Securing the rights to broadcast the US Open from every court posed a challenge at SuperTennis calling for robust, automated multi-channel playout across platforms and services.
Case Study from Pebble
www.pebble.tv
When SuperTennis secured the rights to broadcast the 2025 US Open across every court, it wasn't just a coup for Italian tennis fans. It was also a significant technical challenge that would test the broadcaster's capabilities to their limits. As the media arm of the Italian Tennis and Padel Federation, SuperTennis knew its audience would expect nothing less than flawless coverage of one of tennis' four Grand Slams.
SuperTennis has built its reputation as Italy's top provider for all things tennis, offering a free-to-air television channel that covers a broad range of national and international matches, including the most prestigious tournaments on the calendar. During peak periods, the broadcaster expands its coverage through multiple streaming services, ensuring fans never miss a moment of the action. In 2025, this multi-platform approach allowed them to deliver complete coverage of the US Open, making SuperTennis the ultimate destination for tennis enthusiasts across Italy.
Managing Complex Coverage Across Multiple Time Zones and Platforms
The logistics were formidable. Holding the rights to the US Open meant SuperTennis needed to provide comprehensive coverage that reflected both live action and carefully packaged programmes to accommodate the six-hour time difference between New York and Italy. This meant managing multiple simultaneous live feeds from different courts and coordinating them seamlessly with live reports from correspondents on the ground in New York, while also managing studio presentation back in Rome.
All of this had to be achieved to the highest technical standards, without any interruption, and with latency reduced to the lowest possible levels. For a broadcaster whose reputation rests on delivering premium tennis content to a demanding and knowledgeable audience, anything less than perfection would be unacceptable.
Automation That Rises to the Occasion
SuperTennis sought a solution that would provide robust automation support for multi-channel playout across their terrestrial, satellite, streaming and smart TV services. The system needed to be instantly flexible to accommodate peaks in coverage when multiple courts were in simultaneous action. It also had to provide direct integration with existing editorial and production systems, minimising risk while simplifying complex workflows that could otherwise become overwhelming during live coverage.
The broadcaster chose Pebble Automation, working in tandem with multiple instances of the Pebble Integrated Channel playout engine. This combination served as the flexible, resilient foundation SuperTennis required to manage its extensive US Open coverage effectively. The system was expertly developed and delivered by CVE, a leading Italian systems integrator and established Pebble partner in the region.
Pebble Automation draws on extensive industry experience and is now recognised as one of the most highly regarded playout platforms available in the broadcast market. It gives users a stable, highly configurable environment, built around the fundamental expectations of high resilience and security that are essential for live broadcasting. Integrated Channel incorporates sophisticated signal processing capabilities, mixing sources in multiple formats and adding high quality dynamic graphics, all while maintaining seamless, frame-accurate outputs that meet the most exacting broadcast standards.
Simplifying Complex Workflows under Pressure
For SuperTennis, this meant gaining precise control of both live and recorded feeds, as well as effectively managing the ingest of unpredictable content as matches progressed and finished at different times. The intuitive user interface greatly simplified both asset management and the construction of playlists, which of necessity could only be compiled close to transmission time given the dynamic nature of live sport.
CVE played a crucial role in coordinating the integration between Pebble systems and the existing infrastructure at SuperTennis, ensuring both technical compatibility and optimised workflows that would stand up to the pressure of live tournament coverage. The close collaboration between Pebble, CVE and SuperTennis teams ensured a highly efficient project delivery that met all deadlines and exceeded expectations.
Coverage that Strengthened Audience Trust
Providing coverage of the US Open represented a very high profile period for SuperTennis. Audience expectation was incredibly high, and Italian tennis fans were looking forward to comprehensive access to one of the sport's marquee events. Implementing automation from Pebble greatly simplified content management, reduced the need for operator interventions and increased precision across all outputs, which in turn boosted audience confidence and reliance on the quality of coverage they were receiving.
CVE and Pebble ensured a timely implementation without disrupting the other important work the broadcaster is involved in throughout the year. Commissioning the new technology well in advance allowed SuperTennis to complete its preparations thoroughly, working through extensive tests and simulations as well as rehearsing with the full crew under realistic conditions. The powerful support of Pebble Automation allowed SuperTennis production teams to focus on editorial quality and storytelling, confident in the stability and reliability of the underlying playout platform.
The Result That Mattered Most
In summary, the new installation allowed SuperTennis to deliver a significantly better product to its demanding and passionate audience. The output was smooth and completely uninterrupted, even during complex interchanges between multiple locations and when creating multiple outputs simultaneously for different platforms. Italian audiences enjoyed comprehensive, uninterrupted coverage that captured the full drama and excitement of the tournament from the very first serve to the final championship point.
For SuperTennis, the investment in automation didn't just solve an immediate technical challenge. It demonstrated what becomes possible when the right technology meets ambitious broadcasting goals, strengthening the broadcaster's relationship with its audience and setting a new benchmark for tennis coverage in Italy. www.pebble.tv
Case Study from Pebble
www.pebble.tv
