CREATIVE
STUDIO
CHANGING THE GAME
SMT serves the sports industry with innovative, award-winning technology for events, broadcasts and livestreams with a focus on real-time data collection, integration and visualization. With more than three decades of developing best-in-class solutions, SMT is an unsurpassed leader in sports technology.
38
YEARS
60
SPORTS
85
PATENTS
22K
ANNUAL EVENTS
220
CLIENTS
37
EMMY AWARDS
CLIENTS
AND PARTNERS
Over 200 clients entrust us with their most valuable assets: their fans.
OUR
TECHNOLOGY
Craft the story of your game by choosing from live and historical data and statistics, social media feeds, video and telemetry, all integrated into compelling graphics for display on video boards, scoreboards, and screens of all kinds.
OUR
SERVICES
SMT's broadcast and event specialists take pride in helping our clients turn their visions into reality. From site review to choosing our most impactful solutions and on-site set-up and operation, SMT is devoted to our clients’ success every step of the way.
CREATIVE STUDIO
SMT Creative Studio is a recognized leader in creative design and concepts in the world of sports. Specializing in brand design, data integration and motion graphics packages for broadcast, webcast and live events, our award-winning staff consistently exceeds clients’ expectations.
CREATIVE STUDIO
CAPABILITIES
SMT's Creative Studio specializes in:
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Brand identity
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Brand design
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Graphic design
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Visual design
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Web design
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UI/UX design
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Motion graphics
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3D visualization animations
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Interactive media displays
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Virtual and augmented set design
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Digital media services and operations
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Augmented reality
CHALLENGE
Advanced technology is a mantra of the China Open in its quest to become the greatest Asian tennis event. The tournament turned to SMT, its scoring, stats and graphics partner, to deliver state-of-the-art creative design and content for the Diamond Court production and presentation.
Each year, SMT deploys a 14-member crew for 22 days of on-site setup, volunteer training, testing, execution. SMT works alongside China-based vendors, overcoming language barriers to collaborate on technical specs and LED assembly for video production on 12 courts at the China National Tennis Center in Beijing Olympic Park
SOLUTION
The Diamond Court is equipped with a backwall, side walls, (2) 360-degree ribbon boards at concourse levels, (4) corners displays, and (4) large displays.
SMT’s high-energy animations are synchronized across all displays, delivering a stellar presentation for upcoming matches, players introductions and match information. From full-screen takeovers to custom presentation, SMT Creative Studio delivers a compelling mix of pre-rendered videos as well as live interfaced player graphics that integrate players photos, flags, sponsors logos, competition content and tournament messaging.
Production services are also provided to the Super Wall in the Fan Entertainment area.
RESULTS
From new player intros to “special moments” to fan engagements (Make Some Noise, Make it Louder, Clap Your Hands), SMT’s sophisticated animations excite fans and create an experience remembered for life.
CLIENT TESTIMONIAL
“We would like to take this opportunity to thank your team for your professional, experienced and hard work for 2017 China Open. … We had a smooth draw party … an amazing player walk-on ceremony, we used some of the special moments during the match … we had great ribbon board contents. All of these provide a better fan experience and we do appreciate that. Once again, thank you for your great work and always support for China Open!”
Yuan Gao
Manager of Technology, China Open
CASE STUDY
CHINA OPEN
CASE STUDY
CROSSFIT GAMES
CHALLENGE
In 2011, CrossFit was looking for a way to expand its competition and viewership. The Games had been held in Aromas, Calif., since 2007 with about 70 athletes competing for the “Fittest on Earth” title and 150 spectators cheering them on.
SOLUTION
CrossFit approached SMT to determine how a scoring system could be created that would not only feature a competition with many unannounced, “surprise” events in a small span of time but also be entertaining for viewers. Since its beginning, CrossFit has boasted of its Games’ programming as “Unknown and Unknowable.” SMT provides a 20-person team onsite to execute CrossFit’s on-the-fly decisions and format changes.
In 2011, SMT developed the first official timing and scoring services for CrossFit competitions and, in 2012, was named its official design firm. Since then, SMT has expanded our products and services to include, in addition to our comprehensive broadcast package, in-stadium video board production and data integration, interactive talent touchscreens for the studio, web feeds, on-site direction, Commentator Information Systems and CCTV.
In 2014, SMT’s creative division, then known as (n+1) designstudio, concepted and created the CrossFit Games show open, which was featured on ESPN’s broadcasts of the Games.
RESULTS
CrossFit has upgraded the competition, the look and the location of its Games, growing into a multi-day, festival-style event at Alliant Energy Center in Madison, Wis. Interest and participation continued to grow throughout the years, rising from 69,000 in 2012 and reaching a peak of 415,000 participants in 2018. SMT has adapted its products and services to support the CrossFit Games every step of the way.
CLIENT TESTIMONIAL
“For 2014, one of our major goals was to have an animated show opening that matched the standard set by the objective of the CrossFit Games – to find the fittest people on Earth. Using universal imagery that simultaneously applies to the core CrossFit community as well as the newly interested, the team at (n+1) designstudio created a bold, explosive and definite illustration of the journey these amazing athletes make to reach the pinnacle of their sport. In short, they dead-on nailed it.”
Joe Novello
Coordinating Producer, CrossFit Games
CASE STUDY
MLS CUP
CHALLENGE
To celebrate the 25th anniversary of the MLS Cup, Major League Soccer wanted to pay tribute to the league’s history in a way that excited established fans while wowing new audiences who may not have known the league’s backstory. The league sought a bold, augmented reality show open to introduce the grand finale match of the season.
SOLUTION
MLS turned to SMT to create the augmented reality show open to honor the league's greatest players and winning teams.
The open’s conception and design were executed by SMT’s in-house Creative Studio utilizing Epic Games’ Unreal Engine. The AR open paid tribute to 25 years of MLS, with a rendering of the trophy highlighting 13 past winning franchises, flanked by slabs displaying the top 25 greatest players in MLS history. Special heroic treatment of the league’s top four male players featured golden likenesses of David Beckham, Landon Donovan, Eddie Pope and Carlos Valderrama emerging from beneath the field. The effect was created in real-time, combining the graphics with live shots inside MAPFRE Stadium located in Ohio.
SMT also delivered its V-FAB (Virtual Fans, Ads, and Brands) technology that provided in-stadium sponsorship logos throughout the 2020 MLS season. SMT provided the league’s sponsors and advertisers with virtual graphics on and around the field that were targeted on a per-market basis for national and international broadcasts.
RESULTS
The open was an eye-popping, emotional homage to the rich history of the league, inviting fans to join in the celebration. While honoring the league's foundation and reflecting on the legends of the sport, the open incorporated new design elements such as the 25th season crest and logos of the Columbus Crew and the Seattle Sounders.
CLIENT TESTIMONIAL
“SMT’s V-FAB virtual technology was a significant component of the broadcast, and allowed us to experiment with cutting-edge virtual and augmented reality technology to engage fans watching at home. SMT’s V FAB offered us the opportunity to provide premium opportunities for League and club partners to be featured within the MLS is Back Tournament.”
Chris Schlosser
SVP of Media, MLS
OUR
TEAM
The SMT Creative Studio team is composed of art directors, designers, animators and editors that focus on designing, creating and enhancing the quality of content production, ranging from television graphics (3D, HD, 4K), virtual studios, virtual insertions and web designs to on-site event production, including CCTV channels, video displays, ribbon boards, information towers and custom displays. We are experts on data integration, entertaining presentations and engaging content with a focus on the targeted audience. Some of the key personnel of SMT Creative Studio include:
Patricia G. Hopkins
Corporate Vice President
Marketing and Creative
Jon Kaczmarski
Director of Creative Strategy
SMT Creative Studio
Caleb Thomas
Art Director
SMT Creative Studio
Richard Quintana
Senior Multimedia Designer
SMT Creative Studio
