ADVERTISEMENT Cincinnati Bengals Let Out IP-Style Roar With New Control Room at Paycor Stadium By: Kristian Hernández, Senior Editor • Posted on: October 7, 2026 • 9 minute read ADVERTISEMENT The transition to ST 2110 and HDR is part of a comprehensive set of renovations at the Queen City venue The Cincinnati Bengals have played home games at Paycor Stadium since its opening in 2000. In a sports-video–production industry that encourages technological and production innovation and for a game-presentation department that’s keen on staying near the top of the NFL, the franchise constructed a new SMPTE ST 2110, HDR-capable control room during the offseason. “The support for this project extended across the entire organization,” says Stewart Pirani, A/V engineer, Cincinnati Bengals . “From the earliest planning discussions through execution, there was a shared commitment to investing in the future of our fan experience and a clear understanding of the vision we were working toward. We all believe our fans deserve a world-class experience in the heart of downtown Cincinnati, and this project reflects that commitment.” Calling on a Friend: Alpha Pitches in on Another Project The Bengals have been fortunate enough to entertain their enthusiastic fanbase in one building for 26 years, and, in the past decade, the hub of in-venue production and content has been upgraded piece by piece. Shifting from a 1080i world to an entirely different system driven by IP can be daunting, but future-proofing the operation was paramount in an era of constant expansion and ever-evolving needs of the fans in the stands. “Our goal throughout this project was to position ourselves for the future while meeting the demands of today,” says Pirani. “A key part of that strategy was transitioning to an IP-based workflow, which significantly increased the number of inputs and outputs we can support and provides greater long-term flexibility as our industry is accelerating toward larger bandwidth needs. We’re excited about the opportunities this creates and the ability to elevate our production for years to come.” The new control room at Paycor Stadium is up and running with IP-powered, HDR-capable productions. Through many of the projects that preceded the most recent work —a control-room renovation in 2015, a graphics overhaul in 2020, a replay revamp in 2022, an update to the IPTV system in 2024 — Alpha has been the trusted systems integrator. With familiarity and a previously established relationship, the company was brought back into the fold after being awarded the project in fall 2025. “We got to work finalizing system designs and lining things up to their preference and then started in earnest after the season was over,” says Jeff Volk, EVP, strategic accounts, sports and live events, Alpha . “[Paycor Stadium] is a fairly active venue, so they had a bunch of other things going on that we had to work around in terms of construction.” Alpha worked alongside a handful of vendors, including additional systems integration by Forté Project Manager Justin Segbers , who also serves as theCincinnati Bengals’ A1 audio engineer; consultancy by WJHW; electrical installation by United Electric; and construction management and general contracting by Graybach, which is located less than 5 miles from the stadium. Along with securing much needed assistance from vendors, the Bengals called on their NFL colleagues for production and technological advice. Given that Paycor Stadium is more than a quarter of a century old, modernizing the venue through control-room refurbishment was necessary. At the same time, the seismic change in workflows brings its particular difficulties, which is why receiving external feedback was critical. “This project helps keep our venue competitive with new stadiums being built,” notes Pirani. “Throughout the design process, we spent considerable time connecting with peers across the sports and entertainment industry to discuss best practices and learn from their experiences. Those conversations covered the transition from baseband to IP, 1080 to 4K, HDR vs. SDR, the number of cameras, replay channels, and CG inserts. It was important to understand how other venues are leveraging technology to enhance the fan experience so that we could bring those insights back to our team and apply them in a way that aligns with our vision and philosophy.” Inside the Control Room: Significant Investment in Gameday Tech Within a new and improved space that breeds creative freedom and a higher quality of production value, the gameday crew feels inspired to push the envelope and see how grand their shows can get. Led by Senior Manager, Game Presentation, Alex Schweppe ; Gameday Producer Ben Buchnat ; and Manager, Gameday Productions, Dan Bartlett , the control-room staff are improving on an already high-octane atmosphere . “Our game presentation will continue to evolve year after year,” says Pirani. “This new control room provides the foundation to grow alongside it. It gives us the tools to keep raising the bar and deliver one of the premier gameday atmospheres in the NFL for years to come.” Inside the control room, the IP backbone is built on top of Evertz NATX IP routing, Evertz MAGNUM control suite, Arista network switching, and HPE Aruba network switches for control.” The show is driven by a Ross Video Ultrix Acuity system with a 6M/E frame, 1x4M/E panel, and 1x3M/E panel; Ross Video XPression graphics; Ross Video Tessera LED content-management system; Evertz DreamCatcher replay and clips; Yamaha DM7 audio submixer with a Rivage PM5 mixing system; a GrandMA 3 console for lighting; and a mixture of both Riedel Bolero, Riedel wired, and Radio Active Designs wireless intercom. Also on hand: Ross Video Piero for Virtual 1st and 10, Riedel MediorNET PTZ transceivers, Adder KVM, AJA Ki-Pro recorders, Telestream’s SPG9000 sync system and Lightspeed Ingest, Wave Central wireless transmitters and receivers, and Netgear AV switches for the Dante network. Operators are seated at customizable stations from Forecast Consoles, and equipment is housed in racks supplied by Middle Atlantic. The project was a collaboration between the NFL franchise and the Hamilton County Board of Commissioners. The videoboard show is captured with an army of cameras, including 11 Sony BRC-AM7B PTZs, eight Sony HDC-3500s, two high frame rate Sony HDC-5500s, two wireless Sony HDC-3500s, a Sony FX6 wireless on a ronin, a Wave Central Pico as a flex position, an assortment of Proton POV cameras, and PTZ control from MultiDyne Robotics and Motion Control. Hard cameras have Cartoni camera support and 14X, 24X, 46X, and 107X Fujinon lenses. Most notably, one of the stadium’s tunnels is outfitted with a motion-controlled camera on a track that moves alongside the players during pregame. A total of 16 SPL microphones are placed around the stadium to monitor audio and crowd levels. “This is the largest project in terms of value and complement of gear that I’ve been a part of in 25 years of working in sports venues,” says Volk. “There’s not a bell or whistle available on the marketplace that they don’t have, so the Bengals went all-in in terms of investment and fan engagement.” Finding Their Production Legs: Crew Uses Early Events To Adjust After the project’s completion, the control room was put through its paces during the summer, including the Cincinnati Music Festival July 23-25 and Chris Stapelton’s All-American Road Show on Aug. 1. On the football side, the ribbon-cutting took place during back-to-back preseason games vs. the Detroit Lions on Thursday, Aug. 13 and the Chicago Bears on Saturday, Aug. 22. Simultaneously, the team was learning how to adapt to the new work environment. Alpha helped the Bengals during this gradual onboarding process. “Similar to other projects, the Bengals will get their legs underneath them and figure out the horsepower of this control room,” says Volk. “Stewart [Pirani] is a sharp and savvy guy and has a clear vision of what the team is trying to accomplish from a technological perspective. Having spearheaded the engineering effort, Pirani credits his teammates in the control room for the smooth crossover. “Our staff did an incredible job adapting to the new technology and workflows. We are fortunate to have such a talented and experienced group supporting our gameday operations. They quickly embraced the new control-room environment and were comfortable with the workflows almost immediately. Their expertise, combined with the knowledge they’ve gained from working with us and at other venues, allowed them to hit the ground running and play a key role in the successful transition.” Still To Come: Offseason Videoboard Installation Although the control-roomproject is still top of mind and the largest milestone in a multiyear refurb,the Bengals are far from finished with production enhancements. The upcoming offseason will see installation of a “newer and larger” videoboard for the 2027-28 NFL season. “The control-room transformation was strategically planned alongside several major broadcast and technology enhancements across the stadium, including future videoboard upgrades,” says Pirani. “By transitioning to a 4K-capable infrastructure, we were able to design those future experiences with greater flexibility and intent, ensuring our content is presented exactly as envisioned while delivering the highest-quality viewing experience for our fans.” The entire room is driven by a Ross Video Acuity production switcher. The project wouldn’t have been possible without help from a wide variety of people. Externally, the Bengals received significant support from the Hamilton County Board of Commissioners and the Hamilton County Stadia department. Internally, with full backing from the organization’s executives, the completion can be credited to individuals in stadium management through Paul Brown Stadium Ltd. — particularly, PBSL Director, Capital Projects, John Pope and Stadium Technology Specialist Timothy Petersen — with support from Cincinnati Bengals Capital Projects Manager Chris Wright . Altogether, these highly experienced professionals are stitching together the next chapter of productions at Paycor Stadium. “The amount of pride that I have for this team’s work is beyond words,” adds Pirani. “The unique contributions of everyone involved helped transform this project into something truly remarkable, and I am forever grateful for the opportunity to work alongside them. We’re ready to take on what’s next and couldn’t be more excited to do so.” The Cincinnati Bengals will host their next home game of the 2026-27 NFL season at Paycor Stadium against the Tennessee Titans on Sunday, Nov. 1 at 1 p.m. ET. Sharing Upcoming Events Top Stories Fifth Annual Silicon Valley Video Summit Names Video Pioneer Andrew Cross as 2027 Conference Chair Posted on: October 13, 2026 Mobile TV Group Goes Full-Stack With the MTVG Production Platform, Mountain Media Center By: Jason Dachman, Editorial Director, U.S. Posted on: October 13, 2026 All 32 Teams, One Night: ESPN’s NHL Frozen Frenzy Returns for Fourth Season By: Jason Dachman, Editorial Director, U.S. Posted on: October 13, 2026 SVG Digital Engagement Forum 2026 Hits NYC on December 15; HBS' Director of Digital Johannes Franken to Keynote Posted on: October 13, 2026 Op-Ed: Beyond the Newsroom — Why the Story Object Model Is Sports Media’s Next Big Economic Shift By: Robert Ambrose, CEO and co-founder, Caretta Research Posted on: October 13, 2026 SVG Sit-Down: Sportel Executive Director Marine Picoulet on What to Expect in Monaco This Month By: Ken Kerschbaumer, Editorial Director Posted on: October 13, 2026 Beyond the Hype: Exploring Real-World Applications of AI in Cloud-Based Live Sports Production with the NBA, AWS, Spiideo, and TwelveLabs By: Brandon Costa, Director of Digital Posted on: October 12, 2026 Digital Focus: Athlos Acting President Kayla Green Talks Speed to Feed, Athletes First and ‘Leveling Up’ Production Innovations By: Heather McLean, Editor, SVG Europe Posted on: October 12, 2026 Verimatrix Streamkeeper Puts Those Fighting Piracy in a Proactive Position for Battle By: Ken Kerschbaumer, Editorial Director Posted on: October 12, 2026 Super Bowl LXI ESPN Adds 'Field Pass With The Pat McAfee Show', 'Playbook With Next Gen Stats' Altcasts to Super Bowl LXI, MNF Games By: Jason Dachman, Editorial Director, U.S. Posted on: October 12, 2026 Banana Ball TV Caps Record Season With Supersized Banana Bowl Production in DC By: Jason Dachman, Editorial Director, U.S. Posted on: October 9, 2026 Season Enhancements: Bundesliga on Platinum Matches and Maximizing Offerings By: Heather McLean, Editor, SVG Europe Posted on: October 9, 2026 Read more Latest Headlines posts ADVERTISEMENT Related Articles Fifth Annual Silicon Valley Video Summit Names Video Pioneer Andrew Cross as 2027 Conference Chair The Bundesliga took steps last season to bring its broadcast... Posted on: October 13, 2026 • 3 minute read Mobile TV Group Goes Full-Stack With the MTVG Production Platform, Mountain Media Center The Bundesliga took steps last season to bring its broadcast... By: Jason Dachman, Editorial Director, U.S. • Posted on: October 13, 2026 • 11 minute read All 32 Teams, One Night: ESPN’s NHL Frozen Frenzy Returns for Fourth Season The Bundesliga took steps last season to bring its broadcast... By: Jason Dachman, Editorial Director, U.S. • Posted on: October 13, 2026 • 3 minute read SVG Digital Engagement Forum 2026 Hits NYC on December 15; HBS' Director of Digital Johannes Franken to Keynote The Bundesliga took steps last season to bring its broadcast... Posted on: October 13, 2026 • 2 minute read
Curated by Taleb Kabbara · Source: www.sportsvideo.org