As FanDuel Sports Network builds production hub in Denver, workers say move will hurt broadcasts

Sports television crews will be affected if FanDuel Sports Network, which broadcasts baseball, basketball, and hockey teams across the United States, moves some of its production duties to a hub in Denver.

According to nine FanDuel SN employees who were given the right to remain anonymous in order to freely discuss their employer, the modifications are a cost-cutting tactic that jeopardizes the calibre of nightly telecasts. Usually, a truck located at or close to the game’s location produces games for FanDuel stations.

One of FanDuel SN’s graphics operators stated, “I genuinely think it will have a significant impact on the quality of our broadcasts.” “Our viewers will not be pleased with that.”

Following a contentious bankruptcy case less than a year ago, FanDuel’s networks have had their fair share of upheaval lately. FanDuel SN is really in a spending mode, according to Norby Williamson, president of production and programming for parent company Main Street Sports Group, who also asserted that the Denver plan will ultimately enhance telecasts and viewers.

ALSO READ: A $1 billion casino complex close to the South Carolina border is anticipated to spur the regional economy.

“Our goal is to create a hub for modernization,” Williamson stated. “The new facility in Denver has more technology, more staff, more bells and whistles, and more live cut-ins than they had previously.

You’re totally correct about everything: they will change. Additionally, they will be enhanced.
Williamson argued that certain employees will gain as well. Formerly freelance jobs, the relocating positions’ occupants are eligible to seek for full-time opportunities, provided they are willing to relocate to Denver.

“We were in Denver just last week, and some of the people who have accepted positions there say, ‘Hey, this is a great opportunity for me.’…” I’ve been travelling and working as a freelancer for a very long time,” Williamson remarked. “This is a potentially transformative opportunity. It’s a fantastic opportunity, but it’s not for everyone.

The International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE), a union that represents FanDuel SN employees in a number of the company’s markets, disagrees with Williamson’s perspective. The positions in Denver are not union jobs and are provided by Mobile TV Group, a third-party provider that the FanDuel networks mainly depend on.

Courtesy: https://www.covers.com, https://www.casino.org, https://pechanga.net