The content provider’s live streams will include pre- and post-match interviews, action from the training ground and off-field activities. Football content specialist Dugout is launching its first live streaming service. The company, which is co-owned by a long list of many of the world’s biggest football clubs, is best known for providing ‘club-safe’ archive, behind-the-scenes […]
Category archives: Live Sport
Celtic FC brings in Sunset+Vine for fan-focused matchday content
Football club creates content for season ticket holders unable to attend games. Celtic Football Club has appointed Sunset+Vine Scotland to create matchday programming as part of a ‘televised ticket offering’ to supporters. With fans unable to attend matches during the pandemic, the club is creating a range of content from each game designed to give […]
Scott Young, F1 head at Sky Sports to lead production at Eurosport
Major appointment will build on Eurosport’s recent tech-led transformation of its production operations. Eurosport has announced another high-profile appointment with the recruitment of Scott Young as senior vice president, production and content. Young has more than 30 years experience across live sports, major event production and on-screen innovation. Young joins from Sky Sports, where he’s […]
Sky Sports and BT Sport unveil ‘watch together’ option to apps
Broadcasters both launch watch together services that will be available in time for the return of the Premier League. Sky Sports and BT Sport are both using the return of the Premier League to unveil new ‘watch together’ services. Sky Sports’ service is called Fanzone (pictured above), and will be available on the Sky Sports […]
LaLiga to use virtual fans and audio to liven up empty stadiums
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 […]
Nascar first to use Facebook Venue second-screen live streaming app
App aimed at creating a better, more responsive second-screen experience. Facebook has launched a live streaming iOS and Android app called Venue, which focuses on enhancing fan engagement through the second-screen. It has been developed by Facebook’s New Product Experimentation team and aims to bring fans and expert commentators together to “experience live events in […]
Virtual advertising firm Supponor opens Barcelona office
Tech company expands in Spain to support work on virtual advertising for LaLiga and FC Barcelona. Virtual advertising tech company Supponor is opening an office in Barcelona, Spain. It follows the expansion of the company’s agreement to work with Mediapro on virtual advertising boards for live LaLiga games, and a long-term agreement with FC Barcelona […]
Michael Vaughan joins Whisper to grow cricket output
Vaughan has been brought in to build on the company’s cricket coverage. Whisper has added ex-cricketer and cricket broadcaster Michael Vaughan to its advisory board. Vaughan will focus on Whisper’s growing cricket portfolio and other broadcast and branded projects, with a focus on new business. The former England cricket great retired in 2009 and has […]
BBC Alba to bring live football back to free-to-air TV from Saturday
The Scottish broadcaster is the first free-to-air channel to show live sports since lockdown. Scottish free-to-air channel BBC Alba is to air live coverage of German women’s Bundesliga. It becomes the first UK free-to-air broadcaster to show live sport since lockdown. Its exclusive live coverage of the games will start this Saturday (30 May). BBC […]
Bundesliga unveils ‘Average Positions’ and ‘Expected Goals’ stats
Stats created using machine learning, through a partnership with Amazon Web Services (AWS). Bundesliga has been working with Amazon Web Services (AWS) to create two new on-screen stats, providing new insight into games. The new ‘Bundesliga Match Facts’ stats are Average Positions and Expected Goals (xGoals). They are created from real-time analysis of data from […]
ITV4 returns to live sport
Championship League snooker tournament to take place in isolation ITV4 is to host the first live free-to-air sport since lockdown with coverage of next month’s Championship League snooker. The tournament is to be played behind closed doors at Milton Keynes’ Marshall Arena, with players, officials and staff staying on-site for the duration of the 11-day tournament. […]
Podcast: Freelance DoP Graham Howe on making the most of lockdown
With the Covid-19 pandemic triggering the cancellation of future bookings, freelance cameraman Graham Howe chose to use the time to learn useful new production skills. The latest episode of the Broadcast Tech Talks podcast series sees freelance lighting cameraman Graham Howe talking to Broadcast Sport editor Jake Bickerton about what he’s doing to keep busy […]
M2A Media unveils cloud-based live video platform
The service is described as a user-friendly, cost-effective alternative to satellite and fibre. Cloud-based video specialist M2A Media has launched a new live video cloud distribution platform it describes as “a flexible and cost-effective alternative to satellite and fibre.” M2A Connect enables producers to schedule and automate the global delivery of live feeds, via a […]
OZ Sports fills empty stadiums with the sight and sounds of virtual fans
The tech filling empty stadiums with virtual fans. Sports tech company OZ Sports has launched an AR product called OZ Arena to bring fans from home into live broadcasts when football resumes. Fans will appear as personalised avatars, and will make genuine cheers from home via an app. They will even be offered their preferred […]
Behind the scenes: Sunset+Vine reveals how it makes shows during lockdown
Production house reveals the innovative way it is embracing live remote TV production during the Covid-19 crisis. This short video, presented by Sunset+Vine executive producer Stephen Booth, explains in 2m21s exactly how the producer has made remote production with presenters and crew at home the “new normal.”
COMMENT: Live streaming – Understanding the Legal Frameworks
Gregor Pryor, co-chair, entertainment and media industry group at Reed Smith LLP offers advice on navigating the legal issues around live streaming. While live streaming is not a new phenomenon, the recent lockdown has shone a spotlight on this activity, as sporting events are postponed or cancelled, and companies turn to live streaming to reach […]
Tennis Channel broadcasts live tennis tournament from Florida
The three-day event went out live over the weekend. The channel’s next live tennis is scheduled for later this month. LA-based Tennis Channel has broadcast live coverage of the three-day men’s tennis event, UTR Pro Match Series, which took place over the weekend. The tournament, staged in West Palm Beach, Florida, featured two top-10 ranked […]
K League to work with Grabyo as season kicks off again
Cloud-based platform will enable remote production of live matches on social media. The season opening return of K League tomorrow (Friday, 8 May) is being produced for social media remotely using Grabyo. The match – between Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors and Suwon Samsung Bluewings – is being broadcast on K League’s YouTube and Twitter channels at […]
Matchroom Sport launches OTT platform with free-to-air archive content
The new Matchroom Live platform will provide both live streams of tournaments (to subscribers) and free archive sports content. Matchroom Sport has teamed up with sports streaming specialist StreamAMG to create new OTT platform, Matchroom Live, which provides fans worldwide access to its portfolio of events. Matchroom Live will host live streams of Matchroom Sports […]
World’s Strongest Man turns to DIY ‘Home Edition’ format for Snapchat
The strongmen will use heavy household objects, including their own cars, for the lockdown format. The World’s Strongest Man organisation has launched a Snapchat spin-off during lockdown, called the World’s Strongest Man: Home Edition. It runs on Snapchat’s Discover page every Monday for the next 11 weeks, with eight of the world’s strongmen lifting ‘imaginative’ […]
SailGP reschedules 2020 season to 2021, voids 2020 Sydney race
High octane catamaran race tournament ditches 2020 season due to the pandemic. SailGP, the race series featuring supercharged F50 catamarans, has suspended this year’s season, rescheduling all races to 2021. The results from the 2020 Sydney race – the first and only completed SailGP event of the year – will be null and void. The […]
BBC Sport preps summer of presenter-led archive re-runs
Contingency plan couples magazine formats with archive classics. BBC Sport has begun prepping for when the worst of the current Covid-19 restrictions are lifted as it readies magazine formats to accompany archive classics over the summer. Head of TV sport Phillip Bernie is drawing up contingency plans for how to film formats in a semi-lockdown […]
Behind the scenes: PDC Home Tour darts
Broadcast Sport gets the low down on how the innovative home darts tournament has been staged and broadcast. Loop Productions, based at The Bottle Yard Studios in Bristol has revealed its role in getting the PDC Home Tour darts tournament on air. Speaking to Broadcast Sport, the company’s production engineer Adam Young, said: “We used […]
COMMENT: Hitting the right notes with music on sports productions
Charles Gadsdon, global director of growth EMEA, MassiveMusic on the importance of creating a sonic brand for TV sport. In football, music is arguably just as important as the club badges, colours and nicknames. Whether the chorus of fans in the Kop singing the moving You’ll Never Walk Alone to the playful I’m Forever Blowing […]
Industry responds to lockdown: watch virtual roundtable debate
You can stream the full BT Media & Broadcast sports industry discussion for free. BT Media & Broadcast has shared the full virtual roundtable webinar discussion it held last week to discuss the impact coronavirus is having on sports production and broadcast. The roundtable included representatives from BT Sport, Excel Esports, FACEIT and Noah Media […]
The tech that could breathe life into an unattended game
Rosh Singh, managing director at ‘innovation production studio’ Unit9 (pictured below) reveals the tech innovations that could breathe life and energy into the broadcast of an unattended game. VR is a terrible medium for watching sports. Even ignoring the fact that the distribution of headsets is too far too low for it to be meaningful, […]
Live darts returns to television
The Professional Darts Corporation’s home-staged tournament, Home Tour darts, is being televised each night from 7:30pm. One of the few examples of live sports still on our screens is the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) Home Tour darts tournament, which began on Friday. The competition runs for 32 consecutive nights, broadcasting live and on-demand for free […]
Real Estelí FC adds English commentary to YouTube matches
English commentary will help expand the global audience for the club. Nicaraguan club Real Estelí FC has teamed up with virtual commentary studio Spalk to make its matches available in English. The games will be streamed in English through the club’s YouTube channel in an attempt to expand its fan base. Spalk will be providing […]
Arsenal FC chooses Blackbird for quick-turnaround social content
Cloud video editor to be used by the club for editing and distributing live and archive content on social platforms. Arsenal Football Club has announced it’s to use cloud video platform Blackbird for the speedy editing and publishing of content to fans. The club, which has a combined following of 70+ million fans across its […]
Wimbledon 2020 cancelled, Women’s Euro 2021 postponed
Two more huge sporting events affected by the coronavirus pandemic In somewhat inevitable news, the All England Club (AELTC) announced earlier today that Wimbledon 2020 wouldn’t go ahead – the first time the iconic tennis competition has been cancelled since World War II. A decision has also been made to move the Women’s European Championship […]
LiveU and Tencent partner to broadcast live sport despite covid-19 lockdowns
LiveU supplied remote production equipment to film the event LiveU and Chinese broadcaster Tencent managed to bring some live sport to viewers recently, in the form of speed skating. The 2020 World Short Track Speed Skating Championships in South Korea were postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic, and in reaction, the China Short Track Speed […]
Tech Talks podcast: Duncan Alexander on the power of football stats during the pandemic
Episode #3 of the new Broadcast Tech Talks podcast is with Stats Perform/OptaJoe football statistician, broadcaster and author Duncan Alexander In this eight-minute interview – the third in the new Broadcast Tech Talks podcast series – Stats Perform chief data editor Duncan Alexander provides some fascinating insight into how historic football data consistently unearths new […]
Sunset+Vine reveals coronavirus production measures
The company is adapting to cope during the uncertain times Sunset+Vine has revealed the measures it is taking amid the coronavirus crisis to keep production running. With many live sports competitions and events not going ahead for the foreseeable future, the company has had to focus on other content. For example, studio-based production and branded […]
Will Carling blog #6: The odds of placekicking
Will Carling continues his exclusive blog series for Broadcast Sport during a Six Nations tournament now abruptly halted by coronavirus. This week he looks at the insight provided by the new kick predictor on-screen graphics. To say the Guinness Six Nations Championship has been a little unusual this year is an understatement. While the last […]
UEFA creates committee to discuss revised European football calendar
Committee aims to remake the calendar to ensure completion of European football leagues in 2020. LaLiga, the Premier League, European Club Association, UEFA and European Leagues have all confirmed they will take part in a UEFA-created committee to discuss the revised European football calendar for 2020. LaLiga president Javier Tebas will represent the league’s interests, […]
Bowls Premier League ramps up digital coverage
Australia’s fast-action bowls tournament created live social video highlight clips to help attract a new, younger audience to bowls. The Bowls Premier League (BPL), held in Moama, New South Wales, Australia last month, used cloud-based live video production platform Grabyo to create, edit and deliver real-time social video highlights. The highlight clips were used to […]
Extreme E appoints head of broadcast and technology
Dave Adey will be hoping to bring cutting-edge technology to the sport Extreme E has appointed Dave Adey as its head of broadcast and technology. Adey will be in charge of sourcing cutting-edge technology for remote broadcast and race control vision – with the race series aiming to be environmentally friendly while filming in remote […]
Sky Sports follows BT Sport with coronavirus statement
The broadcaster is also refusing to refund customers Sky Sports has released a statement regarding the coronavirus’ impact on the sporting calendar. With major sporting events from around the world cancelling or postponing their events, it has left the broadcaster without much live content for its channels. This had left customers wondering if they would […]
BT Sport responds to coronavirus cancellations
All professional football in England has been cancelled until 4 April BT Sport has responded to the news that all English football has joined many major European competitions and leagues in postponing games. The Premier League, EFL, and WSL announced on Friday that matches will be suspended until 4 April. Across Europe, the Champions League, […]
Premier League suspended: European football’s reaction to Covid-19
Professional football has been suspended across Europe The Premier League, EFL, and WSL have announced that they will suspend professional football in England due to the coronavirus pandemic. It is currently planned to return on 4 April but will be subject to medical advice and conditions at the time. Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta and Chelsea […]
EVS withdraws from NAB show 2020
It joins a number of companies pulling out due to the coronavirus outbreak Live broadcasting technology company EVS has announced that it is pulling out of the NAB Show 2020. The decision has come as a precautionary measure due to the coronavirus pandemic. While the outfit – which largely operates in sports broadcasting technology – […]
The future of sport is streaming, says Greg Rusedski
The former UK no.1 is a part of Amazon Prime Video’s tennis coverage Former world no.4 tennis player and current Amazon Prime Video pundit Greg Rusedski believes streaming services are the future of sports broadcasting. Speaking to Broadcast Sport, the 46-year-old explained how younger audiences and affordability will allow streamers to overtake traditional broadcasters. Rusedski […]
Coronavirus could force free-to-air Premier League and pause of 3pm blackout
Administrators and broadcasters have met to discuss options The FA is likely to allow the screening of games during the 3pm blackout if the coronavirus forces games to be played behind closed doors. In addition, Sky and BT could be asked to make games free-to-air, reports The Times. However, steps would also be taken to […]
Will Carling blog #5: Power Game
Will Carling’s fifth exclusive blog for Broadcast Sport, covering the new on-screen graphics unveiled for the Six Nations tournament. This week, Carling discusses the power game, showing where a team is dominant, where a team is lacking, and potentially where the match is being won or lost. The Guinness Six Nations Championship always delivers an […]
The Future Group reveals Pixotope role in Super Bowl mixed reality production
It helped to create the reveal of the NFL’s 100 All Time Team The Future Group has revealed its virtual production system, Pixotope, was used in the creation of a seven-minute mixed reality production at the 2020 Super Bowl. Six installations of Pixotope were provided for the segment – about the NFL’s 100 All Time […]
Whisper to produce F1 coverage for Channel 4
It includes highlights of all races as well as live coverage of the British Grand Prix Whisper has agreed a deal to produce Channel 4’s Formula One coverage. Starting with the 2020 season, the company will be continuing its work for the broadcaster – they have covered all F1 races for C4 since 2016. The […]
Discovery and UCI partner to promote Track Cycling World League
Discovery channels such as Eurosport will give the league exposure Discovery and the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) have partnered to promote the Track Cycling World League, which will get underway in 2021. Signed at the 2020 UCI Track Cycling World Championships in Berlin, the agreement will mean that the management, TV production and distribution of […]
LaLiga to produce 4K El Clasico with latest tech
It is looking for a high-quality viewer experience LaLiga are set to produce the latest El Clasico between Real Madrid and Barcelona in 4K-HDR when it is played on 1 March. It is also set to make use of some of the latest camera and graphics technology to film one of the biggest games in […]
BT Sport shows UK’s first public live 8K HDR sports broadcast
BT Sport tests live 8K HDR and says it will roll it out to BT Sport Ultimate this year BT Sport last night screened the UK’s first public live 8K HDR sports broadcast, showing the second leg UEFA Europa League clash between Arsenal v Olympiacos on a Samsung 82” QLED 8K TV at the Emirates […]
Gravity Media reveals the tech behind 4K Deontay Wilder v Tyson Fury 2 coverage
It produced BT Sport’s coverage of the fight Gravity Media has revealed the tech behind BT Sport’s live 4K PPV coverage of last weekend’s heavyweight world title bout between Deontay Wilder and Tyson Fury. The fight, which saw Fury crowned the WBC world heavyweight champion after Wilder’s corner threw in the towel during the seventh […]
Brainstorm to collaborate with Spidercam for sports AR
They have already deployed joint installations to cover WWE Real time 3D graphics and virtual studios company Brainstorm is to collaborate with Spidercam to further develop augmented reality technology for sport and other events in large spaces. Cable camera and robotics manufacturer Spidercam has already worked with Brainstorm to cover the WWE season, including the […]
Will Carling Six Nations blog #4: Drawing the battle lines with ruck insights
Will Carling’s fourth exclusive blog for Broadcast Sport, covering the new on-screen graphics unveiled for the Six Nations tournament. This week, Carling discusses the analysis of rucks and turnovers. We’re now over the half way mark in the 2020 Guinness Six Nations Championship, and the action is really starting to heat up. While Italy took […]
Esports and broadcast: A match made in heaven or not a match at all?
From the duration of the game to capturing the atmosphere and considering a change in format, Chris Wood, CTO at Spicy Mango, looks at the challenges broadcasters need to consider before they take the leap into the world of esports. The world of esports is growing rapidly. In fact, it is estimated that esports revenues […]
Game on: the ever-growing production values of esports events
Head of marketing & communications at live production specialists EVS, Sebastien Verlaine, gives a view into the world of esports production Across online and TV it is estimated that more than 500 million people around the world are watching other people play video games. Yet, as esports continue to grow in popularity, tournament producers are […]
BT Sport, ITV, and Queensbury Promotions to share Fury v Wilder content
They will be sharing programming ahead of Sunday’s big fight BT Sport, ITV, and Queensbury Promotions have agreed to share their boxing content ahead of Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder’s rematch on Sunday morning. The two heavyweights will face each other in a highly anticipated bout for the WBC heavyweight title at the MGM Grand […]
Eurosport Events launches all-electric touring car championship Pure ETCR
Its debut full season will be in 2021 Eurosports Events has launched the world’s first all-electric, multi-brand touring car championship – Pure ETCR. The Discovery-owned promoter behind the WTCR – FIA World Touring Car Cup and FIM Endurance World Championship – is looking to change attitudes towards electric cars and mobility with the competition. Races […]
Second Spectrum/AWS to usher in sports viewing innovations
AWS tools will help bring new game-watching experiences to fans Optical tracking company Second Spectrum has selected Amazon Web Services (AWS) as its preferred cloud, artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), and media services provider. Second Spectrum, which provides optical tracking for both the NBA and the Premier League, says its partnership with AWS will […]
Will Carling Six Nations blog #3: Big hits, big Insights
Will Carling’s third exclusive blog for Broadcast Sport, covering the new on-screen graphics unveiled for the Six Nations tournament. This week Carling discusses the analysis of dominant tackles. The second weekend of matches was certainly one to remember, set against the backdrop of dramatic gale force winds and heavy rain caused by Storm Ciara. Scotland […]
Will Carling blog: Six Nations graphics (Visits to 22) explained
Will Carling explains how the Visits to 22 graphic provided added insight during England’s opening game of the 2020 Guinness Six Nations The 2020 Guinness Six Nations has arrived. The opening weekend offered up three huge clashes among the finest teams that Northern Hemisphere rugby has to offer. The pick of the fixtures for me […]
Arena, Dock10 live trial FA Cup remote production for BBC Sport
Production team based at a gallery in Dock10 for FA Cup fourth round OB specialist Arena Television and Dock10 studios have completed a live trial of a new virtual gallery solution with BBC Sport for the fourth round of the FA Cup. BBC Sport’s production team was based at a gallery in Dock10, meaning a […]
LaLigaTV channel to launch on Sky TV
Premier Sports and LaLiga bring dedicated 24/7 LaLigaTV channel to Sky EPG LaLiga is bringing its new dedicated TV channel to the Sky platform in the New Year, showing all live matches from Spain’s top-flight league in full HD. The LaLigaTV channel launches on Sky from Monday 13 January and costs £5.99 a month. To […]
Amazon Prime to show live tennis from the first ATP Cup
Matches from the new tennis tournament will be streamed live on Amazon Prime Video Amazon Prime Video will show all live tennis from the first ATP Cup, taking place Friday 3 January – Sunday 12 January. The new tournament comes as part of an five-year existing deal Amazon Prime has in place with the ATP […]
Whisper retains C4 Formula 1 deal
Indie to produce channel’s coverage for 2020 as Sony mulls stake Whisper has retained the contract for Channel 4’s Formula 1 coverage for a fourth year as Sony mulls over taking a stake in David Coulthard’s indie. Broadcast understands the indie recently emerged victorious against another leading sports producer after a two-month tender process, which […]
All Formula E races to go free-to-air on the BBC
Fans in the UK can watch live Formula E races on different BBC platforms as well as Eurosport and Quest The BBC is to televise all of this season’s Formula E races live, on free-to-air TV and online. The Marrakesh e-prix in Morocco on 29 February and Rome e-prix on 4 April will go out […]
BT Sport retains Champions League rights in £1.2bn deal
Broadcaster fended off bids from ITV and Sky BT Sport has retained the rights to broadcast Champions League games for another three seasons in a deal worth £1.2 billion. The new deal is worth £400m a year, slightly up on the 2018-2021 rights cycle which is worth £394m a year. As such, UEFA has protected […]
SquashTV to broadcast Men’s Squash Championship live to 3m global fans
D2C coverage, together with Facebook streams, will see squash tournament reach large audience worldwide SquashTV will broadcast the Men’s World Team Squash Championship (held 15-21 December in Washington D.C.) for free globally, after reaching an agreement with the World Squash Federation (WSF) and tournament hosts Squash on Fire. The D2C platform Squash TV, which is […]
Facebook eyes niche sports
Social media giant’s strategy is to focus on live events that are ‘under-served’ by broadcasters Facebook is concentrating its sports strategy on “underserved” events that are not being shown by the traditional broadcasters, according to the US tech giant’s head of global live sports. Peter Hutton cited sports including surfing and Ironman as appealing […]
Red Bee launches women’s football streamer
OTT service will launch early next year Swedish sports rights agency Spring Media has partnered with Red Bee Media to launch the world’s first women’s football streaming service. The duo have formed Wnited, which will launch early next year with more than 300 live matches across its first 12 months, along with a range of […]
Kipchoge marathon reaches 500m+ TV viewers
The INEOS 1:59 Challenge gets 4.9m YouTube views and reached 500m+ TV viewers Host broadcaster Sunset+Vine has revealed viewing figures for Eliud Kipchoge’s successful attempt at breaking the 2-hour marathon on Saturday morning. The marathon, which took place in central Vienna, saw Kipchoge finish in just 1h59m40s. It was streamed live on YouTube, broadcast on […]
Premier Sports launches LaLigaTV streaming service
Channel dedicated to Spain’s La Liga is available in the UK and Ireland from today. Premier Sports has launched its dedicated English-language channel dedicated to Spain’s LaLiga. LaLigaTV is available from today in the UK and Ireland via the Premier Player OTT streaming service, costing £5.99 per month or £49 annually. Premier Sports began broadcasting […]