These armbands, marked 'SFS' and 'ENG', were made for the Sydney Olympic Broadcasting Organisation (SOBO) - the official broadcast company that provided all radio and television coverage of the Sydney Olympic Games. They were assigned to SOBO cameramen and television technicians, including those working at the International Broadcast Centre and on the Fields of Play. The 'ENG' armbands were assigned to Electronic News Gathering teams, typically sound recordists and cameramen working in the Mixed Zone - an area adjacent to the Field of Play where athletes were interviewed after competition. These and other identification devices were valid throughout the Games

In 1996, the Sydney Organising Committee for the Olympic Games (SOCOG) established SOBO as a complete broadcast company and as Host Broadcaster of the Olympic Games. The organisation comprised an operating charter, a board of directors, and a corporate mission, and aimed to "provide outstanding levels of service to Rights Holding Broadcasters, and to produce more than 3400 hours of live, visually stunning and technically superior coverage of the Games of the New Millennium."

From 13 September to 1 October 2000, SOBO produced all television and radio coverage of Olympic competition for the 200 broadcasters that held rights to the Games. During this period, it was the largest broadcasting production company in the world, supporting 3300 local and international personnel across eight divisions: Executive, Production, Technical Operations and Engineering, Broadcast Information, Support Services, Venue Management, Business Affaires and Booking.

The International Broadcast Centre (IBC) was the hub of SOBO operations, and was equipped with 35 studios, 1600 broadcaster rooms, a commentary switching centre, a video archive and a satellite farm. Here, at Olympic Park, SOBO monitored 40 simultaneous international signals, and televised to a worldwide audience of around 30 billion people.

Made from a synthetic material for the Sydney Olympic Broadcasting Organisation.

Unused

Made for and owned by the Olympic Coordination Authority/Sydney Organising Committee for the Olympic Games, and donated to the Powerhouse Museum after use in the Games.

Identification armbands (2), Sydney Olympic Broadcasting Organisation, Olympic Games, Sydney, 2000, synthetic material, c.2000

Armbands (2), Sydney Olympic Broadcasting Organisation (SOBO) Cameraman's Armbands. The armbands are made from synthetic fabric. One armband is fuchsia the other purple. Each of the armbands wraps around the arm and fastens with a Velcro strip.

Made: 2000

2001/84/466

2000