At the Santa Monica Classic, ADL unveiled two powerful workflow enhancements that further elevated their production—and with them, a key collaboration.
The three-person production team on site included longtime ADL partner Lynn Morehouse, who played a pivotal role in engineering the backend systems that made the event’s data flow and visual execution so fluid.
It was this dynamic combination of design, operations, and development that brought graphic enhancements to life in real time—blending athlete data, visuals, and control into one smooth, high-impact flow. Together, the team delivered one of the most technically elegant and visually immersive Strongman broadcasts to date.
1. Automated Athlete Photo Integration
One of the most visible upgrades at the Santa Monica Classic came from a deceptively simple, yet powerful tool: a custom-built photo intake app that completely transformed the athlete graphics workflow.
Gone are the days of manual photo editing, file transfers, or waiting on graphics updates.
Here’s how the process now works:
- Photos are snapped on-location using iPads or phones—fast, mobile, and right in the action.
- The app automatically crops, resizes, and removes backgrounds with no user input.
- Finalized images are dynamically inserted into Captivate graphics templates in real time—fully styled and ready to air within seconds.
This solution turned a formerly time-consuming process into an instant, automated pipeline—eliminating bottlenecks, standardizing visuals, and ensuring every athlete got their moment in the spotlight with sharp, on-brand graphics.
It’s a perfect example of how this team blends technical innovation with show-day speed, giving their productions a level of professionalism and consistency usually reserved for top-tier national broadcasts.
2. Live Event Data App for Judges and Crew
Designed to handle the complex logistics of Strongman events, the custom-built StrengthTech App has become the nerve center of ADL’s entire event workflow. Built specifically for high-pressure, fast-paced live productions, it does far more than manage scores—it serves as a complete event intelligence platform.
It seamlessly integrates with NewBlue Captivate and venue-wide iPads, organizing massive amounts of data, automating athlete flow, and synchronizing visuals across displays, crew devices, and live broadcasts—all with minimal manual intervention.
Here’s what it delivers:
- Centralized Athlete Profiles
Each athlete’s complete information—name, rank, class, stats, and images—is preloaded, live-updated, and stored for future events. - Event & Round Management
All athlete/event assignments are dynamically scheduled, tracked, and displayed by heat, round, or score bracket. - Redo Logic & Dynamic Reordering
If an athlete must redo an event, the system allows for seamless reinsertion at the end of the round—carrying all data forward cleanly. - Reusable Data Architecture
Historical performance data and athlete profiles are retained for future competitions—creating long-term operational efficiency. - iPad & Crew-Wide Access
Judges, MCs, runners, and production staff view and update event status from their iPads—with changes instantly reflected across all devices. - Live Captivate Integration
Scores, athlete info, and event states are pushed directly into Captivate using the open JSON API, allowing graphics operators to simply press play and watch visuals auto-populate.
This is a powerful integration: it simplifies the complexity of managing dozens of at
hletes and events with real-time accuracy, removes manual duplication, and empowers every crew member with up-to-date context—whether they’re on stage or behind the scenes.
All data flows into one central stream and right back out to NewBlue Captivate and the venue’s control iPads, keeping the show synchronized, stress-free, and on time.
Branded to Perfection with Captivate
Using Captivate, they customize every graphic element to match the event’s branding:
- Colors and themes
- Fonts and type treatments
- Logos, sponsor images, and backplates
- Athlete photos with consistent styling
From the rugged, high-energy tone of Strongman events to the breezy, SoCal vibe of the Santa Monica Classic, NewBlue Captivate gives ADL the freedom to design bold, on-brand visuals with ease and creativity.
It’s not just live—it’s branded live.
Massive Data, Beautifully Displayed
By driving all of that data into Captivate using the StrengthTech App and our Open JSON API, they’ve turned raw stats into clean, dynamic, and vis
ually engaging displays.
The real enabler here? Captivate Broadcast’s Open JSON API. You can explore the API in depth here: https://developers.newbluefx.com/
Small Team, Big Impact
All of this innovation was executed live by just three people inside the production tent. Midway through the event, Keoghan Litchfield, a UK-based developer for the StrengthTech App, updated the app’s livestream data output on the fly to better align with Captivate’s structure, ensuring leaderboard rankings displayed flawlessly in real time.
It was a seamless collaboration between on-site execution and remote problem-solving, all powered by NewBlue Captivate’s open architecture and data-driven design.
Streaming to the World
While all graphics are built, controlled, and played out directly from NewBlue Captivate, ADL leverages vMix for live switching and streaming. Captivate handles the graphics engine, while vMixmanages the video mixing and output.
This workflow allows ADL to capitalize on NewBlue Captivate’s rich, data-driven visuals, while utilizing vMix’s robust capabilities to stream the final show to platforms like YouTube.
From Santa Monica to Norway
Just after broadcasting the Santa Monica Classic, Lynn Morehouse didn’t slow down—he flew straight to Norway to compete himself.
In a whirlwind 4-day trip, Lynn entered two surprise Strongman competitions featuring a total of 12 events. He placed 4th in Competition #1 and secured a remarkable 2nd place in Competition #2.
It’s a true testament to ADL’s unique position in the Strongman world—not just as broadcasters, but as active, passionate members of the community they cover.
From Case Study to Industry Standard
ADL has grown from a standout case study into a model for modern sports broadcasting. Their ability to streamline workflows and deliver high-quality shows is setting a new benchmark.
Want to Build Your Own Broadcast Breakthrough?
- Schedule a Demo – See NewBlue Captivate in action.
- Attend a Webinar – Learn from real workflows like ADL’s.
- Explore the Open API – Connect your tools directly to Captivate Broadcast. Visit https://developers.newbluefx.com/.
If you’d like to connect directly with Don and Nancy Souza, the husband-and-wife team behind ADL Productions, they’re more than happy to share how they’ve leveraged Captivate to grow their productions. Check out the live stream on YouTube here: Day 1 and Day 2 even included a Fireman competition where they were able to prepare the graphics in record time.
👉 Contact us for more information on how to get in touch with them.