It may be known as the “most exciting two minutes in sports,” but delivering the Kentucky Derby as a world-class event and broadcast spectacle requires thousands of person-hours of planning and preparation. At the core of that effort is the expert management of an increasingly complex RF environment, critical to capturing immersive audio and video while ensuring operational reliability and public safety.
CP Communications led a comprehensive spectrum management initiative on behalf of Churchill Downs, coordinating a wide array of RF assets across the venue. The deployment included 29 RF cameras with remote control, hundreds of wireless microphones and IFB systems, four drones, multiple DECT intercom systems, several multi-channel land mobile radio (LMR) networks, multi-band WiFi, point-to-point transmission links, drone mitigation technologies, and additional public safety deployments.
The Kentucky Derby is not a standalone event. The lead-up encompasses a full week of activity, beginning with Opening Day and continuing through six additional days of racing, each increasing both production complexity and RF density. As spectrum demands grew beyond what could be managed internally by Churchill Downs’ broadcast team, the organization engaged CP Communications to ensure a robust operational environment.
Recommended by the event’s broadcast rightsholder, CP Communications deployed a six-person onsite coordination team led by Loren Sherman, CP’s Director of Frequency Coordination and Henry Cohen, CP’s Director of Spectrum Affairs. The team oversaw all frequency planning, assignment, and real-time management throughout Derby week.
Spanning approximately 80 acres, Churchill Downs hosts a wide range of broadcast positions, media platforms, event stages, fan experiences, and temporary public safety infrastructure. CP Communications’ expertise, combined with established relationships with broadcasters, production teams, and public safety agencies, ensured a stable, efficient, and interference-free RF environment across the entire venue.
