This season, Fox NFL Kickoff will premiere from a brand-new set, the result of a significant overhaul of Fox Sports’ Stage B in collaboration with New Zealand's Architecture van Brandenburg. As first reported by Sports Business Journal, the upgraded studio is equipped with over 54 million LED lights, doubling the size of the LED volume wall previously used on Stage A.
This redesign unlocks expanded reality capabilities and offers greater flexibility for on-air talent movement and storytelling. The set made its on-air debut on September 2nd during “The Herd with Colin Cowherd,” with “Fox NFL Kickoff” slated to premiere there on September 7th. This Sunday morning show serves as a prelude to “Fox NFL Sunday.”
The studio's technological prowess is evident in its 36 rendering engines driving the LED volume walls, powered by Pixotope software on Unreal Engine. This allows for real-time integration of augmented reality graphics that seamlessly align with camera movements. The updated set prioritizes depth and flexibility.
According to Zac Fields, the set design facilitates dynamic movements and elements that seamlessly integrate with on-screen graphics. “You might see walls move. You might see pieces of the set that actually turn into graphics, almost like kinetic architecture,” he said. The versatility of Stage B extends beyond NFL programming; Fox Sports intends to utilize the space for college football, Major League Baseball postseason coverage, and FIFA World Cup broadcasts.