EVENT SPOTLIGHT: BOSTON MARATHON

SMT helps runners fundraise for charities at Boston Marathon

Thanks to Steven de Haseth, Director, Business Development, for contributing to this report. Thanks to Shaun Bales for the highlight reel.

On Monday, April 21, the world turned its eyes to Boston as the 129th Boston Marathon brought together elite athletes, enthusiastic spectators and a rich legacy of endurance and community spirit. As in years past, SMT was on the ground delivering its signature blend of technology and creativity to elevate the experience for fans, athletes, media and VIPs.

As one of the seven Abbott World Marathon Majors, the Boston Marathon is a cornerstone of international racing, annually drawing over 500,000 spectators and awarding more than $850,000 in prize money. For the 2025 race, SMT expanded its offerings with new LED production services and continued to serve as a trusted partner to the Boston Athletic Association (B.A.A.).

SMT’s footprint at this year’s marathon was extensive, spanning multiple key areas of the course and race infrastructure:

• Finish Line Display: At the heart of the action on Boylston Street, SMT built and produced content for the LED display that featured live race coverage, sponsor loops, leaderboards and real-time updates to keep spectators informed and energized.

• Photobridge Display: Positioned for optimal visibility, this display offered an additional platform for live visuals and messaging as runners approached the finish.

• Media Center Video Wall: Located inside the Fairmont Copley Square Hotel, this LED wall delivered a quad-split view of the event’s top feeds, giving media outlets comprehensive coverage of the men’s and women’s races.

• VIP Hospitality Displays: Within the Boston Public Library’s VIP area, SMT provided LCD displays showcasing live race footage, sponsor content and race stats, enhancing the experience for invited guests.

• Invitational Mile Production: SMT produced content for both the finish line and photobridge displays during this elite and youth-focused track event held as part of race weekend.

• Streaming and Broadcast Services: SMT’s robust streaming solutions helped distribute content seamlessly to digital platforms, ensuring a global audience could follow the action in real time. On the broadcast side, SMT provided the ticker and pointer graphics to ESPN and local ABC affiliate WCVB.

New for 2025

This year, new LED display production services were provided for the Fan Fest display at City Hall Plaza and two on-course displays at Mile 10 (Natick) and Mile 22.2 (Charlesgate). SMT managed production from a centralized hub at the Finish Line and distributed the content via encoded video signals.

Another new addition was the integration of automated bib-triggered messaging on the on-course displays. When pre-selected charity runners crossed a corresponding timing mat, a personalized cheer message appeared on screen along with a QR code encouraging spectators to donate to that runner’s chosen charity, giving runners an extra boost of encouragement while helping raise awareness and funds for meaningful causes.

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT: TICKER

Keeping the beat at Coachella with seamless ticker integration

Thanks to Coordinating Producer Danny Baker for contributing to this report and the photos.

Every April, the Empire Polo Club in Indio, Calif., transforms into the epicenter of music, fashion, and culture for the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival. With over 100,000 fans flocking to the desert for two jam-packed weekends, Coachella has become more than just a music festival — it's a cultural phenomenon. For those watching from home, SMT once again ensured fans received an immersive experience.

Back for the third year in partnership with Springboard Productions, SMT played a key role in enhancing the festival’s YouTube livestream.

Danny's expertise helped guide online audiences through the rotating lineup of performances with real-time updates, artist information, and scheduling cues.

Over the course of nine-hour livestreams each day, the ticker offered seamless integration between sets and across stages. With 144 performers spread over seven stages, including headliners like Lady Gaga, Charli XCX, Post Malone, and Benson Boone, the need for accurate, timely and visually consistent information was critical.

Delivering that polished experience wasn’t without its technical hurdles. Just a week before the event, SMT was notified of a format change to 1080psf 23.98, a shift that came too late for SMT to modify its platform. Initial attempts by NEP to convert SMT’s 1080p 59.94 output revealed visual artifacts, prompting a swift response. SMT reconfigured its GEMLive scene design to support 1080p natively, resolving the transmission concerns and ensuring a smooth on-air display.

Despite the challenges, SMT’s contribution to Coachella 2025 was a standout success. Danny's leadership, combined with collaborative support from the production team — notably Account Manager Taelor Sanders and Software Architect Tom Hagen — kept the show running smoothly. 

BROADCAST SPOTLIGHT: NASCAR TRUCKS 

SMT powers first-ever live broadcast using NASCAR OnTrack Leaderboard feed at CW Xfinity Rockingham

Thanks to TJ Zimmerman, Remote Operations Technician II, for contributing to this report. Thanks to Video Editor Shaun Bales for the highlight reel.

The first successful on-air use of the NASCAR OnTrack Leaderboard feed aired during the CW Xfinity Series race at Rockingham on April 18–19.

Hosted at the NASCAR Productions Studio in Charlotte, this standalone Trucks race—held separately from the NASCAR Cup Series—presented a unique challenge: the primary data provider who typically supplies tracking information was not on-site. This made the successful deployment of SMT’s NASCAR OnTrack feed all the more critical.

The OnTrack feed, which uses embedded timing lines in the racetrack to track vehicles via transponders, has long been in development. Thanks to recent fixes made by Matt Jones, the system was finally ready for primetime. This technology allows SMT to provide real-time data from multiple points around the track—not just the start/finish line—creating a richer, more dynamic viewing experience.

“Our use of the OnTrack feed during the Rockingham race allowed us to highlight passes and positioning changes live on the pylon,” said TJ Zimmerman, Remote Operations Technician II. “Without it, we would have only had data when the trucks crossed the start/finish line. This was a game changer.”

Special thanks go to TJ Zimmermann and Nick Rider, VP, Tech Support, for their on-site work during the event, particularly Nick for his contributions to SMT’s first Trucks race fully run out of the Charlotte studio. While a few small bugs were noted for follow-up, the overall success of the feed’s debut has led CW to request its use again—this time for qualifying splits at the upcoming standalone race in Portland.

With more accurate and comprehensive data coverage now available for NASCAR broadcasts, SMT continues to drive innovation in motorsports storytelling, delivering the action in real time, wherever it happens on the track.

SMT DATA CHALLENGE: DEADLINE FOR ENTRY

2025 SMT Data Challenge registration deadline April 30

The 2025 SMT Data Challenge is upon us! We have a strong showing, with 120 registered so far. There are students from all over, coming from 57 schools in 25 US states, 2 Canadian provinces, the UK, and Taiwan. Of those, 13 students are from North Carolina: 10 from UNC, two from NC State, one from Wake Forest and one from Charlotte.

The Data Challenge is open to students 18 or older, enrolled through Fall 2025. Students can register at https://www.info2smt.com/register-2025datachallenge through April 30.

We encourage you to share the registration link with any interested students, advisors, or people who just think it’s a great opportunity!

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Events and Remote Teams

We are staffing 41 events this week. Safe travels to all!

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