The initiative is designed to support and develop the next generation of professionals in sports production and media technology

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Grass Valley has launched a training initiative called The Future Playmakers Program, which it describes as a “global initiative designed to support and develop the next generation of professionals in sports production and media technology”. 

The Future Playmakers Program has been built to help students gain practical experience while enabling higher education institutions to strengthen their production programs with access to professional-grade tools and workflows. 

It combines scholarships, hands-on learning, technology access, and institutional collaboration.

Grass Valley will select up to 10 students annually from participating partner institutions. Initially this will be within the USA but Grass Valley plans to roll it out to other territories over time.

Selected students will receive financial support alongside access to learning opportunities designed to bridge the gap between academic study and real-world production environments. 

A central component of the program is the Grass Valley Montreal Technology Experience, where students will engage directly with the company’s technology and teams. The experience includes a factory tour, hands-on product demonstrations across cameras, production switchers, AMPP, and orchestration solutions, as well as live production workflow sessions and access to industry experts. 

“Developing the next generation of talent is critical to the future of our industry,” said Jon Wilson, CEO of Grass Valley. “The Future Playmakers Program is about giving students real access to the tools, workflows, and experiences that define modern live production, while strengthening our partnerships with the institutions shaping that future workforce.” 

“The industry is evolving quickly, and there is a clear need for talent that understands both production and technology,” adds Greg Doggett, vice president of sales, NAM Sports, Grass Valley. “This program is designed to give students that exposure early, while helping higher education institutions build programs that reflect how live production operates today and gaining important exposure to where the industry is headed.”