Golf Channel / NBC Sports

The Challenge

Golf Channel, part of the NBC Sports family, broadcasts live golf tournaments from courses around the world — from PGA Tour events and major championships to international tournaments. Their production teams travel to approximately 30 to 40 events per year, hauling equipment from venue to venue across vastly different climates and conditions. From the heat and humidity of summer tournaments in the Southeast to rain-soaked coastal courses and arid desert layouts, the equipment must perform reliably regardless of environment.

Before working with Bigfoot, the Golf Channel production crews used traditional road cases and temporary rack setups that required approximately 30 to 45 minutes of assembly at each tour stop. A crew of three to four technicians was needed to unpack, assemble, cable, and verify the production equipment before coverage could begin. With the tournament broadcast schedule leaving tight windows between arrival and air time, this setup process created unnecessary pressure on production teams. The systems also needed to be instantly recognizable as Golf Channel equipment on location — branded, organized, and ready for broadcast-quality production at a moment's notice — particularly important at venues where multiple broadcast organizations share production compounds and loading dock areas.

The Solution

Bigfoot built custom Double Rack PLUS systems with full Golf Channel and NBC Sports branding applied directly to the panels. Each system features the NBC peacock logo and GOLF wordmark, drawer storage for production accessories, and the rugged construction needed for tour-stop-to-tour-stop deployment. The dual-rack configuration provides ample space for broadcast switchers, replay servers, graphics systems, and audio equipment, while the integrated hinged lid with monitor mounts gives operators immediate access to their full monitoring array the moment the system is opened.

The branding is not just cosmetic — it identifies the equipment instantly on crowded production floors and loading docks, preventing mix-ups with other broadcast gear at shared venues. The systems were built with weather-resistant considerations including sealed panel edges and protected ventilation paths to handle the outdoor and semi-outdoor production environments common at golf tournaments. Custom drawer storage keeps small accessories, cables, adapters, and production paperwork organized and accessible without requiring additional cases or bags. Power distribution was configured with the specific circuit requirements of Golf Channel's standard equipment loadout, including clean power for sensitive digital replay systems.

The Build

The Results

Golf Channel's Bigfoot systems have traveled to tournaments across the country, providing reliable mobile production platforms that look as professional as the broadcast they support. Setup time at each tournament venue was reduced from approximately 30 to 45 minutes down to under 10 minutes, and the deployment crew was reduced from three or four technicians to two. Across an estimated 30 to 40 tournament deployments per year, this efficiency gain translates to hundreds of saved crew hours annually.

The branded carts are now a fixture of Golf Channel's on-location production setup, immediately identifiable on shared production compounds. The systems have proven durable enough for years of constant road use while maintaining the clean, branded appearance that Golf Channel demands for their tour-stop operations. Equipment reliability has improved significantly, with the production team reporting virtually zero transport-related equipment failures since adopting the Bigfoot platform. The integrated drawer storage eliminated the need for separate accessory cases, further streamlining the load-in and load-out process at each venue. Golf Channel has estimated approximately 25% savings in per-event deployment costs compared to their previous equipment workflow. Contact us to discuss custom-branded mobile production systems for your broadcast operations.