Every year, the New York City Marathon brings together athletes, spectators, and millions of viewers from around the world, making it one of the most anticipated live sporting events. Covering an event of this magnitude, with its 26.2-mile course stretching across New York’s five boroughs, can be a significant challenge. CP Communications partnered with Haivision to deliver an innovative broadcast, leveraging cutting-edge technology to ensure uninterrupted, high-quality live streaming of the 2024 NYC Marathon.

Overcoming Challenges with Seamless Streaming

Reliable connectivity across crowded urban environments and remote sections of the racecourse was essential. CP Communications tackled these challenges by deploying Haivision’s low latency, live video solutions—Pro460 mobile video transmitters and Makito X4 video encoders—combined with Low Earth Orbit (LEO) Satellite, private and public 5G, and business internet links.

By utilizing Haivision’s SRT (Secure Reliable Transport) protocol with Starlink’s satellite internet and combining it with Haivision’s Pro460 for cellular transmission, CP Communications delivered seamless, broadcast-quality video streams, even in areas with limited public network access, such as the Verrazzano-Narrows and Queensboro Bridges.

“CP Communications specializes in high-quality, cost-effective live event production for entertainment, corporate, and sports events,” said Aaron Segarra, Vice President of Sales at CP Communications. “Haivision’s innovative solutions, coupled with Starlink’s reliable connectivity, allowed us to deliver flawless live coverage of an event as complex as the NYC Marathon. Their technology ensures secure, low latency video delivery, even under the most challenging conditions.”

Workflow: The Technology in Action

The workflow for the NYC Marathon showcased a seamless integration of several live video contribution and live production technologies:

• Stationary Coverage: Haivision’s Makito X4 encoders were deployed at key fixed production points along the racecourse, ensuring low latency, high-quality streams with the SRT protocol from these critical locations. Pro transmitters were also deployed on fixed locations with limited internet access, to transmit over a combination of public and private cellular networks.
• Mobile Coverage: Haivision Pro460 mobile video transmitters were mounted on seven motorcycle cameras, five smart cars for close-up shots of elite runners, three drones, and a helicopter for aerial footage. These transmitted live feeds using SRT over private 5G networks to overcome connectivity challenges.
• Central Production Hub: All live feeds were transmitted to CP Communications’ HD-21 OB truck, stationed near the finish line in Central Park. The truck served as the central hub for mixing and switching the feeds for broadcast.
• Distribution: The final broadcast was streamed to multiple platforms, including the NYC Marathon app, local news stations, cable sports broadcasters, and various social media channels. Haivision’s StreamHub played a crucial role in managing and distributing these live feeds, ensuring secure, low latency delivery across all viewing platforms.

Haivision’s mobile transmission technology, SST, and the SRT protocol played a crucial role in maintaining reliable video transport throughout the production chain. This ensured the integrity and quality of the broadcast despite the dynamic and unpredictable nature of a live event that takes place over such a large geographically distributed area.

Leveraging Private 5G Networks for Live Video Contribution

To ensure seamless live video contribution during the marathon, CP Communications utilized a combination of private 5G, public cellular networks, and Starlink satellite internet, depending on the platform and location.

On the ground, Haivision’s Pro460 transmitters were used with private 5G networks in areas where public networks were unavailable or unreliable, such as the Verrazzano-Narrows and Queensboro Bridges. This dedicated cellular network provided a secure and reliable connection, eliminating dead zones and ensuring continuous video transmission from mobile units, including motos and smart cars.

For aerial footage, cameras on the helicopter used the Pro transmitters and Starlink’s low-earth orbit (LEO) satellite internet to deliver stable, high-quality streams from the air.

This strategic use of private 5G and Starlink technology ensured uninterrupted connectivity throughout the event. Ground and aerial platforms transmitted real-time video to the HD-21 OB truck, enabling CP Communications to deliver broadcast-quality coverage of every angle of the marathon without interruptions.

The 2024 NYC Marathon broadcast sets a new standard for large-scale live event production. CP Communications’ innovative use of Haivision’s Pro460 transmitters, Makito X4 encoders, SRT protocol, and Starlink satellite internet demonstrated how cutting-edge technology can meet the demands of even the most challenging live broadcasts.

CP Communications has relied on Haivision’s mobile transmitters for the NYC Marathon, ensuring reliable, real-time coverage year after year. This collaboration reinforces Haivision’s role as a trusted partner in enabling groundbreaking workflows for live sports broadcasting.