Japan’s largest sports broadcaster puts its trust in The Switch’s expertise and experience in seamlessly delivering US sports broadcast feeds
The Switch deploys two dedicated transmit paths from New York to Tokyo to bring the excitement of American sports to Japanese audiences
NEW YORK — The Switch, a leading provider of production services and global delivery of live video, announces that it has been chosen by J SPORTS, Japan’s largest sports broadcaster, to deliver live telecasts of major US sports directly from American stadiums and arenas to Japanese screens. The Switch, which is working with J SPORTS for the first time, has installed a permanent transmit path from its New York Network Operations Center (NOC) to the broadcaster’s Tokyo facility to bring all the anticipation and action of Major League Baseball, PGA golf and WWE wrestling to Japanese fans.
Banking on the Switch’s extensive expertise and decades of experience in ensuring robust and reliable delivery of feeds for broadcast, J SPORTS also has access to a second transmit path The Switch deployed to allow the delivery of other US sporting events as and when needed. The deal took effect just as MLB restarted its 2020 season and the PGA resumed play after coronavirus delays, sparking huge interest in both sports in Japan. J SPORTS, which operates four dedicated sports channels and an on-demand service, is relying on The Switch’s network to broadcast two MLB games a day, multiple tournaments on the revised PGA schedule, as well as the weekly WWE Raw and SmackDown matches.
”The Switch is the perfect partner for the delivery of US sports,” according to J SPORTS. “It was vital for us to work with a provider that has deep roots in the US sports broadcast market and an established reputation for the successful transmission of top-tier events. We wanted a company that understands how the broadcast of sports from US stadiums, arenas and golf courses works and also has proven global reach – and The Switch gives us all of that. It offers not just the benefit of its knowledge, but state-of-the-art connectivity in every US professional sports venue and the infrastructure and technical support necessary to ensure seamless delivery.”
The set-up and broadcast of every game, tournament and match will be streamlined, tested and monitored 24/7 from The Switch’s New York NOC, with additional support on the ground in Tokyo if a call-out is necessary. J SPORTS’ use of The Switch’s direct New York to Tokyo transmit path has meant that delivery requires fewer jumps and connections, enabling greater certainty that feeds will be flawless and reliable. The second permanent path enables access to an array of other international sports content on an ad-hoc basis, allowing J SPORTS to tap into The Switch’s extensive global network – whether feeds are picked up via New York, Los Angeles or London.
Nicholas Castaneda, Senior Vice President of Sales at The Switch, said: “Tokyo and New York are separated by 13 hours and 6,743 miles. When you partner with someone on the other side of the world for live broadcast, you need to have trust across production, engineering and operations. From bookings to our master control rooms, we are thrilled to extend The Switch network and offerings into Tokyo with the amazing team at J SPORTS.”
J SPORTS offers live games and events, award-winning sports documentaries and original sports news shows. It provides coverage of Japanese professional baseball, soccer, rugby and basketball, as well as international sports such as motor racing, skiing, badminton and cycling. As the Japanese broadcaster grows its foreign sports offering, The Switch’s fiber transport network provides high-capacity, low-latency first mile connectivity to every MLB, MLS, NBA, NHL and NFL arena and stadium, as well as leading international sports venues. The result is the high-quality video and data capabilities that premier live sports production demands, ensuring that feeds are transmitted smoothly from venue to viewer.
About The Switch
In the action-packed world of live video production and delivery, The Switch is always on and always there – setting the industry benchmark for quality, reliability and unmatched levels of service. Founded in 1991 and headquartered in New York, The Switch has been connecting viewers around the world to live events for almost three decades, bringing them the content they want across linear TV, on-demand and streaming platforms – on multiple screens and devices.
Our comprehensive production platform combines mobile and remote services to enable our customers to cost-effectively capture, edit and package compelling live coverage. Our global delivery network connects production facilities with 800+ of the world’s largest content producers, distributors, and sports and event venues – seamlessly linking rights holders, broadcasters, streaming platforms, media outlets and web services, and turning on live content across the world.
For further press information, please contact:
Freddie Weiss
Platform Communications
theswitch@platformcomms.com
+44 207 486 4900
