Bantaray Mobile Sports Production Expands Niche Sports Coverage

Bantaray Mobile Sports Production is using AJA technology to support the growing demand for live production of niche sporting events, from track and field and pickleball to baseball and high school sports.

As niche sports attract increasingly dedicated audiences online, the production challenges involved in covering these events remain similar to those faced by larger sporting broadcasts. Production teams must transport video and audio signals across venues, connecting production trucks, commentator booths and in-venue displays, often in locations with unpredictable conditions and limited opportunities for advance planning.

California-based Bantaray Mobile Sports Production, founded by Steve Banta in 2009, has developed a mobile production workflow designed to meet these demands. Banta and freelance camera operator Jeff Highbaugh, who works with Bantaray, use AJA FiDO Mini-Converters alongside other AJA SDI/HDMI Mini-Converters and Ki Pro recorders to support signal conversion, transport and recording during live productions.

"Every event is different, and each venue presents unique challenges," noted Banta. "Sending signals across long distances is almost always a hurdle. We have to find simple ways to get reporter feeds back to the truck, send program feeds to in-venue LED displays, and route audio and video signals safely across the venue. Our AJA FiDO Mini-Converters support these needs and have been incredibly dependable through rain, extreme heat, and constant travel – they just keep working."

Mobilising for any venue
Bantaray has continually refined its mobile production pipeline since its launch in 2009. The company now uses the workflow to produce high school sports for Spectrum in Orange County and Riverside, support Coachella Valley Firebirds event productions and cover a range of other niche sports broadcasts.

With production teams rarely able to scout venues in advance, Bantaray uses Google Earth to assess locations before arrival, helping determine where its outside broadcast truck will park and how cable runs can be configured.

"That's the beauty of fiber; the truck can be parked anywhere on site, and we can still quickly deploy audio and video using our FiDOs and daisy chain as much length as we need," explained Highbaugh. "The setup is so fast, and we can run four cameras down one fiber line."

Developing a robust workflow
Bantaray owns 24 AJA FiDO Mini-Converters, covering single-, dual- and four-channel models. The equipment is mounted inside a portable booth kit containing an I/O panel and audio equipment.

Multiple cameras positioned around the commentator booth send SDI signals into the booth kit, where FiDO Mini-Converters convert them to fiber. The signals are then transported back to the production truck using a four-pair tactical fiber optic cable capable of carrying four signals.

"Each production typically involves a production truck, a commentator booth, which has the most signal paths going to it, and sometimes a video scoreboard, so we need to be able to move video and audio signals across long distances without power limitations," said Banta. "Our longest fiber reel is a thousand feet, and we often use Dante for audio. Fiber lets us barrel as many of those fiber reels together if we have a FiDO on each end."

Alongside the FiDO Mini-Converters, Bantaray uses AJA Mini-Converters to convert SDI feeds to HDMI for monitoring, as well as distribution amplifiers for signal management and AJA Ki Pro recorders for capture.

"We don't have a giant crew, and everyone is wearing multiple hats," added Highbaugh. "So, we need gear that is reliable, consistent, and easy to use. Our AJA FiDO Mini-Converters provide reliable conversion between SDI and fiber, giving us additional flexibility to convert signals on the fly or extend them much farther than traditional SDI allows."

Reliability in live production
With live production leaving little room for equipment failure, reliability remains a key consideration for Bantaray. The company's AJA equipment has supported dozens of broadcast productions for Spectrum, as well as more than 100 remote baseball productions.

"Reliability is everything in live production," Banta said. "When crews see professional gear like AJA on site, they know you're top-notch. It's better to invest in reliable equipment once than to frequently have to troubleshoot cheaper alternatives."

Highbaugh said the equipment has also proven dependable across a wide range of operating conditions.

"We've put our FiDOs through just about every weather condition imaginable, and they've never let us down. That reliability gives everyone confidence because we know the gear will simply do its job."

Preparing for future production demands
As streaming continues to expand the audiences for niche sports, Bantaray sees further opportunities for mobile and remote production. The company is currently developing the in-house entertainment and concert broadcast production setup for Acrisure Arena in Thousand Palms, California, while also monitoring developments in remote workflows and IP production technologies such as SMPTE ST 2110.

"While many are focused on AI right now, we're more interested in where remote workflows are heading," said Banta. "The pandemic accelerated the industry's adoption of them, and they've just kept evolving since."

Highbaugh said the continued growth of streaming is also driving demand for technology capable of moving high-quality signals efficiently, particularly in remote environments.

"Streaming continues to grow, so I'm looking at technology that can help me send high-quality, low-latency signals efficiently. Whether we're working with limited bandwidth or remote locations, finding reliable ways to get content on the air remains a major priority."

About FiDO Mini-Converters
FiDO Mini-Converters offer flexibility and cost efficiency for 12G-SDI, 6G-SDI and 3G-SDI fiber conversion. They support long cable runs of up to 10km for single-mode FiDOs, while models with optional multi-mode SFPs can support up to 700m (2,296ft) over OM4 and 300m (984ft) over OM3 multi-mode fiber optic cables.

The FiDO converters use a compact, low-profile enclosure designed for use in tight spaces around and behind equipment racks, production trucks and cameras.

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