'There's Nothing Like This': Nebraska Athletics Unveils New Multimedia Facility

LINCOLN—Nebraska Athletics continues to have the best facilities in the nation.

While that phrase brings up images of weight rooms, meeting spaces, locker rooms, and more of the spaces that are meant for the Husker athletes, NU has unveiled an area that helps bring fans closer to the action. Nebraska Athletics has unveiled its new multimedia production facility that houses HuskerVision, Creative and Emerging Media, Huskers Radio Network, and the athletic photography team.

A control room in the new multimedia space for HuskerVision. | Kaleb Henry

Built on the second floor of North Stadium, in the old Husker Football offices and team space, this newly renovated 25,200-square-foot facility features three 4K/HDR control rooms, a production studio, Husker Radio Network studio headquarters, and still photography studios. The centralized control rooms and rack rooms will support in-venue replay boards and B1G+ live broadcast productions from eight athletic venues.

The units moved into the new facility earlier this summer, and HuskerVision will produce its first football game from the new facility this Saturday when the Huskers open the home season against Akron.

“HuskerVision began 30 years ago in West Stadium and has served Husker fans and Nebraska Athletics extraordinarily well,” Director of Athletics Troy Dannen said. “This investment will enhance our fan experience across all venues and set a standard for the next 30 years. It is also a notable first step in reshaping Memorial Stadium to impact Nebraskans for generations to come. This is far and away the best production facility in college athletics.”

Workspace in the new multimedia production facility. — Workspace in the new multimedia production facility that houses HuskerVision, Creative and Emerging Media, Huskers Radio Network, and more. | Kaleb Henry

Designed and built by BeckTV, the new $12M HuskerVision area features a full IP infrastructure that supports over 20 4K/HDR cameras and over 20 channels of replay. Brock Raum, the lead project engineer for BeckTV, is also a former HuskerVision student (2007-12).

“This was a special project for our BeckTV team,” Raum said. “HuskerVision has a reputation nationwide as a leader in this space, and this will be the standard for university production facilities for years to come. As a former HuskerVision staff member, I am so proud to have played a role in building this beautiful facility where future generations will catapult their careers just like I did.”

Nebraska Athletics employs over 100 University of Nebraska students in these areas, and the new facility is centered around an open workspace that will accommodate workstations for over 30 students.

“Our content teams were previously located in four different areas of the stadium,” Brandon Meier, Senior Associate Athletic Director for Marketing and Multimedia, said. “This facility will allow all our content creators to collaborate, share, and increase the efficiency and quality of all our productions and digital content.”

The Huskers Radio Network studios now sit in the new multimedia production facility inside Memorial Stadium. The lines on the glass are soundwaves from a Greg Sharpe call. | Kaleb Henry

Assistant AD for HuskerVision Kirk Hartman has spent more than three decades in HuskerVision and is excited for fans to benefit from the new home for the department.

“I was here in 1994 when HuskerVision was created, and so much has changed over the years but creating great content for Husker fans is still our primary mission,” Hartman said. “This new space will provide HuskerVision the foundation for delivering the highest quality content for decades to come.”

“It has been an honor to work with the University of Nebraska on the development of the new HuskerVision production facilities,” said Mark Jacobson, AV Consultant, Stadia Video Group. “I have worked with many HuskerVison alumni over the years and recognized the quality of the experience that HuskerVison provides to students. The investment in the new production facilities will continue that tradition with the latest technology.”

Alex Rehurek, Assistant AD for Creative & Emerging Media, at the new multimedia production facility. | Kaleb Henry

Assistant AD for Creative & Emerging Media Alex Rehurek told media during a tour on Tuesday that his team racks up approximately 100 terabytes of photos and videos each year. To put that into perspective, that is approximately 25,000 two-hour movies or 170,000 hours of music.

Rehurek added that they stream more press conferences than anyone in the nation. As for the archives, those are nearly fully intact back to 1994. But it is the now that has Rehurek impressed and ready to do more for Husker fans going forward.

"There's nothing like this," Rehurek said.

This new facility will support the new 4K/HDR, LED big screen inside Memorial Stadium and Pinnacle Bank Arena. See more facts and figures, as well as more photos, below.

FACTS/FIGURES/TECHNOLOGY

3 full feature production control rooms
SMPTE 2110 IP broadcast deployment
Full IP data center level infrastructure
12, 4K HDR camera systems
10, 4K, point of view cameras
20 channels of replay/record
51.2 terabits of IP fabric switching capacity
First university install of a complete LAWO VSM/Home routing and IP management infrastructure
2,617 Square foot studio space with LED Lighting and green screen cyclorama wall
34 operator positions
Over 30 student workstations
40 equipment racks
Centralized UPS backup power system
Dedicated Video Shading/Robotics and Replay Rooms
160 Input, 80 output production switcher capability with 3 control surfaces
Full AES 67 IP audio integration with 3, LAWO audio consoles, Riedel Intercom, Q-SYS audio cores and 132 Dante audio endpoints
Fiber connectivity to Memorial Stadium, Bob Devaney Sports Center, Pinnacle Bank Arena, Hawks Field, Bowlin Stadium, Hibner Stadium, Osborne Legacy Complex, and Big Ten Network Studios
Centralized Husker Radio Network Studios with IP distribution to 52 regional affiliates
4 Husker Radio Network Production Pods
Podcast studio
Still photography studio
146-seat Husker Athletic meeting space

Coaches shows for Nebraska Athletics take place in the new multimedia production facility. | Kaleb Henry

Voice of Nebraska Football Kyle Crooks at the new multimedia production facility, which houses the Huskers Radio Network. | Kaleb Henry

A mural sits outside of the Huskers Radio Network studios at the new new multimedia production facility. — A mural sits outside of the Huskers Radio Network studios at the new new multimedia production facility inside Memorial Stadium. | Kaleb Henry

White and green screens in the new multimedia production facility are utilized for headshots, game gifs, recruiting, and more. | Kaleb Henry

The old Nebraska football meeting space sits idle after the opening of the new football facility. The new multimedia production facility is now here. | Kaleb Henry

Have a question or comment for Kaleb? Send an email to kalebhenry.huskermax@gmail.com.

More From Nebraska On SI

Stay up to date on all things Huskers by bookmarking Nebraska Cornhuskers On SI, subscribing to HuskerMax on YouTube, and visiting HuskerMax.com daily.