BROOMFIELD, Colo., Jan. 30, 2013 /PRNewswire/ — Level 3 Communications, Inc. (NYSE: LVLT) today announced it will provide live, high definition (HD) television broadcast video services for Super Bowl XLVII on Feb. 3, using Level 3’s Vyvx VenueNet+ technology.
The Super Bowl is the most-watched television event in the U.S. each year. Last year’s broadcast was viewed by an estimated total audience of 166.8 million viewers across the United States, according to The Nielson Co., meaning that more than half of the U.S. population watched the event. Additionally, the game was broadcast around the world.
This year, the Super Bowl will be hosted at The Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, which is connected directly to Level 3’s advanced fiber-optic network, enabling the TV broadcast of the event. In total, more than 3,500 hours of video content will be acquired, encoded and transported across Level 3’s Vyvx VenueNet+ platform as part of the Super Bowl coverage.
“For more than two decades, the NFL has been able to seamlessly provide outstanding services in support of the Super Bowl to football fans around the globe, thanks to Level 3’s reliable, high-quality broadcast backbone,” said NFL VP, Media Operations Glenn Adamo. “The Super Bowl is one of the most-viewed events in the world, so delivering an unparalleled viewing experience that is easily scalable is paramount. Level 3’s Vyvx VenueNet+ service provides us with the superior performance we need to ensure a successful broadcast.”
In addition to delivering the game, Level 3 will also carry the pre-game and post-game feeds to NFL operations centers in Mt. Laurel, N.J., Culver City, Calif. and NFL Network master control facilities in Atlanta, as well as other broadcast networks and satellite teleport sites for global distribution.
“No other event in the U.S. garners the level of viewership as the Super Bowl, and Level 3 is proud to deliver the game for the 24th consecutive year,” said Mark Taylor, vice president of Media and IP Services at Level 3. “We fully understand the importance of providing a seamless viewing experience. That’s why we continue to be so disciplined in the planning and preparation of every aspect of our delivery to ensure the best possible broadcast.”
Level 3’s Vyvx VenueNet+ technology is engineered to provide unparalleled HD and SD digital video services, with added HD and SD encoding, high-speed Internet and telephony services. The Vyvx technology is used in all 31 NFL football venues across the country.
The Super Bowl XLVII broadcast will air on Feb. 3. For more information on Level 3’s Vyvx Solutions, visit www.level3.com/en/products-and-services/video/vyvx.
