Stands will “closely resemble how they looked and sounded before the competition was postponed.”
LaLiga is to use digitally recreated fan audio and virtualised stands for the rest of the season, and for as long as matches are played behind closed doors. It will also introduce new camera angles.
The stands will be filled with images of seated fans wearing the colours of the home club, and, says LaLiga, will enable “matches to be seen in an attractive way that closely resembles how they looked and sounded before the competition was postponed.”
The tech-driven development is being created through a collaboration with Vizrt, and will be implemented by LaLiga’s production partner Mediapro.
Broadcasts will also feature virtual sound, through a collaboration with EA Sports Fifa. The audio was recorded in real stadiums and has been digitally adapted to be implemented in real-time during the match.
The audio will therefore suit the flow of the game, so when there’s a goal or a foul, the audience responds appropriately.
The new camera angles have come about as cameras can now shift to locations that would previously have affected the sightline of fans in the stands. The aerial camera will modify its flight path to offer new shots, the bench camera will be moved to the opposite stand, and robotic cameras will be used in the tunnel.
LaLiga president Javier Tebas said: “We work with global partners to offer a great viewer experience. We are in an exceptional situation, but for us it has been important to be able to adapt and offer a compelling, cutting-edge broadcast to our fans.”