Extreme E, the electric off-road race series, has appointed Dave Adey as head of broadcast and technology.
The new sport is set to be broadcast around the globe once it launches in January 2021. Broadcast deals have already been signed with the BBC (UK), Mediaset (Italy), FOX Sports (United States, Canada and the Caribbean), FOX Australia, and Dubai Sports.
Adey’s role includes sourcing and utilising cutting-edge technology which supports the sport’s remote broadcast and race control vision.
He has previously worked as network director at BBC Television in the early 1990s, head of Broadcast Operations at ITV Digital at the turn of the millennium and senior management roles at BBC Broadcast and Red Bee Media in the mid-2000s. In 2014 he consulted for ABB FIA Formula E for its inaugural campaign.
“It’s an exciting prospect on a professional level – facing up to issues in locations that are entirely without basic infrastructure,” said Adey about his appointment. “Enabling remote production in places without any kind of mobile data, WiFi or power means we need to start from scratch in each case and we have to ensure we’re self-sufficient and self-contained to prevent an environmental impact whilst creating an event and the facilities to run and broadcast that event.”
Extreme E expects to carry out editing and production at its headquarters in London before delivery via the world feed to broadcast partners worldwide. Technologies will include specialised camera equipment and wireless infrastructure requiring reduced cabling, strategic placement of equipment to minimise on-site and freight requirements, and remote race control and television facilities.
