the production will end and move to this central team?

Thanks for posting, I hadn’t seen this news. I guess it’s kind of gone under the radar as it wasn’t posted on any official BBL channels (unlike the Manchester Giants news).

I think this is great news. The focus the BBL is now putting on ‘content’ is long overdue. Not only the much improved live game coverage, but the 2 and 10 minute highlights (available an hour after the game) and all the extras. They’ve recognised that all this content is the leagues strongest asset, it’s very forward thinking, so it’s great to see the BBL have such a strategy.

In regards to your question, someone tell me if I’m wrong, but I didn’t think any of the coverage is done locally by the teams anymore (by university staff/students or otherwise)?
The season the BBL partnered with Brandvox (who Bristol Flyers have been using for a few years) to produce all of the leagues YouTube game coverage.
That deal accompanies the existing deal (now in it’s 3rd year) with Buzz16 to produce all of the leagues Sky Sports coverage.
And this season the BBL signed a 3 year deal with WSC Sports, an automated AI-based video company, to produce 2 and 10 minute game highlights immediately after a game has finished. Although this deal is just for the automated AI highlights creation system, the coverage itself still originates from the Brandvox and Buzz16 produced coverage.

So, for me, the big question around this new in-house production team is how it’ll work with existing Buzz16 and Brandvox production partners. Will the new in-house production team work alongside them, or replace one or both of them?

[dandayr]

part of the question on the Buzz16 part is not just what the BBL thoughts and plans are but what the new majority owners of Buzz16 plans and thoughts are.
Last month it was widely reported that Gary Neville had sold his majority controlling stake in the company and while still owns shares is no longer the majority shareholder.
Just looked it up - was Miroma Group who are now the majority shareholder and controller.

[LTfan]

Apr 4, 2023 12:34:04 GMT dandayr said:

part of the question on the Buzz16 part is not just what the BBL thoughts and plans are but what the new majority owners of Buzz16 plans and thoughts are.
Last month it was widely reported that Gary Neville had sold his majority controlling stake in the company and while still owns shares is no longer the majority shareholder.
Just looked it up - was Miroma Group who are now the majority shareholder and controller.

Interesting. Buzz16 were basically using the BBL contract to showcase their abilities in producing live sports coverage - something they hadn't done before.
So hopefully, unless they no longer want to do live sports coverage, they'll continue their BBL work. That's assuming the BBL still wants them and there's a broadcaster that still wants the BBL.

I suspect at least initially this in-house BBL production team will compliment the Buzz16 production. And maybe the Brandvox production. But I suppose this is an indication that long term the BBL wants to do this all themselves - which would be a bold move.

[LTfan]

Probably not worth a new thread, but the BBL has hired a new Chief Content Officer.

www.bbl.org.uk/british-basketball-league-appoints-new-chief-content-officer/

Previously Head of Content at SailGP and a senior producer Sunset+Vine. Sounds good.