EVENT SPOTLIGHT: US OPEN

SMT delivers data, technology and insights on the biggest stage in tennis

Thanks to Sr. Product Manager Ana Román Dominguez for contributing to this report. Thanks to Video Editor Shaun Bales for the highlight reel.

The 2026 US Open brought together the best players in the world and, once again, from the first ball to the final point, SMT was behind the technology, data and information supporting the tournament. For SMT, the US Open is one of the most demanding events on the tennis calendar, requiring scoring, data, production, technology and operational teams to work together across multiple courts, users, clients and stakeholders.

SMT has been a trusted partner to the USTA, ESPN, IBM, and international broadcast partners for over three decades. From scoring matches and powering on-court displays to providing commentators, coaches and clients with real-time information, SMT’s US Open operation demonstrated the breadth of technology and expertise the company brings to one of tennis’s biggest events.

The numbers tell part of the story:

• 33 data-feed clients
• 1,102 RAZOR users
• 787 CARAT users, with 26 coaches trained by SMT 
• 48 commentators trained on CIS

A Complete Technology Operation

SMT’s Tennis Scoring & Scheduling team supported the tournament with a broad range of services, including Chair Umpire score entry, detailed statistics with remote staff, draw creation and match scheduling, chair umpire scheduling, Match Information Screens (MIS) and the Video Display System (VDS).

The operation also included Match Stats Screens across nine CCTV channels, RAZOR for tournament and media inquiries, CARAT Coach’s Match Tablet, Match Analysis and Tennis Player Tracking, Press Interview Scheduling (PISA), off-site junior qualifying scoring and tennis reports.

On the broadcast side, SMT delivered host broadcast graphics across five courts, Automated Broadcast Graphics (ACES) across 12 courts and virtual ad graphics.

Scoreboard Production supported show courts with graphics across five courts and field courts across 12 courts, along with serve clock and serve speed graphics.

Beyond the venue, SMT also supported 33 data-feed clients, extending the reach of US Open data to broadcasters, media organizations and other users around the world.

A coach uses the CARAT app on a tablet court-side as captured on the ESPN broadcast. 

CARAT: Supporting Coaches and Players

The 2026 US Open marked SMT’s fourth year running CARAT at the tournament and its biggest expansion yet.

For the first time, CARAT was extended into qualifying and doubles, in addition to singles and wheelchair tennis. A total of 787 users were created, while the team trained 26 coaches supporting 24 players across the various draws.

CARAT also continues to demonstrate how SMT’s data and technology can move beyond traditional scoring and broadcast applications to provide practical information directly to players and their teams.

SMT provides production for the Arthur Ashe Superwall. Photo by Patricia G. Hopkins.

SMT operators Trevor Krech, Jamie Eisenberg and Kayla Harris manage RAZOR/chair umpire scoring system. Photo by Chris Hayes.

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHTS: RAZOR & CIS

Inside the US Open: Ana Román Dominguez on CARAT, CIS and RAZOR

RAZOR expands to coaches as CIS delivers more for commentators at the US Open

Thanks to Sr. Product Manager Ana Román Dominguez for contributing to this report and providing images.

The US Open has always been a proving ground for innovation, and since 2023, SMT’s CARAT coaching app has been at the center of a major shift in tennis coaching. Now in its fourth year, the 2026 version of the app was provided to every coach at the tournament.

The Coach’s App integrates official US Open statistics with a three-level interface with live tracking and video replay, giving coaches a comprehensive view of every match.

For Sr. Product Manager Ana Román Dominguez, the 2026 US Open offered another opportunity to see how small improvements in access, training and usability can make a real difference for coaches, players and commentators.

This was Ana's fourth year at the US Open and the fourth year supporting CARAT at the event. This year marked the biggest expansion yet, with CARAT extending into qualifying and doubles for the first time with 787 users created overall.

The expansion was particularly well received by doubles coaches, several of whom expressed appreciation that the technology was finally available for their draws.

“The doubles coaches were genuinely thrilled,” Ana shared. “A few thanked us just for finally building something for their draws and giving them some ‘love.’ ”

Ana trained 26 coaches supporting 24 players across singles, doubles and wheelchair tennis. Among them was Conchita Martinez, coach of Mirra Andreeva, who had been hesitant to use CARAT. After sitting down with Martinez to walk through the platform, Ana said the coach quickly saw the advantages.

Shortly before one of Andreeva’s matches, Martinez contacted Ana for help creating a video playlist. She wanted Andreeva to watch a playlist of her serves from matches she had won to help put her in a winning mindset before taking the court.

“It was awesome and a good example of coaches actually building the tool into their in-tournament routine,” she said.

RAZOR Expands to Coaches

RAZOR also reached a new audience at the US Open, available to coaches for the first time at the event in addition to its established media users. A total of 1,102 users were created.

The US Open was the fourth Grand Slam in 2026 in which media used RAZOR, giving researchers and other users a consistent, familiar tool from tournament to tournament.

Ana said researchers continue to use RAZOR to build storylines for broadcasters, while comprehensive data across every draw remains one of the platform’s most valued features.

“Having data across every draw keeps coming up as the reason it works for them,” she said.

The experience at the US Open provided another opportunity for the product team to gather feedback directly from users and identify ways to make SMT’s tennis technology more useful, accessible and intuitive.

Commentators use CIS in the booth. Photo by Ana Román Dominguez.

Getting CIS Into the Hands of Commentators

Ana also focused on CIS, making sure the world-feed commentators had the training and support needed to help them quickly access information to add context and insight to live coverage.

"This year, we trained all 48 of them and were on hand daily answering questions and helping them get the most out of it,” Ana said.

The early feedback was strong:

• 4.5/5 — Satisfaction with CIS
• 4.4/5 — Likelihood of requesting CIS next year
• 8.3/10 — Likelihood of requesting CIS at other tournaments

Five commentators also followed up individually to thank the team for the service and on-site support.

One consistent theme was the value of having comprehensive information across the entire tournament, not just the marquee singles draws.

“Excellent, best and most comprehensive tennis data tablet I have seen.” — Lee Goodall

“Great to have this for the Juniors and wheelchairs too.” — Candy Reid

“I enjoyed using it and found it clean and simple, easy to navigate.” — Josh Eagle

CLIENT SPOTLIGHT: NETFLIX

SMT takes NFL tech Down Under for Netflix's historic Aussie game

Thanks to Naomi Pridgen, Remote Tech II, and Danny Baker, Coordinating Producer, for contributing to this report and providing images. Thanks to Shaun Bales, Video Editor, for the highlight reel.

SMT took its NFL production expertise across the globe this month, supporting Netflix and NBC for the NFL’s first-ever regular-season game in Australia, as the San Francisco 49ers faced the Los Angeles Rams at Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).

The Sept. 10 game in the U.S. (Sept. 11 in Melbourne) drew 100,021 fans to the historic MCG, ranking as the seventh-most attended regular-season game in NFL history. The Netflix broadcast averaged 18.5 million viewers in the U.S. and 21.7 million globally, with viewers across more than 200 countries and territories. In Australia, it became the country’s most-watched NFL game ever.

For SMT, the event represented another step in its growing international NFL support.

"While we have supported NBC’s NFL international productions in Brazil over the past two years, Australia presented a new set of logistical and technical challenges — including a 15-hour time difference and a venue being converted from Australian football to American football," shared Remote Technician II Naomi Pridgen.

Preparing for the trip

The work began weeks before the SMT team headed to Melbourne. At NBC’s Stamford, Conn., headquarters, Coordinating Producer Danny Baker led a weeklong “bootcamp” designed to make sure SMT’s technology and workflow were ready for the international production.

“For a week, we integrated the Viz graphic insert package with our QBStat system, ensuring the interface was working exactly as intended and functionality was exactly where it needed to be before taking our talents to the other side of the world,” Danny said.

The team also worked through Netflix’s new 2026 scorebug design, testing everything from timing and sizing to animation speed, fluidity and fonts.

“Every possible aspect of the bug was scrutinized and we passed the test,” Danny said.

Marcus Brown, Director of Remote Operations, played a key role in the testing as the QBStat operator, building pages of graphics for AE Live to test and refining messages and integration into the Viz system.

“There were very few notes for SMT at the end of it all going into Australia,” Danny said. “A very tenacious but necessary feat for all organizations involved.”

The bootcamp also gave the SMT team an opportunity to work directly with the Netflix production team and understand how the various groups would work together once they arrived in Melbourne.

SMT's Netflix crew, from left to right: Marcus Brown, Derek Schwebel, John McDonald, Naomi Pridgen, Josh Berntsen and Craig Choka.

Six SMT team members, one very different football field

Because of the time difference and the scale of the production, SMT expanded its Australia crew to six people. In addition to Naomi and Marcus, the crew included Sr. Remote Operator Josh Berntsen; FTEN Specialist John McDonald; Head Utility Derek Schwebel; and Client Services Project Coordinator Craig Choka.

The team provided several of the familiar elements viewers saw throughout the broadcast, including the 1st-and-Ten lines, teles and scorebug.

A global game with a very early kickoff

The 10:35 a.m. local kickoff created another unusual element for the SMT team. With Melbourne 15 hours ahead of the U.S., the crew had to adapt to a production schedule that was essentially reversed from a typical NFL Thursday night.

The 49ers ultimately defeated the Rams 27-7 with the game going down in history as the NFL's first regular-season game in Australia and the most-watched NFL game ever in the country.

For Naomi, the venue itself was one of the most memorable parts of the experience.

Photos by Naomi Pridgen

The MCG is steeped in Australian sporting history, having hosted events including the 1956 Summer Olympics and countless cricket and Australian football matches. For the NFL game, the venue was transformed in remarkably short order, with the oval Australian football field converted for American football and decorated with Rams and 49ers branding.

“It was a first for everyone,” Naomi said. “There are always challenges with being in a new venue and new area.”

The contrast between the two versions of football was obvious. Australian football is played on a large oval field with multiple goal posts, while the American game required a significantly smaller rectangular playing surface.  

LEAGUE SPOTLIGHT: BIG 12

SMT enhances Big 12 with bug, FTEN

Thanks to Micah Edwards, Operations Intern, for contributing to this report and to Shaun Bales, Video Editor, for the highlight reel.

SMT is supporting Big 12 football broadcasts this season with 1st & Ten virtual line system and bug graphics. While much of the FTEN operation is managed remotely from ROOSTER, SMT team members handle the initial setup and calibration onsite to ensure the system is ready to go on game day.

For FTEN, operators calibrate three cameras, align the bluefield with the field and test the tracking before each game. Once approved by the director, the system is designed to be essentially plug-and-play, with a single operator monitoring and running FTEN during the broadcast. SMT also supports the bug, providing technical support and troubleshooting as needed.

Recent games have gone smoothly, with strong calibration and clean first-down lines on screen. The team’s preparation allows SMT to provide consistent, reliable graphics support from setup through kickoff.

IN THE NEWS: SVG

TNT Sports Steps Up Big 12 Football Production With 1080p HDR, SpiderCam, Expanded Camera Package

Year 2 of Big 12 coverage opened at West Virginia with a larger technical complement, centralized graphics workflow, and SMT integration

By: Brandon Costa, Director of Digital, SVG
September 3, 2026 

College football is becoming a bigger part of the fall at TNT Sports.

Entering its third season in the sport — and second as a weekly home for the Big 12 — TNT Sports is strengthening its production package in 2026 with a move to 1080p HDR, an expanded camera complement, SpiderCam, additional super-slo-mo, and a new graphics workflow.

“This is a big deal for us on the technology front,” says Chris Brown, VP, technology and operation, Warner Bros. Discovery. “We really want to continue to put our best foot forward with football. We’re definitely excited about football — all things football.”

TNT Sports is also changing some of the infrastructure behind its college-football graphics.

SMT will handle the scorebug as well as the first-and-10 line, allowing TNT Sports to more closely integrate the data feeding both elements. The change is primarily technological rather than a redesign of the on-air scorebug.

“It’s the plumbing going into it,” says Brown. “Combining the two, being able to link the data between the two and gain some efficiencies in technology within SMT’s ecosystem for football, we’re pretty excited to take advantage of that.”

EMMY AWARD SPOTLIGHT: EXCELLENCE IN PRODUCTION TECHNOLOGY

Will Moran, Danny Baker, Shaun Bales and Melissa Rios collaborated on this video that was included in the Emmy submission to demonstrate SMT's products.

SMT nominated for Emmy award for Excellence in Production Technology 

SMT has been nominated for a 2026 Excellence in Production Technology — Application Emmy Award for its work on Prime Vision NFL’s Thursday Night Football (TNF). The competitive category, presented by the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS), recognizes the innovative application of science and engineering technology to produce television in new and unique ways.

As the technology integration partner for Amazon Prime Video’s alternative TNF broadcast, SMT brings together player tracking, AI and machine learning, computer vision, analytics and real-time graphics to create a deeper, more analytical viewing experience. SMT’s technology synchronizes millions of data points and complex analytics into live visualizations that help viewers understand player movement, routes, pressure development, defensive vulnerabilities and other aspects of the game.

Prime Vision is one of four nominees in this year’s category. The winner will be announced Oct. 14 at the 2026 Engineering, Science & Technology Emmy Awards ceremony at the Television Academy’s Saban Media Center in North Hollywood, Calif. CEO Gerard J. Hall and Corp. VP, Marketing & Branding, Patricia G. Hopkins will attend the ceremony on behalf of SMT.

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Events and Remote Teams

We are staffing 38 events this week. Safe travels to all!

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