At NAB Show 2026, flexibility and scalable, cloud-based graphics like Ross Video XPression.cloud were central topics among broadcasters seeking to adapt to changing production demands. For decades, broadcasters built infrastructure with dedicated hardware: graphics engines, switchers, replay servers, routers, multiviewers, and processors, all installed to serve facilities for years. That model still works for some, but today’s environment increasingly demands flexibility. Sports networks cover more events. Remote production keeps expanding. Live event producers support temporary venues and seasonal shows. News organizations balance traditional sites with cloud and hybrid workflows. As a result of these dynamic demands, broadcasters are turning to technologies that can scale with changing requirements, enabling seamless workflow transitions as their needs evolve. During NAB Show 2026, VidOvation interviewed Jeff Smith, Director of Sales, US Sports and Entertainment at Ross Video, about XPression.cloud. This cloud-based graphics platform brings Ross Video's professional broadcast graphics capabilities into an AWS-hosted environment. The solution gives broadcasters another option for deploying graphics resources, rather than relying solely on dedicated on-premises hardware. This conversation echoed a larger industry trend: broadcasters are turning to cloud infrastructure for greater flexibility, better support of temporary productions, and alignment of technology with operational needs. Schedule Your Consultation Now When Graphics Demand Doesn't Match Hardware Ownership Broadcast graphics have become one of the most visible and essential components of modern live production. Whether it’s a sports broadcast, collegiate event, esports competition, election coverage, or live show, graphics deliver information that tells the story. Scoreboards, player stats, lower thirds, sponsorships, branding, social elements, and data visualizations all depend on reliable graphics systems. Historically, broadcasters delivered those graphics using dedicated graphics engines installed within their facilities. This approach serves operations with consistent production needs year-round. Fluctuating production demand introduces challenges. A regional sports network may need significantly more graphics resources during playoff season than during regular season coverage. A production company may require additional capacity for a championship event, a tournament, or a large-scale live production that occurs only once or twice each year. A venue operator may host dozens of major events in one season and far fewer in another. In each scenario, organizations often face the same question: How much permanent infrastructure should be purchased to support temporary demand? As production schedules grow more complex and organizations seek more operational flexibility, this issue becomes increasingly common. Bringing a Proven Graphics Platform Into the Cloud Ross Video addresses this challenge with XPression.cloud. The platform uses Ross Video's XPression graphics system and delivers it through a cloud-hosted deployment on Amazon Web Services. For broadcasters already familiar with XPression, the concept stays straightforward. The professional graphics capabilities remain the same; only the infrastructure’s location and consumption model change. Organizations now deploy graphics in the cloud rather than installing on-premises engines and accessing them as needed. This approach offers an alternative to purchasing dedicated hardware sized for peak demand. Cloud deployment lets organizations provision graphics resources on demand and release them when production ends. Organizations that support temporary events, seasonal productions, remote workflows, or rapidly changing schedules can particularly benefit from this flexibility. A Better Fit for Seasonal and Event-Based Production One of the strongest use cases for cloud graphics involves what many production teams refer to as burst capacity. Not every production operation requires the same amount of graphics horsepower every day of the year. Consider a sports broadcaster preparing for playoff coverage. Graphics needs for regular-season games often differ markedly from those for conference championships, postseason tournaments, or major national events. Graphics packages become more advanced. Extra feeds may need support. Production schedules are more demanding. In the past, teams often purchased infrastructure sized for maximum utilization to support peak periods, even though much of the capacity remained underused for most of the year. Cloud-based graphics now provide an alternative. Production teams increase graphics resources when demand spikes and reduce resources when events conclude. The same concept applies across many sectors of the media industry. Large esports events may require temporary production setups. Corporate productions may need expanded graphics capabilities for annual conferences or shareholder meetings. Entertainment productions may need special infrastructure for short-term events. In each case, cloud-hosted graphics let organizations better match resources to actual production schedules. Supporting the Continued Growth of Remote Production Remote production has fundamentally changed how many broadcasters plan their infrastructure. As REMI workflows continue to mature, production resources no longer stay on-site. Cameras, contribution feeds, graphics, switching, replay, and production personnel operate from multiple locations. That shift pushes broadcasters to seek technologies their teams can deploy wherever needed. Cloud-based graphics fit neatly into this model. Rather than being tied to a specific facility, graphics resources can become part of a broader distributed production architecture. This flexibility helps organizations cover many events across venues. As remote production expands across sports, news, live events, and corporate broadcasting, production teams are making cloud-based tools an increasingly important part of the conversation. More Than a Graphics Product Notably, Ross Video does not position XPression.cloud as a standalone product. XPression.cloud fits into a broader vision for software-driven, cloud-enabled workflows. The broadcast industry is moving toward environments where production teams choose the deployment model that best fits their workflows. Some functions may remain on-premises. Others may move into the cloud. Many organizations will likely adopt hybrid architectures that combine both approaches. Graphics are one component of that larger ecosystem. Switching, monitoring, contribution, replay, content management, and other production functions are undergoing similar evaluations as broadcasters explore how software and cloud infrastructure can complement traditional hardware deployments. Ross Video's broader cloud initiatives, including products such as Carbonite Code, demonstrate how the company is extending familiar production tools into software-based deployment models. The real opportunity is building production environments that adapt as needs evolve. Real-World Workflows Where XPression.cloud Fits It is important to note that cloud graphics are unlikely to replace every traditional deployment. Many facilities will still use dedicated hardware for years to come. Cloud deployment provides additional flexibility. Several workflows stand out as particularly strong candidates. Sports production remains one of the most obvious applications. Seasonal demand, temporary events, tournament coverage, and remote production all benefit from scalable infrastructure. Live event production presents similar opportunities. Concerts, conventions, esports tournaments, festivals, and corporate events often require infrastructure that exists only for the duration of the event itself. Regional broadcasters and production companies can use cloud graphics to supplement existing infrastructure during peak demand periods. Organizations exploring hybrid production models can also use cloud-based graphics to test new workflows without making major hardware investments upfront. The common thread across these environments is flexibility. Production teams gain another tool they can deploy where and when it makes the most operational sense. Helping Broadcasters Build for an Increasingly Flexible Future The move toward cloud production is not about replacing traditional broadcast infrastructure overnight.Instead, it reflects a growing recognition that modern production environments require options. Broadcasters are supporting more content, distribution platforms, events, and production models than ever before. The infrastructure supporting those workflows must become equally adaptable. Ross Video's XPression.cloud reflects that reality. By moving graphics to the cloud, Ross offers broadcasters new options for graphics deployment, resource use, and scalability. For organizations navigating the transition toward remote production, hybrid infrastructure, and cloud-enabled workflows, solutions like XPression.cloud provide another building block for designing production environments that align with the operational realities of today's media landscape. As the industry continues to evolve, one thing is becoming increasingly clear: flexibility is no longer simply a competitive advantage. It is becoming a core requirement for modern broadcast operations. Get in Touch with Us
