‘Pylon cameras’ during championship game give ESPN more angles for viewers, potential reviews

ARLINGTON, Texas – There are some high-tech pylons marking the end zones at the College Football Playoff championship game.

ESPN is set up to use “pylon cameras” during Monday night’s broadcast. There were two wireless cameras in the pylons in each of the four corners of the end zone, 16 extra cameras in all.

Ed Placey, a senior co-ordinating producer for ESPN, said the cameras provide extra angles for viewers to see, and can be utilized by officials in the case of replay reviews and challenges.

“We’ll be well-covered for anything even without it, but to have that extra layer on that, it’s a pretty impressive shot when you see it,” Placey said. “It’s in your face when you see it.”

The technology was tested during the network’s broadcast of the Football Championship Subdivision title game Saturday.

The pylon cameras are positioned to film the goal lines, sideline boundaries on each side and the back of the end zone. They are in addition to the roughly 60 cameras the network was using for the game matching Ohio State and Oregon.

Placey said NCAA officials were supportive of the extra cameras. He said they embraced it as long as it was safe and “wasn’t something that would disrupt the game if it was somehow dislodged,” he said.