Washington Athletics Unveils Sundodger Studios, A Next-Generation Broadcast And Production Facility
September 10, 2026 | General, Facilities
Purpose-built facility expands Washington's production and storytelling capabilities while creating opportunities for students, campus partners, and the broader sports and media industry
SEATTLE – The University of Washington Athletics today announced the opening of Sundodger Studios, a state-of-the-art broadcast, production and content facility designed to transform the department's live production capabilities while creating new opportunities for collaboration, education and innovation across the University and Seattle's sports and media community.
The studio provides Washington with a purpose-built home for live event production, creative content, and storytelling for an operation that produces approximately 100 live broadcasts and 120 live video board shows. The facility features four next-generation control rooms, a 1,000-square-foot video and photography studio, a 2,300-square-foot multipurpose event space and dedicated areas for equipment repair, storage, meetings and offices.
Sundodger Studios represents the latest step in the rapid development of Washington's broadcast operation following its move to the Big Ten Conference. When the Huskies began Big Ten competition in August 2024, UW Athletics was simultaneously building the production team and infrastructure necessary to meet the conference's increased broadcast demands, with virtually none of the permanent equipment that would eventually comprise Sundodger Studios in place for Washington's first Big Ten event.
Two years later, Washington has become one of the Big Ten's leading production operations and is now moving into a permanent facility built for the next generation of live sports production.
"The University of Washington is proud to partner with the Big Ten Conference and open this next-generation production and content studio," said UW Director of Athletics Pat Chun. "Sundodger Studios will enhance our television and streaming production, in-venue presentation, and creative capabilities while creating meaningful, hands-on educational opportunities for UW students. It will also provide new opportunities to showcase our student-athletes and support the creative content that is increasingly important to building their brands and maximizing NIL opportunities."
Introducing Sundodger Studios ?? @UWAthletics has announced a state-of-the-art broadcast, production & content facility.
— Washington Athletics (@UWAthletics) September 10, 2026
?? https://t.co/plGOtThbUH pic.twitter.com/Z6knQR3vGg
Built for the Future of Live Production
Sundodger Studios is a fully IP-based production environment centered around four SMPTE ST 2110-based control rooms capable of supporting simultaneous live productions, with two rooms featuring fully equipped audio control rooms. Its technical infrastructure includes Evertz NATX distribution with Magnum-OS orchestration; six Evertz DreamCatcher replay positions, along with two playback and two logging positions; two Grass Valley K-Frame SXP production switchers; and 10 Grass Valley cameras with high-frame-rate and wireless capabilities.
The facility's 1,000-square-foot video and photography studio features seven maneuverable LED columns that can operate independently or combine to create a 10-by-27-foot display, providing a flexible environment for broadcasts, original programming, photography and interviews alongside a Pro Cyc Cyclorama wall for photo and video capture. An adjacent 2,300-square-foot event space can support live programming, meetings, educational activities and partner experiences in front of a 6.6 x 11.5-foot LED wall.
AJP as project consultant, CTI as integrator, and Grass Valley as a key vendor all worked with Washington to develop and integrate the facility and its production systems.
"Two years ago, our focus was making sure we could successfully produce the events in front of us while simultaneously building an operation for where Washington was going," said Sam Wojtalewicz, Associate Athletic Director for Broadcast Operations. "Our staff has done remarkable work without the benefit of a permanent production home. Sundodger Studios now gives them technology and infrastructure that matches their expertise while allowing us to think much bigger about what we can produce and who we can serve."
Built for Washington — and Beyond
While Washington's transition to the Big Ten provided the catalyst for Sundodger Studios, the facility was designed to serve a broader role across the University.
Washington Athletics is working with campus partners to consolidate resources, expand collaboration, and provide students with experience inside a professional production environment. Beginning this academic year, a new Live Sports Television Production class (CMS 297B) will provide UW students with a for-credit educational opportunity led collaboratively by Athletics staff and its integrated UW Video unit, allowing students to learn in the same environment used to produce Big Ten Network events and other professional-level programming.
The opening of Sundodger Studios reflects Washington's broader investment in building a modern, in-house media operation. Over the past several years, UW Athletics has expanded its capabilities across live production, creative content, design, photography, and digital storytelling, bringing specialized teams together under the Sundodger umbrella.
Sundodger Studios brings broadcast operations - through Sundodger Live - into closer alignment with Sundodger Creative - ICA's internal creative agency and content vertical - expanding opportunities for engaging content to come to life on every platform where the Huskies tell their story.
Together under one roof, Sundodger teams can more seamlessly connect live production and creative storytelling, while gaining access to advanced technology and production environments previously unavailable within the department.
Beyond UW productions, the facility is designed to support external productions, industry collaborations, corporate events and other partnerships, creating new revenue opportunities while strengthening connections between the University and the region's sports, technology and media communities.
"Seattle is one of the most innovative sports and technology markets in the country, and there is a tremendous opportunity for the University of Washington to sit at the intersection of those industries," said Kurt Svoboda, Deputy Athletic Director for External Relations. "We built Sundodger Studios first and foremost to serve Washington and our student-athletes, but we also believe it can become a meaningful resource for our University, our community, and Seattle at large. The possibilities extend well beyond Athletics."
About Washington Athletics
Washington athletic teams have claimed 53 team national championships across 11 different sports, beginning with its first titles in 1923 in men's rowing and women's rifle, and counting its most recent national championships in men's soccer (2025) and men's rowing (2026). Traditions of Washington Athletics include 320 Olympians and Paralympians, originating The Wave during the third quarter of a 1981 football game, the familiar Huskies nickname in 1922, and its iconic Sailgating activities and encompassing view at what is known as The Greatest Setting in college football.
