After a 22-year absence, NBC Sports is making a significant return to NBA broadcasting, highlighted by a major investment in its studio production. At the heart of this venture is the revamped Studio 1, a 7,000-square-foot facility in Stamford, Connecticut, designed for versatility. This studio will not only host NBA broadcasts but also accommodate college sports and Olympics coverage, all while offering distinct viewing experiences for various platforms and audiences.
Jared Sumner, who leads studio production for "NBA on NBC," including the pre- and post-game show "NBA Showtime," emphasized the importance of the studio: “From day one, we knew we wanted to put a large emphasis on the studio.”
Initial broadcasts have been well-received, with viewers appreciating the celebratory approach to the game, including nostalgic elements like John Tesh’s “Roundball Rock” theme. Studio 1 is designed to cater to both Peacock-exclusive broadcasts and those airing on NBC, with unique formats for each.
Sumner explained the differentiation: “One of the things right off the bat was how we wanted to treat the Monday Peacock shows a little differently from the Tuesday Peacock and NBC shows. For us, that meant using the studio in different ways.” Monday broadcasts, known as “Peacock NBA Monday,” are centered around a demo area – a half court with floor LED and a basketball hoop, where analysts Tracy McGrady, Vince Carter, and Carmelo Anthony can move freely. “It’s more of a casual feel,” Sumner said. “Our analysts are standing up and kind of moving around. They have the ability to go grab a ball off the rack and shoot around if they want to while they’re on air and just give it a little bit more of that laid back vibe.”
“Coast 2 Coast Tuesday” transitions to a more formal setup, with analysts at a desk in the studio’s main area, facing the opposite direction of the demo area, creating what Sumner calls a more “high end studio show.” Starting in February 2026, "Sunday Night Basketball" will further explore the studio’s capabilities.
Designed by HD Studio and fabricated by Mystic Custom Fabrication, the new set is adaptable to NBC’s diverse programming, including “Big Ten Saturday Night,” while maintaining a unique identity for “NBA on NBC.”
Bryan Higgason of HD Studio highlighted the flexibility: “The space has to be very flexible.” He added, “While it is the home of ‘NBA on NBC,’ it is also used for NCAA Football, NCAA Basketball and Olympic coverage. The tracking LED screens allow for flexibility in the use of the space, but it’s the scale that allows us to sculpt the space and reshape it.”
The studio features four LED bands wrapping from floor to ceiling, providing what Higgason calls “a dynamic ability to alter the atmosphere and energy of the broadcast.” The entire space utilizes LED lighting, enabling instant color palette adjustments to match different shows’ graphics. Higgason emphasized the studio’s evolution: “With numerous reconfigurable tracking LED screens, you will continue to see the space change and grow over the season.”
The set integrates Planar and Leyard LED technologies, including Leyard ALF Series 1.9mm, Planar CarbonLight CLI 1.9mm and CarbonLight CLI Flex 1.9mm for the arches, and CarbonLight CLI 1.9mm and 1.5mm panels for tracked walls. Legacy displays feature Planar TVF Series 0.9mm and Leyard LN Series 1.9mm models.
Camera technology includes a jib with a Stype AR tracker for augmented reality integration and a PTZ “slamcam” behind the backboard for dynamic shots. The studio also boasts 4K monitors and interactive touchscreens.
Atila Ozkaplan and Mike Sheehan, NBC Olympics coordinating director, oversaw the studio’s production development, with The Lighting Design Group handling lighting for display integration from Greg Gerner Inc.
Despite the heavy reliance on LED, the studio incorporates tactile elements, such as a logo wall with 30 etched glass panels representing each NBA team, backlit with LED for color customization. Higgason described it as: “The logo wall is a unique feature with a more analog approach. The panels are lit with LED so we can play with color to adjust the focus of the wall.”
The panels can be swapped for Big 10 teams or Olympic pictograms as needed. Sumner noted a detail: “It’s just one of those things that you can play around with. There’s so many different little… I’m calling them Easter eggs. So many little things in the studio that you can change around.” when Carmelo Anthony is on set, the New York Knicks logo is placed behind him.
NBA coverage will also feature augmented reality using a system called Sandbox, which overlays plays on a touch display with shot charts and heat maps. Sumner detailed the system’s capabilities: “It also has the capability to do a full five-on-five breakdown of a play where our analysts will stand over the display and move guys around and actually recreate a play.” The system will enhance analysis beyond replays. Sumner acknowledged this technology represents NBC Sports’ “entry point into AR and VR.”
While the technology is advanced, Sumner emphasized the importance of storytelling. He said the network is focused on celebrating and educating about the game. The analyst team of McGrady, Carter, and Anthony brings credibility to the broadcasts. Sumner noted: “Right away in rehearsals, we saw how comfortable they were with one another. For us, it’s really just giving them the platform. At the end of the day, we could do all these cool, amazing things in the studio, but what it comes down to is what our talent are talking about.”
The Monday night “On the Bench” concept reinforces this, with analysts sitting on team benches during Peacock games. Sumner recounted moments with the analysts: “There’s been so many times throughout this process where I’ve been in a room with Carmelo and Tracy McGrady and Vince Carter and just hearing them tell their stories. For Vince and T-Mac especially, playing on NBC when they were coming up, it’s just like, wow, I can’t wait until they can actually go on air and tell these stories for the world to hear.”
Studio 1’s refresh marks a new phase for NBC Sports. Sumner concluded: “In a lot of ways, the studio has sort of become its own character. Every night of the week you’ll see every area of the studio utilized.”