Clear-Com Keeps Record-Breaking Nürburgring 24h Broadcast On Air

This year's ADAC RAVENOL 24h Race at Germany's Nürburgring circuit set a new benchmark in live sports broadcasting, with the event delivering nearly 28 hours of continuous coverage — the longest live televised sports broadcast ever.

Behind the scenes, Clear-Com® technology played a central role in keeping the vast production team connected and on air around the clock.

Clear-Com and its German distribution partner, Audio-Technica, provided on-site technical support throughout the event to ensure seamless communication across the entire operation. The broadcast team used Clear-Com's EHX configuration platform, taking advantage of its advanced monitoring tools to manage and maintain complete oversight of the communications network during the marathon transmission.

To support the complex production footprint, 21 FreeSpeak® II IP transceivers, 20 FreeSpeak II beltpacks and four of the latest FreeSpeak Icon™ beltpacks were deployed across the circuit. Even amid a high concentration of competing DECT systems at the venue, Clear-Com delivered uninterrupted, high-quality communication, supported by detailed planning and optimised system configuration.

The result was a stable, scalable communications backbone that helped power a historic moment in motorsport broadcasting.

Featuring 130 cars and 500 drivers, the 24-hour endurance race is among the most demanding in the world. The live broadcast, managed by TV Skyline, one of Europe’s largest mobile TV production companies, utilized three OB vans and more than 70 camera feeds, including helicopter footage, a 650-meter cable camera, elevated platforms, and onboard views.

HDwireless GmbH, a specialist in wireless HD and UHD camera systems, provided the helicopter and wireless camera systems as well as the Clear-Com intercom infrastructure for the pit lane, paddock, start/finish area, and helicopter. HDwireless relied on Clear-Com’s Eclipse HX-Delta matrix system, fitted with an E-IPA-HX card, to connect the FreeSpeak II IP transceivers and intercom panels across an extensive AES67 fiber network.

"At an event as technically demanding as the ADAC RAVENOL 24h Race, communication has to be absolutely reliable," said Alex Hemme, Regional Sales Manager at Clear-Com. "Working closely with HDwireless and Audio-Technica, we ensured that every team, from the OB vans to the pit lane, had clear, stable communication throughout the entire broadcast."

The success of this year's broadcast reflects the power of collaboration between Clear-Com, Audio-Technica, and HDwireless. Together, they delivered a successful communication network that kept teams connected under the most challenging conditions, reaffirming Clear-Com's position as a trusted partner for high-stakes live productions around the world.

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