Jacksonville, AL (May 6, 2026)—Jacksonville State University has transformed the communications infrastructure of its athletic broadcasts with a Dante-based system from Studio Technologies.
Under the leadership of Bill “Bubba” Bussey, assistant athletic director and director of broadcasting, the university rebuilt its entire comms backbone to support football, men’s and women’s basketball, volleyball, soccer, baseball and softball broadcasts, most of which air on ESPN platforms, including ESPN+, with select games picked up nationally by CBS.
“When I arrived at Jax State, one of my primary objectives was to upgrade our broadcast infrastructure so we could truly operate like a Division I program,” Bussey says. “The biggest issue we faced was communication. It was an antiquated analog system on copper that simply didn’t work consistently. We spent more time trying to hear each other than actually producing great broadcasts.”
Prior to the upgrade, directors struggled to communicate with camera operators and on-air talent. Audio levels fluctuated, signal interruptions were common and the production quality suffered. “We weren’t able to focus on creativity or production value because we were constantly troubleshooting communication issues,” adds Bussey. “Talent couldn’t hear. Directors were shouting. There was popping and noise. Everyone left exhausted.”
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After observing network production crews using Studio Technologies equipment during nationally televised games, Bussey began researching a similar solution for Jax State, an NCAA Division I member of Conference USA. “Whenever ESPN or CBS came in, I noticed they were using Studio Technologies gear; everyone raved about how well it performed,” Bussey says. “We connected with Gordon at Studio Technologies and began designing a completely new communications backbone.”
Working alongside the university’s IT team, Jax State deployed a dedicated virtual LAN separate from the university’s main network. Facilities, including the football stadium, basketball arena, soccer field, and baseball and softball complexes, were fully wired to support the new Dante-based digital audio-over-IP system.
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The new setup encompasses Studio Technologies’ Model 5422A Dante audio engine, Model 348 intercom station, Model 216A announcer’s consoles, Model 372A intercom beltpacks, and Model 381 on-air beltpacks.