VIDI and Media Links Provide Highly Scalable IP Transmission Solution for German Bundesliga Live Production
Media Links and its partner VIDI have successfully completed a major overhaul of the broadcast infrastructure across all 36 German Bundesliga stadiums, adopting the 'Xscend platform' to establish a next-generation IP transmission network.
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- 📰 Published: April 14, 2026 at 02:40
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Media Links Inc. (Headquarters: Kawasaki City, Kanagawa Prefecture; Representative Director and President: Tsukasa Sugawara; TSE Standard: 6659; hereinafter 'Media Links'), in collaboration with its European partner VIDI GmbH (hereinafter 'VIDI'), has provided a highly scalable solution for the IP transmission network of the German Bundesliga, contributing to a large-scale network renewal of its broadcasting infrastructure.
During the 2025 off-season, VIDI completed a massive renewal of the broadcasting infrastructure across all 36 stadiums for the 1st and 2nd divisions of the German Bundesliga. In this project, a comprehensive update of the network connection infrastructure and signal conversion systems was executed. As a result, the entire league's production environment was fully migrated to the latest IP standards, establishing a next-generation broadcasting platform. This renewal enhances media transmission and processing capabilities to meet the sophistication of program production in the Bundesliga and the accompanying increase in demand for IP transmission. Consequently, an integrated IP network infrastructure capable of flexibly expanding and operating both conventional live video signals (baseband) and IP transmission was realized across all stadiums.
The core technology of this project features Media Links' 'Xscend® platform'. The platform is characterized by its highly scalable modular structure and software-defined flexible design, making it possible to achieve freely configurable system setups responding to daily changing operational needs while ensuring compatibility with existing infrastructure.
In addition to the high reliability essential for broadcasting infrastructure, its high compatibility with VIDI's proprietary Network Management System (NMS) was a critical deciding factor for its adoption. This enables centralized management and visualization of the entire network across all locations, building an extremely efficient operational structure.
John Dale, CMO of Media Links, stated:
'This project demonstrates the new possibilities of large-scale live IP production through a strong cooperative structure between service providers and technology providers, alongside the utilization of advanced media processing and transmission technologies. With the introduction of Xscend®, the Bundesliga has achieved high-capacity media data and broadband signal transmission between locations while maintaining exceptionally high reliability. Simultaneously, VIDI's integrated management system enables the centralized management of complex workflows. This provides the entire league with an environment that can flexibly scale remote productions while maintaining the highest level of stability essential for live sports production.'
In coordination with Sportcast GmbH (hereinafter 'Sportcast'), the contracted production company producing video for all German Bundesliga matches, new signal exchange points were established within the network to accommodate individual technical requirements regarding video transmission and return signals for monitoring. Furthermore, the SMPTE ST 2110 standard was adopted for signal transmission at core production sites, realizing advanced operations.
All 36 stadiums are connected via a fully redundant network, ensuring highly stable transmission of video, audio, and data for live broadcasting. This new network infrastructure supports the further expansion of remote production, and currently, two matches per matchday in the Bundesliga 2nd division are produced remotely. In addition, the already established centralized audio production system continues to expand, with an increasing number of matches featuring Dolby Atmos® mixes produced at the Remote Audio Control Room (RACR) in Darmstadt.
To reliably manage an enormous and diverse array of signals, VIDI strengthened its proprietary Network Management System (NMS), revamping the reservation management interface and implementing automated scheduling functions for all network circuits and services. Additionally, the Network Operations Center (NOC) in Darmstadt was expanded, building a more robust centralized maintenance and support system in coordination with local adjustments at each stadium.
VIDI's technical team completed all these renewals within the limited timeframe of the 2025 off-season. The system has been fully operational since the opening of this season.
During the 2025 off-season, VIDI completed a massive renewal of the broadcasting infrastructure across all 36 stadiums for the 1st and 2nd divisions of the German Bundesliga. In this project, a comprehensive update of the network connection infrastructure and signal conversion systems was executed. As a result, the entire league's production environment was fully migrated to the latest IP standards, establishing a next-generation broadcasting platform. This renewal enhances media transmission and processing capabilities to meet the sophistication of program production in the Bundesliga and the accompanying increase in demand for IP transmission. Consequently, an integrated IP network infrastructure capable of flexibly expanding and operating both conventional live video signals (baseband) and IP transmission was realized across all stadiums.
The core technology of this project features Media Links' 'Xscend® platform'. The platform is characterized by its highly scalable modular structure and software-defined flexible design, making it possible to achieve freely configurable system setups responding to daily changing operational needs while ensuring compatibility with existing infrastructure.
In addition to the high reliability essential for broadcasting infrastructure, its high compatibility with VIDI's proprietary Network Management System (NMS) was a critical deciding factor for its adoption. This enables centralized management and visualization of the entire network across all locations, building an extremely efficient operational structure.
John Dale, CMO of Media Links, stated:
'This project demonstrates the new possibilities of large-scale live IP production through a strong cooperative structure between service providers and technology providers, alongside the utilization of advanced media processing and transmission technologies. With the introduction of Xscend®, the Bundesliga has achieved high-capacity media data and broadband signal transmission between locations while maintaining exceptionally high reliability. Simultaneously, VIDI's integrated management system enables the centralized management of complex workflows. This provides the entire league with an environment that can flexibly scale remote productions while maintaining the highest level of stability essential for live sports production.'
In coordination with Sportcast GmbH (hereinafter 'Sportcast'), the contracted production company producing video for all German Bundesliga matches, new signal exchange points were established within the network to accommodate individual technical requirements regarding video transmission and return signals for monitoring. Furthermore, the SMPTE ST 2110 standard was adopted for signal transmission at core production sites, realizing advanced operations.
All 36 stadiums are connected via a fully redundant network, ensuring highly stable transmission of video, audio, and data for live broadcasting. This new network infrastructure supports the further expansion of remote production, and currently, two matches per matchday in the Bundesliga 2nd division are produced remotely. In addition, the already established centralized audio production system continues to expand, with an increasing number of matches featuring Dolby Atmos® mixes produced at the Remote Audio Control Room (RACR) in Darmstadt.
To reliably manage an enormous and diverse array of signals, VIDI strengthened its proprietary Network Management System (NMS), revamping the reservation management interface and implementing automated scheduling functions for all network circuits and services. Additionally, the Network Operations Center (NOC) in Darmstadt was expanded, building a more robust centralized maintenance and support system in coordination with local adjustments at each stadium.
VIDI's technical team completed all these renewals within the limited timeframe of the 2025 off-season. The system has been fully operational since the opening of this season.