Pocketwizards on top of camera when shooting sports?

[Canonboi]

I've seen quite a lot of photos of sports photographers (in an NBA game, for instance) having a pocketwizard on their camera when shooting these types of sports. Is it the reason why their shots are spot on? If so, where are their flashes located in the arena?

[cdifoto]

Flashes are usually in the rafters.

[Nate P.]

Frequently the PW also triggers remote cameras as well

[Viva-photography]

Here, they have the wizards on top of the camera. Its out of the way and they won't lose it.

The lights in the highschool stadium here, they put them on the rails in front of the band.

[FlyingPhotog]

As Don says, strobes are in the rafters but not every photographer who is credentialed is deemed "strobe worthy" and allowed to use them.

Most are shooting ambient so having a PW would mean they are triggering a second camera behind the backboard or suspended somewhere else.

[robscomputer]

I didn't know about the statium wide strobes used in basketball games for a long time. It was only when I attended a game and noticed how bright the strobes where that it couldn't have been one single flash unit. But during the NBA finals, the strobes were very noticeable. It's like pop-pop then blam, big white flash.

[Canonboi]

Thanks for the replies, guys. So those strobes in the rafters are provided to accredited photogs/photoj by the NBA? WOW! But aren't the arenas lights enough even when shooting ambient if you're just a fan who shoots with a dSLR?

[Viva-photography]

Thanks for the replies, guys. So those strobes in the rafters are provided to accredited photogs/photoj by the NBA? WOW! But aren't the arenas lights enough even when shooting ambient if you're just a fan who shoots with a dSLR?

Most of the time, yes.
But if you shoot a burst and the strobes go off, you'll see it in your pictures. I always laugh when that happens.

[Digital_zen]

I tape a picture of a PW on top of my camera at all times, makes people start threads on the internet.