The competition takes place on the iRacing platform from 25 August - 29 September

The Supercars Australia Eseries studio

Gravity Media will deliver the technical infrastructure and facilities for the Supercars Eseries this month.

Running from 25 August - 29 September, the competition sees a mix of Supercars main game drivers and elite sim racers go head-to-head on the iRacing platform for a top prize of over $20,000 (£10,670).

The work will be completed from Gravity Media’s Production Centres in Melbourne (PCM) and Sydney (PCS), with the latter acting as the main hub. The Sydney base has a dedicated studio setup housing a 10m x 2.5m LED wall to display various feeds managed from the control room, while in Melbourne a single camera, commentary kit and 103” Live Screen background will house the two main commentators – with audio embedded onto separate tracks via the camera feed and sent via a direct fibre service to the Sydney facility. 

A dedicated IP audio circuit between PCM and PCS will facilitate the live commentary, as well as accommodating production and technical communications between the two facilities.

Gravity Media's control room for Supercars Australia Eseries

The production is complicated due to a government lockdown in New South Wales, where Sydney is located. As a result, Gravity Media will supply communications to the remote support team for the gaming equipment - which consists of an IP system enabling the remote team to speak directly to the director, producer and onsite operators from within the control room at PCS.

In addition, cameras will be integrated via Zoom to allow the producer to select individual drivers during the races and interview them afterwards through communications integrated into PCS via Discord.

The broadcast will be sent to FoxSports to be integrated on its Foxtel channel, Kayo on its IP sports platform and Network 7 for its IP service 7Plus in Australia. Also, a live stream of the control room will be encoded for feeds on Facebook, Twitch and YouTube.

The Supercars Australia Eseries studio

Nathan Prendergast, general manager - television & content at Supercars Australia, said: “We’re very pleased to be working with Gravity Media on this event. The company’s unparalleled experience and expertise in delivering high-quality broadcast infrastructures made it the perfect choice. This project may have thrown up a few unexpected challenges, but we have no doubt this will be a fantastic event that delivers a top-quality experience for our fans.”

Ben Madgwick, director of media services & facilities, Gravity Media Australia, added: “Esports is continuing to grow rapidly, so we’re delighted to be involved in such a high-profile event at this exciting time for the industry. Although the ongoing complexities of running a production in a COVID world – particularly with recent local lockdowns – presented some challenges to overcome, our team is well versed in adapting to any situation and providing innovative solutions that ensure the best possible delivery.”