Phil Garvin

Manufacturers and Vendors

Year Inducted: 2024

Simply put, the live-sports-production business would not exist in its current form if not for the late Philip Garvin. From spearheading the first-ever live HD sports broadcasts to creating innovative production models for the regional-sports market and so much more, Garvin left an indelible impact on the sports-broadcasting industry during his five decades in the business.

“Phil was an amazing man,” says former Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, who co-founded HDNet with Garvin in 2001. “Smart. Honorable. And as hardworking as anyone ever. I’m lucky we were partners.”

Almost 50 years ago, Garvin launched Colorado Studios, providing a foundation that would lead to the launch of Mobile TV Group in 1994. MTVG would become the go-to provider of mobile units for RSN productions across the country, while Garvin built a reputation as one of most widely respected figures in the entire sports-broadcasting industry.

“I worked with Phil for 15 years, and he was one of the very best business partners I ever had,” says Jeff Krolik, former president, FOX Sports Regional Networks. “Phil was smart, dedicated, loyal, and dependable. He was a great leader and built a truly outstanding organization.”

An author, photographer, producer, director, and technological pioneer, Garvin was responsible for the live production of hundreds of thousands of sports, news, and entertainment events. He played a pivotal role in the HD revolution of the early 2000s as co-founder of HDNet and spearheaded the early days of live 4K and HDR sports productions more than a decade later.

“Phil played a crucial yet unsung role in shaping how fans experience their sports obsession today,” says Randy Freer, former president, FOX Networks Group and co-president/COO, FOX Sports Media Group. “His contributions revolutionized the industry, making high-definition sports coverage accessible for fans everywhere. His creativity and deep understanding of the evolving sports-TV landscape were instrumental in transforming local sports broadcasting.”

On the regional side, Garvin and the team at MTVG created the “dual-feed” production model in the 1990s and Cloud Control production model in the 2020s. Both provided regional sports networks with game-changing new efficiencies without sacrificing production quality.

“Phil was a pioneer at heart,” says FanDuel Sports Networks EVP Mike Connelly, who worked with Garvin for decades running FOX Sports and Bally Sports RSNs. “While all other mobile-TV vendors focused on the Big Four networks to supply bigger and more technically advanced mobile units for the most high-profile events, Phil catered to the RSNs, building technically advanced and efficient mobile trucks for the RSN industry.”

The Early Days: A Passion for Storytelling Right From the Start

From a young age, the New York City–born Garvin was passionate about telling visual stories and pursued a career in still photography. A graduate of Yale University, he published multiple photography books and produced several documentaries, including the groundbreaking docuseries Religious America for PBS in 1974.

He also had his share of adventures outside of visual storytelling. “Phil once shared a story with me about having served as an assistant to legendary pianist Vladimir Horowitz,” recounts Jon Slobotkin, SVP, content and live programming, NBC Sports Regional Networks. “But Phil became his own legend, building a business that has served as a pillar of our industry. Phil Garvin is one of the most unique and interesting people I’ve ever met — truly, an amazing man.”

He continued to innovate throughout the 1970s, launching Colorado Studios in 1978. He also continued his work for PBS, becoming managing producer of the MacNeil/Lehrer NewsHour in 1983 and spearheading the launch of PBS News’ western production center in Denver.

“Phil was always laser-focused on the balance between new technologies and business returns,” says Sports Broadcasting Hall of Famer Larry Thorpe, a former Canon and Sony Technology executive, who first encountered Garvin in the early 1980s when promoting Sony Betacam for McNeil/Lehrer Report. “There were times my efforts to persuade his adoption of our technologies were gently but firmly dismissed, but the day always came when he would return to some new products that met his high goals. Phil was the personification of an astute businessman, a stern but fair customer, while always a gentleman.”

Regional State of Mind: Leading RSNs Into the Next Frontier

In the early 1990s, Garvin saw an opportunity as regional sports networks began to proliferate across the U.S. and, in 1994, launched what would become Mobile TV Group.

“I’ll never forget that day [in 1994] in Denver when Mountain Mobile TV Unit 1 did its very first Denver Nuggets game for Prime Sports Network,” says Bob Thompson, former president, FOX Sports Networks. “What Phil and his folks built over the next 30 years was absolutely amazing. Philip was a great business partner, but he was an even better friend.”

MTVG quickly became the foremost provider of mobile production facilities for regional sports networks throughout the country, primarily FOX Sports Regional Networks.

“Phil was a visionary leader in the broadcast-television industry, revolutionizing the way content was delivered to millions of people across the country,” says Billy Chambers, EVP, local media, MLB, who worked with Garvin at FOX Sports for 20 years. “With decades of groundbreaking work, Phil shaped the future of television, making an indelible impact on audiences and colleagues alike.”

As the FOX RSNs group grew, they increasingly produced both home and visitor feeds of a game and began exploring cost-saving solutions to eliminate the need for multiple trucks at an event. Thompson and his team challenged Garvin to come up with a solution that could combine the resources of the home and away shows to serve both parties, and the dual-feed production model was born.

“He was known for his willingness to listen and tackle challenges head-on, even when they worked against his own interest,” says Freer. “Phil’s best traits were the simplicity of being a good person, friend, and colleague. He did what he said he was going to do without drama.”

As Garvin worked closely with producers and directors to create a path for local sports production to innovate, dual-feed productions quickly became commonplace across the industry. This resulted in significant savings that FOX and other RSNs would use to cover the cost of conversion to HD productions at the regional level.

“Phil was a trailblazing pioneer in the sports-TV industry: entrepreneur, technologist, evangelist,” says John Ward, head of technical operations, live sports, Prime Video, who came up at FOX Sports during the rise of MTVG. “[He was] someone who always pushed the boundaries on what was technically possible in live production.”

More recently, MTVG launched the groundbreaking Cloud Control production model, which provided the first virtual control rooms that allow key technical positions to work from any location for multifeed sports broadcasts.

“Dual-feed mobile units and his most recent groundbreaking technology, Cloud Control broadcasts, have become the norm at the regional level,” notes Connelly. “He was a true innovator.”

Always Innovating: The Dawn of the HD Age and Championing 4K and HDR

Both inside and outside of his role with MTVG, Garvin was a champion of HD broadcasting. In the early 2000s, before HD was widely available, Garvin was already a big proponent of the format when he crossed paths with Cuban, an MTVG customer who showed an equal passion for HD broadcasting.

The two co-founded HDNet, the first HD national television network in the U.S., in 2001. Garvin served as general manager of the cable network (which became AXS TV in 2012) for 12 years. Under his stewardship, HDNet was among the first to distribute HD content to the home, including sports events, concerts, and news coverage.

“Phil single-handedly built the first remote HD broadcast trucks that launched sports in HD,” says Cuban. “We did the first sporting event in HD, the Yankees vs the Rangers, in 2002. From there, we went on to do more than a thousand live sporting events from around the world: the Olympics, NBA, NHL, and so much more.”

Garvin also pushed to make 6X super-slo-mo camera systems commonplace on his mobile units, upping the quality of RSN telecasts to match national levels.

More than a decade after unleashing the HDTV era, MTVG also was among the first to launch 4K- and HDR-capable mobile units and produce live 4K and HDR broadcasts under his leadership.

“Phil was a true visionary who harbored a deep passion for the technology behind live television broadcasts,” says Ken Miller, director, production and technical operations, live sports production, Prime Video, who worked with Garvin at Fox Sports RSNs and Altitude Sports & Entertainment. “His enthusiasm knew no bounds, whether it was embracing HD, pioneering super-slo-mo 6X replay systems, or pushing the envelope with 4K and HDR. Phil’s relentless pursuit of innovation consistently placed him at the forefront of industry advances.

“Yet what truly set Phil apart was his profound care for the people in our industry,” Miller continues. “His unwavering support was a cornerstone of his character. Phil’s unique combination of technological foresight and genuine compassion for both the industry and its audience made him truly one of a kind.”

Building an Empire: MTVG Grows Into a Mobile-Production Behemoth

Under Garvin’s leadership over the ensuing years, MTVG would cement its status as a pillar of the live-sports-production business, rolling out dozens of mobile units and helping pave the way for HD broadcasting to become the industry standard.

“Phil Garvin was a friend, a mentor, and a man who led the industry and his company with integrity,” says Sports Broadcasting Hall of Famer Steve Hellmuth, former EVP, operations and technology, NBA. “His focus was always the quality of the telecast, then his client, and then the league. He ensured excellence by building mobile units with the right cameras, lenses, and replay units and supported them with first-rate engineering.”

MTVG continued to grow and add RSNs to its client list while expanding to more-national broadcast partners. In addition to producing MLB, NBA, and NHL broadcasts from coast to coast, MTVG trucks now serve major national NFL and college-football packages.

“He was a mentor to me,” says Mike Davies, EVP, field and technical management and operations, FOX Sports. “He embodied a quiet grace in the business rather than seeking the spotlight. He wasn’t built for that; he always credited his company’s success to his team’s efforts. Bold in his decisions, he approached and embraced innovation with remarkable confidence and fearlessness.”

In addition, after FOX Sports and the Big Ten Conference reached an agreement in 2006 to launch the Big Ten Network, Garvin and his team were enlisted to roll out a quartet of mobile units on an ultra-short timeline in time for college-football season.

“I said, ‘I’ve got good news and bad news,’” Thompson recounts. “The good news is, we are launching the Big Ten Network. The bad news is, I need four HD trucks by fall of 2007. Phil delivered as always. We asked a lot from Phil and the folks at MTVG over the years. We were adding RSNs left and right, along with ventures like the Big Ten Network. Time frames were often tight. Phil and his group always delivered.”

Adds Mark Hulsey, SVP, production/executive producer, Big Ten Network, “[Phil was] highly intelligent, incredibly hardworking, and, most of all, honorable. In the many years I worked with Phil, you could always trust him in every business dealing. He was always looking ahead, whether creating dual-feed mobile units or embracing HD in its infancy.”

Today, Mobile TV Group produces more than 4,000 major events a year, covering professional and collegiate sports, music, entertainment, esports, and business events.

“Phil was a great leader and visionary who loved every aspect of this amazing industry,” says Ivan Gottesfeld, EVP, broadcasting, NHL. “His passion and commitment to develop and integrate new and quality technology for the betterment of sports productions and the remote-operations business was second to none. Phil treated people right, and he has left a great mark and legacy for all of us to follow.”

Beyond the Accolades: Mentor, Competitor, Friend, Icon

A pillar of the sports-production community, Garvin was as a longtime member of the SVG Advisory Board and a fixture at SVG conferences. He also served on the board of various technology startups and helped champion a variety of industry technology initiatives.

“To most, Phil Garvin was an industry pioneer,” says Bob Carzoli, chairman, Program Productions. “From regional-sports-network production to dual feeds to the launching and running of HDNet, Phil was at the forefront of many innovations we take for granted in today’s broadcast world.

“To me, though,” Carzoli continues, “he was the single most important person in my professional life and, other than my own father, the greatest mentor I could ever have asked for. No matter the moment, dilemma, or challenge, he’d always assure me that I would be successful. He knew it to be true because he was helping make that happen. My life simply won’t be the same without him around.”

In addition to laying the foundation for the thriving live-production industry via technological innovation, Garvin also played a vital role in developing generations of technicians and industry leaders as they came up through the MTVG ranks.

“Look at the people in the industry who gained their chops at MTVG and the group that have stayed there: truly first class,” says Ward. “For me personally, he always emphasized that good is the biggest enemy of great — and he practiced what he preached. A true visionary who was also a better human being. I cherish having had the chance to work with him and his team.”

Despite consistently pushing manufacturers to develop better — and more-affordable — technologies, Garvin also earned the respect and admiration of his vendor partners over the years.

“He was a very technical person in the area of broadcasting and felt very strongly about the opportunities that this new [HDTV] format could bring to society and our industry,” says Sports Broadcasting Hall of Famer Hugo Gaggioni, CTO, Sony Imaging Products and Professional Solutions, who met Phil during the early days of HD production. “He was very focused and pushed vendors intensely to implement the necessary imaging and processing technologies for the new HD world. He was also a very astute businessperson who commanded simultaneously the respect and friendship from the vendor community.”

While his peers and pupils have plenty of glowing words for Garvin, it’s the words of his competitors that are perhaps most indicative of his incomparable place in the industry.

“Phil was highly respected as an industry pioneer,” says Sports Broadcasting Hall of Famer Mary Ellen Carlyle, SVP/GM, Dome Productions. “A real trailblazer in the world of regional televised sports. Extraordinary passion and always spoke about our mobile industry with pride. Always asking how we can move forward and testing the limits.”

Says Sports Broadcasting Hall of Famer Pat Sullivan, president, Game Creek Video, “Philip Garvin was one of the toughest men I ever met. The combination of toughness, passion for the business, honesty, and creativity allowed him to build Mobile TV Group into what it is today. He was tough to compete against because he knew how to deliver quality to his customers without sacrificing efficiency.”

Adds Mike Werteen, president, media services, NEP Americas, and global chief commercial officer, NEP Group, “Phil Garvin was a visionary in the remote-production business, guiding Mobile TV Group to become one of the successful mobile-unit companies in U.S. His technical aptitude, deep understanding of engineering, and business leadership were legendary. Most important, he cared deeply for his employees, a quality that is near to my heart. In an industry where we compete, Phil Garvin’s greatest trait was friendship.”

Outside the office, Garvin’s passion was spending time on his ranch with his wife, Angela, riding horses, mowing fields, and building fences. Garvin, who died in September at the age of 76 after a long battle against cancer, was a beloved family man dedicated to his children Jana, Leah, and Nick and three grandchildren. In the last months of his life, he frequently told people, “No one has had a better life than mine.”

Says Garvin’s son, Nick, who took over as the company’s CEO this year prior to Phil’s death, “He left his mark on the industry and in our hearts. His memory will touch us all in the work we do every day, and his legacy will endure through the incredible accomplishments of our team at Mobile TV Group.”