New initiative combines scholarships, hands-on learning, and access to Grass Valley technology to help universities develop industry-ready talent for live sports production
Grass Valley today announced the launch of its Future Playmakers Program, a new global initiative designed to support and develop the next generation of professionals in sports production and media technology.
Timed ahead of NAB Show, the program reflects Grass Valley’s continued investment in education, workforce development, and long-term industry growth. It is built to help students gain practical experience while enabling higher education institutions to strengthen their production programs with access to professional-grade tools and workflows.
The Future Playmakers Program combines scholarships, hands-on learning, technology access, and institutional collaboration. It is designed to create a sustainable pipeline of talent trained on industry-standard solutions used across live sports and event production.
“Developing the next generation of talent is critical to the future of our industry,” said Jon Wilson, CEO of Grass Valley. “The Future Playmakers Program is about giving students real access to the tools, workflows, and experiences that define modern live production, while strengthening our partnerships with the institutions shaping that future workforce.”
Through the program, Grass Valley will select up to 10 students annually from participating partner institutions. Selected students will receive financial support alongside access to experiential learning opportunities designed to bridge the gap between academic study and real-world production environments.
A central component of the program is the Grass Valley Montreal Technology Experience, where students will engage directly with the company’s technology and teams. The experience includes a factory tour, hands-on product demonstrations across cameras, production switchers, AMPP, and orchestration solutions, as well as live production workflow sessions and access to industry experts.
“The industry is evolving quickly, and there is a clear need for talent that understands both production and technology,” said Greg Doggett, Vice President of Sales, NAM Sports, Grass Valley. “This program is designed to give students that exposure early, while helping higher education institutions build programs that reflect how live production operates today and gaining important exposure to where the industry is headed.”
Participating institutions benefit from scholarship opportunities, increased industry visibility, and closer collaboration with Grass Valley through technology alignment and program engagement. The initiative is open to higher education institutions and production programs investing in next-generation broadcast and live production workflows.
By connecting students, educators, and industry professionals, the Future Playmakers Program aims to deliver long-term value across the media ecosystem. It supports the development of operators, engineers, and production specialists equipped to work in increasingly complex, IP-based, and software-defined environments.
Grass Valley will share additional updates on participating institutions as the program expands.