Extreme E Brings In Broadcast Specialist Adey As Latest Addition
March 17, 2020
Extreme E, the pioneering electric off-road race series, has bolstered its operations division with broadcast technology specialist Dave Adey joining the growing team as preparations for Season 1 continue.
With the championship committed to lessening its on-site footprint for minimal environmental impact, Adey’s role includes sourcing and utilising cutting-edge technology which supports a remote broadcast and race control vision.
Adey brings a breadth of experience in the industry, including roles as a Network Director at BBC Television in the early 1990s, Head of Broadcast Operations at ITV Digital at the turn of the millennium and senior management roles at BBC Broadcast and Red Bee Media in the mid-2000s.
His shift into motorsport came in 2014 when he consulted for ABB FIA Formula E for its inaugural campaign, where he was responsible for broadcast and technology and dealing with the challenges faced by an all-new global series.
“The experience gained through our work with Formula E has been a major benefit to us here at Extreme E,” stated Head of Broadcast and Technology, Dave Adey. “It’s been invaluable in helping us hit the ground running with Extreme E.
“We know exactly how to get infrastructure like this off the ground from a ‘standing start’. That said, the remote nature of Extreme E will provide us with a new set of obstacles to overcome entirely, on top of those we encountered during the formative years of Formula E.
“It’s an exciting prospect on a professional level – facing up to issues in locations that are entirely without basic infrastructure. Enabling remote production in places without any kind of mobile data, WiFi or power means we need to start from scratch in each case and we have to ensure we’re self-sufficient and self-contained to prevent an environmental impact whilst creating an event and the facilities to run and broadcast that event.”
To pull this off, a series of innovations and firsts will be implemented, with editing and production carried out back at Extreme E headquarters in London before delivery via the world feed to broadcast partners worldwide. Technologies will include specialised camera equipment and wireless infrastructure requiring reduced cabling, strategic placement of equipment to mimimise on-site and freight requirements, and the aforementioned remote race control and television facilities.
Extreme E is set to be broadcast across the globe with multiple partners already on-board and discussions currently taking place with more than two-dozen additional providers. The championship has announced deals with the BBC (UK), FOX Sports (United States, Canada and the Caribbean), FOX Sports Asia (Southeast Asia), Mediaset (Italy), Sony India (Indian subcontinent), FOX Australia, Dubai Sports (Middle East, North Africa), TVNZ (New Zealand) and BTRC (Belarus).
Ali Russell, Chief Marketing Officer at Extreme E, said: “Extreme E is a unique prospect for broadcasters and there’s a significant appetite for sporting competition of the highest level, driven by a sustainable message and a goal of raising awareness of climate change and the human impact on our environments.
“It is an incredibly specialist prospect from an operational point of view. Dave is an invaluable asset in that regard. To be able to lean on professionals of his stature and breadth of experience is key. Having helped deliver a world-class broadcast product from day zero on Formula E, with all the challenges involved there, he is well placed to deal with everything Extreme E will throw our way in the lead up to our January 2021 start-date and beyond.”
As well as live broadcast coverage, the championship will be accompanied by a deep-dive behind-the-scenes documentary series looking at the ups and downs of the series, its drivers, personnel and teams.
More on Extreme E’s broadcast innovations as well as announcements on teams, drivers and series partners will be made in the coming weeks as the championship builds towards its January 2021 start-date.