For its coverage of the 2025/6 Women’s Super League (WSL), Sky Sports has introduced a new state-of-the-art studio that delivers in-depth discussion and debate, while tapping into the social conversation.
The 9128 mm x 9725 mm studio includes a lighting grid height of 6000 mm, with the production employing four cameras, including a jib camera. Three of the cameras are manned, including the jib, while the other is locked off.
TVBEurope sat down with senior producer for the WSL, Nia Wyn Thomas, and studio manager, Jasmine Sanders, to find out more.
Why did you decide to move coverage to a new studio?
We wanted to create a new space for our new WSL Sunday coverage that is welcoming and inclusive—and reflects our slight change of tone for the show. The studio redesign matches our Sky Creative and the new colour palette and creative change for the WSL. The vision was to create a space that didn’t look like a traditional football studio but a more relaxed and conversational setting with social interaction.
How has the studio been futureproofed so it can be used for a number of years?
The new studio already doubles up as a studio for a new Premier League Show for Sky Sports News on a Friday evening. It’s a great use of resources. With the multiple screens, we have the option to have different branding within the set at the drop of a hat. The lighting has been adapted to be as sustainable as possible, and by using LEDs, our lighting team can also offer up colour changes, giving a different feel to the space. The grid design also allows different memorabilia to be rigged, giving a nod to the sport in which it’s used for.
What talkback are you using to speak to the presenters and guests?
We use a standard push-to-talk talkback system that allows me, Nia, as the producer to talk to the presenter and guests. Our director is also on talkback—they are on open talkback to the presenter. And our gallery director assistant is also open to the presenter so they can hear the count to break or end of the show. Some of our pundits prefer to be on open talkback, some prefer not to have too many voices in their ear when they are on air.
How many screens are in the studio for the guests to watch the action?
There are two screens in the studio for the guests and presenters to watch the coverage. For WSL this season, with the introduction of Multiview, this was vital on the weekend for the guests to be able to watch all four games kicking off at midday.
Are you using a new gallery as well?
Our main WSL gallery is PCR3, but on occasions we move to other galleries when there is an overflow due to other sport, such as cricket and the NFL. The main production gallery has a seating position for a producer, director, director’s assistant, vision mixer, analysis assistant producer, analysis EVS operator and Piero operator, two graphic operators and one or two statisticians, plus two technical managers and two lighting supervisors. In the sound control room, we have two sound supervisors and a sound operator. We also utilise a smaller gallery used for replays with two assistant producers and five EVS ops, and a technical manager. On site, we have on our trucks, a production manager, sound supervisor and unit manager.
How much of the set is virtual?
Nothing is virtual within the new Studio 8 set-up. But when there is an overflow in that studio, as a result of the PL Sky Sports News show, our coverage will move to a different studio, which predominantly houses Monday Night Football and Saturday Night Football. That studio has a virtual ceiling and an augmented reality wall giving a 360-degree view of the studio.
What graphics package are you using and why?
We use Viz software to drive the on-screen graphics. Everything from name supers, league tables and data-driven stats. During our match coverage, we drive the Viz with an app called Hyper, which adds all the stats, bookings, subs, team sheets, etc during the game. We also use Ross Video’s Piero software as our analysis tool, in conjunction with an in-house touchscreen system for our presenters to interact with.
How are you reflecting the social conversation?
We liaise with the Sky Sports social team in the week to determine a question of the day and how best to interact with the audience at home or at the game who subscribe to our Sky Sports WSL accounts. We also employed two content creators who are popular in the social space with women’s football and the WSL. This allows them to interact and appear on our socials authentically and bring relevance to the audience. We know more of the players interact and use their social platforms, so it elevates us into a different space within the WSL coverage.
