NBC's wire-cam to give fans better look at Kentucky Derby
NBC will debut a wire-cam that runs 15-18 feet above the racing surface of the entire backstretch at Churchill Downs during its broadcasts this week of the Kentucky Derby and other races from Churchill Downs, officials of the network said this week.
The wire-cam is secured by a 1,400-foot long cable that runs down the backstretch, and it will be capable of traveling up to 80 miles per hour, officials said during a conference call on Wednesday previewing the live racing coverage scheduled for Friday and Saturday on NBC and NBCSN.
Rob Hyland, the producer of NBC’s racing coverage for the past 17 years, said that the wire-cam footage will be similar to the Sky Cam views that debuted several years ago on NFL broadcasts. He said that the wire-cam will provide a “better perspective” of a race than the running camera that NBC has used for racing broadcasts in the past. That camera has been called the “rail cam” because of its perspective.
“It’s going to be spectacular,” Hyland said, after saying he had seen test footage of the camera. “It’s almost like you’re watching a Madden video game of the backstretch, almost like you are with the horses traveling along with them.”
The camera also will be used to provide better footage of the infield at Churchill Downs, Hyland said.
NBC and NBCSN will be providing live coverage from Churchill Downs for portions of the track’s cards on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. The Saturday lineup starts at noon Eastern with coverage of five live races on NBCSN, before moving to NBC at 2:30 p.m. for another five races, including the Kentucky Derby, which has a scheduled post time of approximately 6:46 p.m.
