Fox Set To Enhance All-Star Broadcast With New Cameras

By Bill King, Senior Staff Writer, SportsBusiness Journal

Fox Spicing Up MLB All-Star Coverage With In-Ground Cameras

A trio of tiny cameras buried in the infield grass headline the innovations Fox will unveil today for the July 13 All-Star Game broadcast from Minute Maid Park. Two of the cameras, built with lenses about the size of a dime, will be positioned at angles in front of home plate, shooting back and up toward each batters box. The cameras provide a large enough field of vision to include the batter, catcher and umpire. A third camera will point toward the mound, giving viewers a look at the pitcher as he strides toward home plate. Fox Sports Senior VP/Production Bill Brown: "We'll get very, very fascinating pictures from it. It will be a unique visual difference." The greatest risks for damage come if a pitcher steps on one of the cameras while coming off the mound to make a play or if a ground ball strikes one of the cameras. Because the guts of the cameras are buried, only a small portion would be damaged. Replacement cost for that part of the camera is about $100.

CAUGHT LOOKING? Fox also will suspend a remote camera from the flag pole in center field in an effort to provide a rare, straight-on view that will give fans an accurate look at the strike zone, something they have not gotten because outfield cameras traditionally have been set slightly left of center. Fox tested that angle during a game at Shea Stadium earlier this season and liked the results (THE DAILY).