Game Creek To Roll Out Two New Trucks Complete with Grass Valley Switchers

Game Creek Video has purchased several Grass Valley Kayenne Video Production Centers for the latest additions to its fleet of HD production trucks. The company is building two 3G-capable (1080p60) HD production trucks that will hit the road this year and, as a key component, will install Grass Valley Kayenne Video Production Centers on each. Game Creek has also committed to taking delivery of four additional Kayenne switchers for future truck projects, for a total of six Kayenne switchers.

The new trucks will be dedicated to supporting sports productions for both ESPN (“Larkspur”) and the YES Network (as yet unnamed). The ESPN truck will be on the road at the end of July, while the YES Network truck will be completed and ready for action by the end of August in time for the 2010 MLB playoffs.

“Our crews like the layout and functionality of the Grass Valley Kayenne, so we have committed our scheduled new truck builds to this very powerful switcher platform,” says Pat Sullivan, president of Game Creek Video. “As productions become more and more complex, we recognize the value and flexibility of the Kayenne and how it can help our clients produce the most exciting shows on television.”

Game Creek has been using a Kayenne switcher for about a year, having produced ABC’s 2009-10 primetime college football broadcasts (produced by ESPN) with their “Liberty” truck and the 2009-10 NFL A level game and the 2010 Daytona 500 in February for FOX Sports with its “Fox” HD rigs.

“Game Creek has a reputation for quality and has handled a number of the most watched sporting events with Grass Valley switchers,” says Jeff Rosica, SVP of Grass Valley. “Their past success with Grass Valley technologies has led to this significant agreement to install Kayenne switchers on board all of its largest and most sophisticated vehicles going forward. We’re pleased to support them as they grow.”

Initially, “Larkspur” will help ESPN televise “ESPN College GameDay.” The second truck will start out doing Yankees Baseball for the YES network and then move onto Post Season MLB and the World Series for the FOX network. Later it will begin producing NFL games for the NFL Network.