LiveU Revs It Up with In-Car Camera Coverage of Trans Am Series Race

A LiveU in-car camera sits upon the wheel of a Trans Am on CBS.
(Image credit: LiveU)

For the 2022 season, The Trans Am Series presented by Pirelli, America’s Road Racing Series, introduced a new television package to air all races in prime time on CBS Sports Network. Trans Am relied on LiveU compact LU300S HEVC/5G field units to improve the live broadcast and increase exposure to a wider audience with high-quality and resilient video transport to the in-car camera systems.

“With many of the cars traveling over 150mph, reliable and resilient video transport was a challenge. LiveU’s patented bonded cellular technology featuring LiveU Reliable Transport (LRT) protocol played a key role in the success of the deployment,“ said Mike Savello, LiveU vice president of sales, Americas.” “LRT, combined with the latest in 5G connectivity, provided reliable and resilient video transmission resulting in pristine video images from anywhere on the track.”

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“Onboard cameras are an integral part of our coverage and so we are using 10 onboard cameras in a race to tell that story,” said John Clagett, president and CEO of Trans Am Race Company.

“The LiveU has transformed our quality. Our fans are able to watch the racing through the eyes of our driver, added Tony Parilla, owner of the Trans Am Racing Company.

Trans Am has deployed LiveU technology for in-camera live coverage at 20-plus races across the country this year as part of the 60-minute broadcasts. In addition to the initial airing, each episode re-airs on CBS Sports Network and is available on CBSSports.com and streaming service subscriptions that include CBS Sports Network content, such as Hulu and YouTube TV. The enhancement to the live coverage has contributed to a significant increase in viewership and sponsor revenue.

“The viewer wants to be in the car with you and see what you are seeing. It gives you an opportunity to put your sponsor’s name out there in front so everyone who sees it knows who helped you get around the track,” noted Kenneth Thwaits, team principal and lead driver, Showtime Motor Sports.

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Viewers can look for Trans Am to add more of this capability for the 2023 season, enabling the organization, teams, and individual drivers to expand their reach and increase sponsorship revenue.

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