TOM • HAIGH

Senior Full-Stack Engineer

ESPN Data Feed Integration

ESPN · via ESPN

ESPN Data Feed Integration

Delivering software and data integration solutions supporting 24/7 broadcast operations, advertising, and live sports programming.

Role: Software Engineer

Period: 2010–2013

Domain: Sports / Entertainment

Employer: ESPN

Client: ESPN

ESPN UK

  • ESPN’s international operations reached over 200 countries with more than 350 million subscribers worldwide.
  • ESPN UK operated multiple major and specialist sports channels broadcasting American sports, Premier League football, and Premiership Rugby.
  • Supported delivery of live sports content to more than 2 million homes across Europe, Africa, and the Middle East.
  • Broadcast operations managed over 1,500 live events annually across multiple simultaneous feeds.

Supporting Broadcast Operations

  • Supported and enhanced the Vision Broadcast Management System (BMS), a mission-critical platform used by programming and playout teams to manage live broadcasting operations.
  • Diagnosed production issues, collaborated with operational teams, and implemented improvements to increase reliability and operational efficiency.
  • Planned and executed large-scale data consolidation activities, preserving critical operational data and delivering cost savings in excess of £100,000.
  • Developed data migration and retention tooling using Oracle PL/SQL to support ongoing operational requirements.
  • Developed C# .NET WinForms applications and Middleware supporting programming operations, subtitling, live betting odds, and playout utilities.

Managing Live Broadcast Feeds

  • Developed a web-based feed management platform using ASP.NET MVC and C#.
  • Delivered tooling to support scheduling and management of programming, media assets, and international broadcast feeds.
  • Helped reduce scheduling conflicts to near-zero levels within a mission-critical broadcast environment.
  • Worked closely with programming, playout, and technical operations teams to support 24/7 broadcasting.

Music Royalties & Compliance

  • Developed C# .NET middleware integrating the Soundmouse music royalty platform with internal broadcast management systems.
  • Delivered multiple releases over a two-year period, enhancing functionality and reliability.
  • Supported transfer of live and archive music data, helping ensure accurate royalty payments and regulatory compliance.

Live Advertising & Betting Integration

  • Delivered live betting odds functionality in collaboration with broadcast managers, playout teams, and graphics specialists.
  • Developed C# .NET middleware to consume betting feeds, correlate broadcast schedules, and deliver data to Pixel Power graphics systems.
  • Supported live betting operations across more than 30,000 advertising break junctions per channel annually.
  • Contributed to advertising operations generating approximately £6 million in annual revenue.