SMT 2026 Q1 Top 10 Highlights

As we kick off 2026, SMT continues to deliver innovative technology for our clients across all sports. From building on our 34-year partnership with Tennis Australia to enhancing IndyCar broadcasts with our vector technology, our teams are making a global impact. We’re celebrating our 25th year powering The Players with our largest LED deployment ever and marking other big anniversaries with our 25th year at Daytona. This quarter’s newsletter highlights these achievements and more as SMT continues to push the boundaries of what’s possible in the world of sports!

BROADCAST SPOTLIGHT: DESERT DOUBLE AT PHOENIX RACEWAY

1. Historic 'Desert Double' set the stage for SMT's NASCAR data comeback at Darlington

The inaugural “Desert Double” at Phoenix Raceway brought the NTT IndyCar Series and NASCAR Cup Series together on one track for a landmark weekend, with SMT delivering tracking, graphics and analytics support across both broadcasts.

Deployed across multiple mobile units and production trucks, SMT teams supported FOX’s coverage. debuting a new visualization tool. GhostCar 2.0 compared laps across both stock cars and open-wheel racing, airing during NASCAR Cup qualifying and multiple IndyCar qualifying sessions. 

For IndyCar, SMT introduced GPS vectors in the cars this season, providing more reliable and robust tracking data even for the more challenging street and road courses. IndyCar NTT teams are also using Team Analytics this season to assist their drivers.

The event drew strong viewership and fan engagement, offering a rare crossover between the two series and reinforcing the value of integrated data and broadcast enhancements.

Beyond the numbers, the Desert Double delivered something fans rarely see: two different forms of motorsport sharing the same stage. Drivers from both series attended each other’s races, and fans had the rare chance to experience stock cars and open-wheel racing in one weekend.

Behind the scenes, Phoenix also served as a key validation moment for NASCAR tracking. That momentum carried into the following weekend at Darlington, where SMT’s vector-based GPS system returned as the primary source of race tracking data across all three national series, ensuring high-precision, real-time analytics for NASCAR competition.

IN THE NEWS: SVG

FOX Sports Waves Green Flag on 2026 IndyCar Season With Driver’s Eye, Heads Up Display, Live Drones

A ton of pertinent information is needed to understand racing strategies or the pressures placed on the shoulders of every driver, including speed, G-force, and throttle management. 

FOX will bring back the Ghost Car full-screen CG system, a fan favorite last season, to show any car comparisons that production desires. Also returning is the Mario Kart-style in-car Ghost Car setup, which composites a ghosted car within the in-car camera — all provided by SMT.

– By Kristian Hernandez, Sr. Editor, SVG • Posted: Feb 27, 2026 

BROADCAST SPOTLIGHT: THE OLYMPIC GAMES

2. Connecting data and emotion: Powering NBC's Olympic coverage

SMT’s Spectator Biometrics returned after its debut at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, expanding to 27 kits across multiple sports during the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympic Games.

Using wrist-worn heart-rate monitors, the system captured real-time biometric data from athletes’ families and coaches, transforming it into live graphics. Enhanced integration allowed NBC Sports to more seamlessly incorporate these emotional insights into coverage—bringing viewers closer to the human side of competition.

SMT also supported NBC Sports’ broader Olympic production, delivering real-time results, timing, data integration and production workflows across a highly distributed environment. While events unfolded across Italy, much of the production was driven from Stamford, Connecticut, highlighting coordination between SMT’s on-site team in Milan and its remote operations.

At the International Broadcast Centre, SMT worked with Olympic Broadcasting Services and Omega Timing to ingest official data, which was transmitted in real time to Stamford for processing and integration into NBC’s graphics systems. From speed skating to freestyle skiing, SMT’s configurable systems translated complex data into broadcast-ready visuals—powering scorebugs, leaderboards and in-depth analysis.

Together, SMT’s on-site and remote teams created a continuous pipeline from venue to viewer, ensuring accurate, timely storytelling across NBC, Peacock and digital platforms—continuing a decades-long partnership with NBC Sports.

IN THE NEWS: CAROLINA ALUMNI REVIEW

The Pulse Behind the Olympics

SMT Coordinating Producer Jackson Jones, UNC Class of '18, leads a broadcast initiative called “biometrics,” which relies on 27 heart rate kits positioned across select Olympic venues, including curling, figure skating, aerials and moguls, the snow park and alpine skiing. The heart rate monitors aren’t for athletes; they’re for the people watching them.

His main on-the-ground focus is figure skating, a premier sport that comes with its own dedicated production crew, and a spotlight that doesn’t allow for mistakes. In a sport defined by razor-thin margins and soaring emotion, the biometric overlay turns the broadcast into something closer to a shared heartbeat.

That emotional payoff is why Jones is doing this.

“For competing athletes, the Olympics are even more so driven by friends and family and coaches,” he said. “It’s very difficult to do that without a strong support system… so to see the raw emotion of a parent, of a coach, of a sibling who’s watching someone who’s been competing in their sport for a long time do so at the highest level really adds a more human element to the broadcast.”

— By Lauren Schutter, Carolina Alumni Review

LEAGUE SPOTLIGHT: NHL

3. SMT elevates NHL tentpole events in Q1

Over the past three months, SMT continued to expand its role across the NHL’s premier events, delivering innovative technology and reliable execution in some of the most complex environments the league has staged.

Winter Classic: At the Winter Classic in Miami, SMT marked its seventh consecutive year supporting the event while reaching a major milestone with the first-ever outdoor deployment of aerial OPTICS. Building on prior indoor success, the team successfully tracked an aerial camera in an open-air stadium, overcoming shifting light conditions and tight calibration windows. A new multi-camera OPTICS workflow also debuted, allowing TNT to integrate enhanced camera feeds seamlessly into standard broadcast operations with minimal latency. Alongside these advancements, Puck and Player Tracking (PPT) continued to serve as the foundation for broadcast, in-venue, and league-facing applications, while expanded Live OPTICS multi-cam capabilities improved efficiency and creative flexibility.

Stadium Series: SMT carried that momentum into the Stadium Series in Tampa, its third consecutive year supporting the event with PPT. Tracking data powered a fully integrated ecosystem across broadcast, in-venue displays, replay, and American Sign Language productions. The team also engineered a custom 24:9 CG solution to match the stadium’s unique display configuration and developed pirate-themed player graphics that blended advanced analytics with the event’s creative direction. Building on the Winter Classic, aerial tracking elements were further incorporated into the overall presentation.

Both events presented unique operational challenges. In Tampa, SMT supported the NHL’s first outdoor game in a warm, roofless stadium, where the rink was constructed under a massive temporary tent. This required calibration on sub-ice aluminum flooring with built-in offsets and adjustments for obstructed camera sightlines, ultimately adding dozens of additional calibration points. With the environment still evolving up to game day, final system optimization was completed in real time alongside rink construction.

The continued evolution of PPT as a data backbone, combined with expanding OPTICS capabilities, highlights SMT’s growing impact on NHL broadcasts and reinforces its role as a trusted partner for the league’s most high-profile moments.

TOURNAMENT SPOTLIGHT: NCAA MEN'S BASKETBALL 

Operating from SMT's ROOSTER studio, SMT built the L-Bar graphic for CBS Sports HQ, entering matchups in real time as they were announced on air. 

4. Before the first buzzer sounds or a single bracket is busted, SMT is already in the game

SMT’s support of the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament tipped off on Selection Sunday, where a small but critical team worked behind the scenes of CBS Sports’ bracket reveal on streaming sports news network CBS Sports HQ.

Operating from SMT's ROOSTER studio, SMT team members built the official tournament bracket live, entering matchups in real time as they were announced on air. That data immediately powered CBS broadcast graphics, from L-Bar displays to automated bracket visuals, setting the foundation for the entire tournament.

It’s a high-pressure, high-precision moment, made even more complex by the need to work remotely. With CBS’ New York broadcast center locked down to prevent leaks, SMT operators supported the show from afar, accessing CBS systems to input and verify each matchup as it was revealed. As regions were completed, the data flowed instantly to air, ensuring viewers saw a seamless bracket come together in real time.

From that point forward, SMT’s role expands across every game of March Madness. As the exclusive provider of timing, scoring, and data-driven graphics for all 67 televised matchups, SMT technology underpins the broadcast experience across CBS and Turner networks. Systems like SportsCG and HoopStat deliver real-time clock, score, and statistical data, powering everything from on-screen graphics to in-depth analysis throughout each game.

Now in its 27th year supporting the tournament, SMT deploys teams to every site nationwide, with courtside spotters and data operators capturing each possession as it happens. Back in Durham, additional staff members monitor every game simultaneously, ensuring accuracy, synchronization, and system performance, creating an environment that’s equal parts control room and watch party as one of sports’ most exciting events unfolds.

IN THE NEWS: SVG

Controlled Chaos: Inside the Mighty Production Engine Behind the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament’s First Week

There are few events in sports — or television — that command the attention of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament. For fans, it’s a blur of buzzer-beaters, bracket chaos, and wall-to-wall action. For those behind the scenes, it’s something else entirely: one of the largest and most complex live-production efforts in sports.

“This is the one event where, no matter where you are — engineering, production management, transmission, tech ops — everybody is deployed,” says Jason Cohen, SVP, remote technical operations, CBS Sports. “Every tech manager in the arsenal is out there. Every production manager is working.”

Across those nine sites, that means hundreds of behind-the-scenes professionals — producers, directors, ADs, replay operators, engineers, broadcast associates — all working in parallel.

SMT supports the tournament’s graphics and data infrastructure, ensuring a consistent presentation across every game. Each site is equipped with dual SportCG graphics systems and HoopStat data platforms — with both primary and backup systems — along with dedicated SMT personnel handling real-time data input and verification."

By: Brandon Costa, Director of Digital• Posted on: Mar 19, 2026

BROADCAST SPOTLIGHT: NBA ON PRIME VISION

5. SMT delivers on both the global and domestic stages for Amazon Prime NBA games

What began as a successful launch of Amazon Prime Video’s NBA coverage in October has quickly evolved into a dynamic, data-driven Prime Vision experience. From domestic broadcasts to international games in London and Berlin, SMT continues to expand both the creative and technical scope of Amazon’s NBA coverage.

Amazon’s first international NBA broadcasts demonstrated SMT’s ability to scale its operations for a worldwide stage. From tailored graphics packages to multi-feed distribution, the team adapted its deliverables to meet the demands of a broadcast reaching more than 200 countries. SMT's Creative Studio pushed to make significant updates to the AR graphics, including a more user-friendly UI and new templates like the AR scoreboard featured during the London game.

On-site, SMT ops provided graphics and data support across both venues, delivering a consistent yet flexible production that aligned with Prime’s evolving NBA coverage. SMT delivered a full suite of solutions, including dual SportsCG clock-and-score feeds for domestic and international audiences, stats prompters for live data integration, AR graphics for lineups and player stats, and live-only OPTICS virtual elements such as shot distance and on-court shot clocks. Unlike domestic productions, which incorporate replay-based enhancements, the international shows prioritized clean, real-time visuals to ensure clarity across multiple global feeds.

"Both shows went really well from an execution standpoint and the communication between all teams was a key factor." Scott Karpen, Lead Producer, Amazon Prime Video Sports. "Just as exciting, the debut of Jumbotron! We’re buzzing with ideas on how to grow it and we’re excited about its potential.”

In parallel with its international efforts, SMT continued to evolve Prime Vision domestically. Recent broadcasts featured enhanced live OPTICS elements such as possession discs, automated shot trails, and real-time scoring tags alongside an expanded SportsCG package. A standout addition was the debut of the “Jumbo” bug, an animated lower-third that dynamically displays all 10 players on the court with integrated stats and operator-driven storytelling tools.

Supported by a combination of on-site crews and remote operators in Culver City, these innovations reflect SMT’s commitment to expanding the creative and technical possibilities of NBA coverage on Prime.

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT: RAZOR

6. RAZOR makes its Grand Slam debut at Australian Open

The 2026 Australian Open marked a major milestone for SMT: the first-ever Grand Slam production deployment of RAZOR, SMT’s next-generation IPTV and data visualization platform. Building on a 35-year partnership with Tennis Australia, SMT delivered an expanded bundle of services anchored by RAZOR to support one of the world’s most prestigious and complex tennis tournaments.

RAZOR: RAZOR replaced the long-running AO Vision system, bringing together live broadcast video and real-time tournament data into a single, interactive experience used by media, broadcasters, commentators and other stakeholders across Melbourne Olympic Park. For the first time at a Grand Slam, users can access live feeds from every court, along with draws, schedules, scores, statistics, match analysis, player bios, and player comparisons, all in one unified platform.

RAZOR is powered by Level 2 statistical data captured in real time by AO-trained professional statisticians working on site. These statisticians log every point across men’s and women’s singles, doubles, juniors, wheelchair events, etc., tracking serve direction and speed, return type, rally length, end-shot type and quality, and detailed match outcomes.

This data becomes the official statistical record of the tournament and flows directly into RAZOR, as well as into commentator tools like SMT's CARAT coaching app and Commentator Information Screen (CIS) tools, broadcast graphics, CCTV channels, and even betting feeds.

BROADCAST SPOTLIGHT: SMT & SUPER BOWL LX

7. SMT enhances Super Bowl LX broadcast with debut AR wind visualizations and new telestration look

For Super Bowl LX, SMT once again supported NBC Sports with a comprehensive deployment of real-time graphics, data integration, and analysis tools highlighted by two major presentation upgrades that elevate how the game is seen and understood.

A refreshed visual design for SMT’s DRAGON telestration system, now fully aligned with NBC’s new on-air graphics package, led the updates. Rolled out during the Wild Card round, the updated look gave production teams valuable time to refine animations, transitions, and workflows ahead of the biggest broadcast of the year, ensuring a seamless, polished presentation on game day.

Complementing the new telestration design was the debut of an AR wind visualization, powered by Unreal Engine and Weather Applied Metrics (WAM). Using real-time data from stadium-based sensors, the system translates wind speed and direction into simple, intuitive on-field graphics. Integrated with SkyCam and end-zone camera views, the visualization provides clear insight into how changing conditions can impact gameplay,  particularly in critical kicking situations.

Together, these enhancements reflect the continued evolution of SMT’s core technologies, including telestration, player tracking, and virtual graphics, through modernized design, new data sources, and tighter integration into live and replay workflows.

From in-game analysis to studio coverage and international feeds, SMT’s solutions remain central to NBC’s ability to deliver a dynamic, story-driven Super Bowl broadcast.

IN THE NEWS: SVG

SMT Brings New AR Weather Visualization, Refreshed Telestration to NBC Sports’ Super Bowl Game Coverage

A look inside the tech, tools, and team that make the Super Bowl into true eye candy

When Super Bowl LX kicks off on Sunday, SMT will once again sit directly inside NBC’s game-production workflow, delivering the real-time data, virtual graphics, and visualization tools that have become foundational to how football is explained on television.

For Super Bowl LX, SMT’s DRAGON production telestrators are rolling out a new visual treatment that matches NBC’s redesigned scorebug and insert package. 

The most visible innovation in SMT’s Super Bowl toolbox this year is a new AR wind visualization built on Unreal Engine and driven by live stadium-wide wind data from Weather Applied Metrics.

Wind sensors positioned around the stadium generate real-time wind speed and direction data, which SMT converts into on-air AR graphics displayed over optically tracked SkyCam and high–end-zone cameras. The visualization is designed to illustrate how wind behavior across different areas of the field can influence kicking strategy and outcomes.

Beyond the new AR layer, SMT’s Super Bowl deployment continues to revolve around tightly integrated telestration and player-tracking workflows.

The company supports multiple telestrators in both the booth and the production truck, allowing analysts and replay operators to move fluidly between first-look replays and illustrated breakdowns. The telestration layer is deeply embedded in NBC’s replay sequencing.

— Brandon Costa, Director of Digital • Posted on: Feb 8, 2026 

LEAGUE SPOTLIGHT: IMSA

8. SMT unveils new graphics look for IMSA as the 2026 season revs up

As the 2026 IMSA season got underway at the 64th Rolex 24 at Daytona, SMT introduced a refreshed broadcast graphics package designed to match the speed and complexity of modern endurance racing.

Developed by SMT Creative Studio, the new look emphasizes a streamlined, driver- and class-focused presentation, making it easier for fans to follow positions, team dynamics, and evolving race strategies in real time. A glass-inspired design framework keeps graphics unobtrusive, while dynamic class colors and motion elements drawn from the aerodynamic lines of the cars enhance clarity and reinforce a sense of speed and momentum.

The redesign builds on SMT’s decade-long partnership with IMSA. The updated package integrates a deeper layer of live data and storytelling tools, allowing broadcasts to better reflect on-track action as it unfolds.

The Rolex 24 marked the first full deployment of the complete graphics suite across IMSA’s World Feed, including a refined pylon, enhanced insert graphics, telemetry visuals, and full-screen elements. 

New elements for 2026—including sponsored slabs, driver lineup graphics with car art, refined telemetry displays, and qualifying split graphics—provided additional flexibility for broadcasters while delivering more engaging insights for fans.

NEW BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT: TGL

9. SMT tees off with TGL, powering Tiger and Rory's new league

SMT stepped into the future of golf this season, supporting the innovative TGL (Tomorrow’s Golf League). The high-tech, team-based league blends simulation with live short-game play inside the purpose-built SoFi Center. SMT secured a three-year agreement to rebuild TGL’s core on-air graphics package, including a new scorebug and dynamic, data-driven elements.

Because TGL reimagines traditional golf, SMT developed an entirely new sport model to support it. Using GEMStat and GEMLive, the team created a system tailored to TGL’s head-to-head, team-based format. This foundation powers a range of new broadcast elements, including the scorebug, “Nerd Lines” shot data, Green Zone distance-to-pin visuals, and GEM-driven scoring insights, delivering a streamlined and intuitive experience for both operators and fans.

SMT supported the league’s opening matches on site, embedding team members for rehearsals and early broadcasts to ensure a smooth rollout. Following the successful launch, operations are now transitioning to remote support from ROOSTER in Durham, marking another milestone in SMT’s ability to scale and adapt workflows for emerging sports and next-generation broadcast environments.

CONTEST SPOTLIGHT: DATA CHALLENGE

SMT Data Challenge Coordinator Billy Fryer discusses the origin of the contest and how it has evolved throughout its five-year history.

10. SMT Data Challenge launches Year 5 with fresh prompt, tutoring and new website

The SMT Data Challenge returns for its fifth year in 2026 with new features aimed at enhancing the student experience and expanding its impact. This year’s competition introduces a new website, expanded learning resources, and a creative theme, “On the Big Screen!” focused on storytelling through scoreboard graphics.

Participants will also benefit from a revamped tutorial series covering the full data science workflow, from research design to coding in R and Python and presenting insights. Using real Minor League tracking data powered by SMT’s 6th Tool, students develop original baseball analytics projects with real-world applications.

Organized by SMT Sr. Data Scientist Dr. Meredith Wills, the program now supports students from 23 universities and continues to serve as a strong pipeline into the sports industry. In 2025 alone, 11 participants secured professional roles within weeks, contributing to a growing track record of career placement across MLB clubs, teams, and sports technology companies.