Inside the ESPN TV compound

By Mike Smith (contact)

Thursday, Nov. 13, 2008 | 9:30 p.m.

Imagine you’re in the trailer portion of a tractor-trailer rig surrounded by anxious people, enough electronic equipment to launch the space shuttle, anywhere from 65 to 70 TV monitors all showing different angles of a NASCAR race, and you are responsible for making all the split-second decisions that make the race broadcast possible. And I thought working in a newspaper newsroom was stressful.

On Sunday I had the opportunity to tour ESPN’s television facilities at Phoenix International Raceway and I quickly realized what a giant logistical nightmare it is to bring a sporting event to the TV screen. ESPN has 12 to 14 tractor-trailer rigs that travel to all of the NASCAR races the network covers. It takes two days to set up the small city of trailers, wires, satellite dishes and stairways that comprise the nerve system of the broadcast. There was a virtual spaghetti bowl of wires and cables running from one trailer to the next, which made me wonder how it’s possible to keep it all organized. After the race, the whole thing is torn down in two hours to ensure that the trucks have enough time to make it to the next race.

Next, it was off to the broadcast booth were Rusty Wallace, Brad Dougherty, Ray Evernham and Alan Beswick comment on the race. The set, which is inside an elevated tractor-trailer rig, looks smaller than what you’re led to believe from television. The walls are black, the ceiling has special lights that don’t create heat, the table the commentators use is small and the cameras, which ride on miniature railroad tracks, are remote controlled.

The last leg of the tour was a visit to Tim Brewer’s Tech Center. The inside of this rig looks just like the brightly colored set you see on the television, except that it’s smaller than you may think. The cut-away car takes up a majority of the set and everything in the trailer is always located in the same position so that Tim can easily access any of the tools he needs during the live broadcast. One time during a race, Tim was asked to demonstrate the purpose of a chain that’s connected to the rear axle of a Sprint Cup car. The chain keeps the axle from dropping too low when the car is raised on the jack. As Tim reached for the chain, it wasn’t in its correct position. Actually, it wasn’t anywhere to be found. So, without missing a beat, someone grabbed some bolt cutters and cut a chunk of chain off of a lock and chain that was being used to secure one of ESPN’s golf carts. The crisis was averted and the show went on without a hitch.

It was clear after talking with Tim that he is very proud of the Tech Center and is happy to be in a position were he can put his vast knowledge of the sport to good use.

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