The deadline for completed entries for the sports categories at the Broadcast Tech Innovation Awards is Friday 25 September. The Broadcast Tech Innovation Awards 2020 are back for a second year, celebrating the exceptional teams behind the most outstanding broadcast productions of the past year. The awards include five sports-related categories, which are listed below. […]
Category archives: Tech Innovation
Superbike Championship to trial the capabilities of 5G for live production
Ambitious trial will showcase the potential of 5G in enabling high-quality remote production. Catalan Broadcasting Corporation (CCMA) channel TV3 is running a 5G ‘immersive sport experience’ next weekend, at the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship (WorldSBK). The tournament, at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya 18-20 September, sees Vodafone providing a 5G service along the track and in […]
TECH: Changing The Rules of the game for live news and dynamic sports productions
Ronen Artman, VP of Marketing, LiveU, chats with Broadcast Sport about the capabilities of the LU-800 and the various projects undertaken this year. It’s fair to say that in the build-up to the launch of the first LiveU product in 2008 there was some industry scepticism about the viability of the underlying technology we were […]
Stats Perform creates a series of real-time insights for Premier League
Stats Perform is providing a series of new metrics and insights into Premier League games this season. The data has been made possible using player and ball tracking data from the Premier League’s tracking provider, Second Spectrum. This uses ‘computer vision’ to automatically identify and provide the precise coordinates of each player and the ball […]
NFL unveils new on-screen graphics, providing insight driven by AI/ML
The six new insights will be unveiled during the Houston Texans v Kansas City Chiefs match today (10 September). The National Football League (NFL) is working with Amazon Web Services (AWS) to add six on-screen graphics, providing additional insight to the game. These will be debuted during the season kickoff game between the Houston Texans […]
National Premier League Tennis to use AI to auto create highlights
It’s the first time Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been used by a semi-pro tennis event. Online highlights from the National Premier League Tennis (NPL) finals in London this week are being produced using an AI technology. UK-based data science company Peak Indicators has created the AI, which automatically produces video highlights from a live feed. […]
VIDEO: LaLiga unveils 3D graphics enhancements for 2020/21 season
New graphics provide real-time insight into set-pieces. LaLiga is rolling out a series of on-screen graphics offering insight into the game, based on real-time and predictive data. These are being applied to scenarios including set-pieces. To find out more, watch the short film below.
Behind-the-scenes: A Question of Sport returns with some Covid tweaks
A Question of Sport executive producer Gareth Edwards reveals the changes made to shoot the new series at Dock 10 studios. A Question of Sport returned to dock10 studios this month to record 10 episodes – it’s first since lockdown. Coronavirus shooting guidelines meant the show had to shoot without an audience for the first […]
Sustainability: Sky Sports awarded Albert certification for football coverage
Broadcaster says it’s committed to maintaining its Albert-certified status for all future football seasons. Sky Sports has revealed that, from the start of the 2020/21 season, all Premier League and EFL matches shown live on Sky Sports will be certified 3-star Albert sustainable. The Albert certification, which is industry-backed and awarded by BAFTA, goes to […]
Esports BAR partners with easylive.io to live stream virtual event
The live stream of the online conference will be given the look and feel of a TV production. Esports event specialist, Esports BAR, has partnered with live streaming company easylive.io to broadcast content from its forthcoming Esports BAR+ Americas virtual event on 22-25 September. The Esports BAR+ Americas event focuses on monetisation, innovation, investments and […]
AI provides automated filming and editing at RC Celta de Vigo
LaLiga club turns to AI to provide on-demand content for fans, coaches and journalists. LaLiga club RC Celta de Vigo has brought in AI video recording in its training ground and press rooms, using tech from start-up Cinfo (one of the winners of LaLiga’s Startup Competition last year). Cinfo’s product Tiivi automates the recording, reproduction […]
Eurosport ‘teleports’ players into The Cube for photo-real remote interviews
Impressive use of technology to enable highly realistic looking face-to-face interviews with the interviewer and sports stars in different physical locations. The Eurosport Cube went live during coverage of the US Open last night with the broadcaster welcoming its first ‘teleported’ player guests. You can see a clip from the interview between Eurosport presenter Barbara […]
LaLiga pulls in 2.8 billion viewers during 2019/20 season
The Spanish football league unveils a series of insights about fan engagement during lockdown. LaLiga has revealed a number of insights into viewing figures and fan engagement during lockdown that show significant gains. LaLiga saw a 50% increase on its international audience on its first matchday back post-lockdown, with the audience coming from 105 broadcasters […]
SBG assists Premier League refs PGMOL with remote working
The refereeing body is using the software to review key match incidents SBG Sports Software has supplied the Professional Game Match Officials Ltd (PGMOL), the professional referees body for English football, with a system for reviewing key decisions from home. With coronavirus restrictions meaning that match officials can’t currently meet in person to review decisions […]
Drone Champions League transitions to virtual events
ESL and Ross Video’s division, Rocket Surgery Virtual Productions work together to convert in-venue sport to a virtual studio set. ESL has converted a series of in-person Drone Champions League (DCL) events to a fully virtual alternative, with the competitors competing remotely. ESL worked with Ross Video’s dedicated virtual productions division, Rocket Surgery Virtual Productions […]
Arsenal and Intel extend immersive content partnership
Intel supply the Premier League club with cutting edge match highlights Arsenal and Intel Sports have extended their partnership for a further two years. The Premier League club has used Intel’s True View technology since 2019 to supply its fans with immersive highlights of matches. True View allows supporters to freeze match action, and view […]
Sky Sports to show 48 matches from Scottish Premiership 20/21 season
The 20/21 season kicks off this weekend. Sky Sports is airing 48 live matches from the Scottish Premiership season, which returns this weekend. Eilidh Barbour will present Sky’s coverage, while regular analyst Kris Boyd will be joined by James McFadden. Former Rangers, St. Johnstone and Kilmarnock striker Ally McCoist; former Scotland and Manchester United midfielder […]
Eurosport to produce podcasts and how-to videos for World Snooker Championships
The broadcaster will ramp up its analysis and supplementary content for the tournament. Eurosport is screening every round of The World Snooker Championships, which begins tonight, including the qualifiers. The tournament runs until 16 August. Eurosport is broadcasting the Championships – snooker’s biggest event – live to 50+ markets across Eurosport channels and the Eurosport […]
Podcast: Formula 1’s Frank Arthofer talks esports and the F1 Virtual GP series
Formula 1 speedily unveiled its enjoyable esports series, F1 Virtual GP, to replace real Grand Prix races during lockdown. It went out across digital and linear TV to millions of racing fans. Formula 1 global head, digital media and licensing, Frank Arthofer talks to Broadcast Sport editor Jake Bickerton about the F1 Virtual GP series, […]
NHL to remotely produce live and behind-the-scenes content using Blackbird
Quick turnaround content will be streamed on its digital and social outlets, and distributed internally for re-purposing. The National Hockey League (NHL) is remotely producing live and behind-the-scenes content as it returns to live sport, using cloud video editing platform Blackbird. For the NHL’s 2020 Stanley Cup Qualifiers and 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs, the NHL […]
World Squash Federation moves to develop squash in the esports sector
Squash governing body teams up with esports specialists to create new esports opportunities for the sport. The World Squash Federation (WSF) has joined the Global Esports Federation (GEF) to bring squash into the esports world. WSF and GEF will work with interactive tech specialist Refract to develop innovative technology to develop squash’s presence in the […]
The Open: AI to pit golfing greats from the last 50 years against each other
Archive content and historic data to bring golfing greats back to the green in a virtual version of The Open. The Open is using Artificial Intelligence (AI) to create a virtual Championship – The Open for The Ages – with many of the golfing greats of the past 50 years taking to the green. The […]
Sunset+Vine wins Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games contract
It will produce 2,000 hours of coverage during the 11 days of the Games, as well as the opening and closing ceremonies. Sunset+Vine has won the Host Broadcaster contract for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games. Birmingham 2022 and CGF Partnerships appointed Sunset+Vine after an international tender process. It will capture 2,000 hours of TV coverage […]
COMMENT: Lockdown life – Seven days at Timeline Television in June 2020
Timeline Television technical manager Adam Lowe reveals his lockdown work diary for 11-17 June. 11 June Today is my last day of Live Championship League Snooker for ITV Sport (pictured). We have had the honour/challenge of being the first UK sport back on terrestrial television. It’s been quite a challenge to plan a workflow that […]
Podcast: Ron Chakraborty on how the BBC is filling Wimbledon fortnight
A schedule of 50-hours of classic Wimbledon archive content and tennis docs replaces the cancelled Wimbledon 2020. Ron Chakraborty, executive editor, major events at BBC Sport talks to Broadcast Sport editor Jake Bickerton about the BBC’s plans for Wimbledon 2020 following the cancellation of the tournament due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Rather than live tennis […]
Five’s The Gadget Show speaks to BT Sport about 8K sports broadcasts
TV tech show interviews BT Sport’s Jamie Hindhaugh and Andy Beale for a report on 8K. This week’s episode of Five’s The Gadget Show features interviews with BT Sport chief operating officer Jamie Hindhaugh and chief engineer Andy Beale at the broadcaster’s first public live 8K HDR sports broadcast. Broadcast Sport was at the same […]
International Rugby League seeks host broadcaster for RLWC2021
The successful applicant will produce and distribute 45 matches of the Rugby League World Cup 2021. Following news of its broadcast partnership, Rugby League World Cup 2021 (RLWC2021) and International Rugby League (IRL) have released an Invitation To Tender for its Host Broadcast Services for next year’s tournament. The successful organisation will be responsible for […]
Promethean TV creates Sports Stats Overlays for mobile streams
The overlays offer insights, sponsored messages and real-time information during a game. Promethean TV has created a Sports Stats Overlay to enable broadcasters to add real-time statistics and information about a game or league to mobile streams. The data includes live scores, league table updates, team line-ups, individual player statistics, head-to-head statistics, polls, sponsored messages […]
Salsa Sound brings virtual fans to National Women’s Soccer League
Company behind the virtual crowd noise system says it’s simple enough for non-audio professionals to use. The virtual crowd sound for the National Women’s Soccer League Challenge Cup is being created by Salsa Sound’s Crowd DJ technology. This creates responsive crowd sound the company says can “easily respond to every event on the field of […]
German sports streamer develops automated production system
AI-driven system will be used to capture and broadcast the majority of the platform’s future sport content. Sports streaming service sporttotal.tv has developed an AI-driven production system that will be used for “almost all” the future sport broadcasts on the platform. The system utilises a weatherproof 180-degree camera and artificial intelligence (AI) created by Berlin-based […]
COMMENT: How to create authentic fan sounds for empty stadiums
DAZN’s Andres Veredas Salazar on creating authentic audio for the Bundesliga’s return to live matches. The sounds are pieced together in real-time from an archive of last season’s matches to create realistic soundscapes for each game. Replicating the atmosphere created by 70,000 fans is no easy task but by adapting existing DAZN technology, we felt […]
COMMENT: How the industry can redefine itself amid the pandemic
Tata Communications global head of media and entertainment services Dhaval Ponda on the future of production post-lockdown. For the last few months, lockdown measures introduced to stem the spread of Covid-19 have had many of us grounded in our homes. As such, most of us have turned to our TV sets and digital platforms for […]
F1 and AWS create six real-time stats providing insight during races
The six on-screen graphics utilise Machine Learning to analyse real-time data gathered from F1 cars. Formula One is adding six real-time racing stats to its 2020 season. The on-screen graphics have been created using a range of Amazon Web Services (AWS) services, including machine learning. The first of the stats – Car Performance Scores – […]
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 […]
BT Sport launches a series of live interactive sports quizzes
The competitions provide an opportunity for fans to take part against BT Sport presenters and sports stars. BT Sport has launched a series of ‘pop up’ live quiz shows around its sports properties, including football, boxing, rugby, WWE and UFC. One of these – an interactive live quiz called The Beautiful Quiz – sees BT […]
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 […]
Arsenal to live stream charity event featuring the club’s legends
The event tomorrow night is being live streamed on a variety of platforms to raise funds for The Arsenal Foundation. Arsenal is live streaming an event called Arsenal Together, which it says is the largest-ever online gathering of Arsenal players, legends and supporters. The event, which kicks off at 7pm tomorrow night (Thursday 4 June), […]
COMMENT: What we can do to enhance behind-closed-doors events for fans
Peer Seitz, head of Infront Productions, discusses some of the operational challenges and opportunities broadcasters face with behind-closed-doors events. While some fans might have found solace in sports archive footage over the last two months, the majority are keen to see a return to live sport under the right circumstances. The focus for sport event […]
Report predicts huge growth in sports content on mobiles, paid by DCB
Direct Carrier Billing (DCB) set to become a popular way to pay for sports content on mobile devices. A new report says revenue from Direct Carrier Billing (DCB) for sports content on mobiles, such as instant highlights, streamable matches and behind-the-scenes footage, is set to grow significantly in the coming years. The report, The Future […]
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 […]
Podcast: Eurosport presenter Orla Chennaoui
Eurosport’s re-runs of London 2012 includes Mo Farah, Bradley Wiggins, Greg Rutherford and many other Team GB athletes recollecting the events over Zoom calls with presenter Orla Chennaoui. She describes how it all happened in this podcast. With TV studios on lockdown, Eurosport presenter Orla Chennaoui turned to Zoom to film interviews with a who’s […]
Otro Studios remotely produces MTV Cribs footballers series
Otro created a bespoke workflow to enable footballers to film themselves at home on iPhones while being directed live by the production team, also at home. MTV has commissioned Otro Studios to create a football-themed edition of MTV Cribs. MTV Cribs: Footballers Stay Home is being produced remotely, with Otro Studios catching up with a […]
Formula 1 agrees deal with Gfinity for production of F1 Esports Series
The deal is for a two-year extension to the relationship between the two companies that began in 2017. Formula 1 has extended its relationship with esports company Gfinity for content production and operational support around the F1 Esports Series in 2020 and 2021, and the 2022 qualifying events. The Gfinity Arena in London will be […]
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 […]
Podcast: Sebastian Gray, co-founder, Dugout
Episode #12 of the Broadcast Tech Talks podcast series shines the spotlight on innovative archive football content specialist Dugout. Sebastian Gray, co-founder and SVP of football content platform Dugout talks to Broadcast Sport editor Jake Bickerton about what the company does, how it does it, and the growth in demand for previously undiscovered archive football […]
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.”
Verizon Media and Dugout partner on ads and football content deal
The deal provides Yahoo Sports with a huge archive of football clips, and Dugout with a new revenue stream. Verizon Media and Dugout have partnered up to provide Dugout’s 60,000+ archive football-related clips to an embedded player in Yahoo Sports. It also makes it possible for Verizon Media’s advertisers to reach Dugout’s audience of 60+ […]
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 […]
Behind the scenes: Matze Knop’s Home Office (Sky Sports News Deutschland HD)
Marius Fischer, the editor on Sky Sports News Deutschland HD daily sports-focused comedy series, Matze Knop’s Home Office, explains how it’s being put together during lockdown. With top flight schedules at a standstill, sports broadcasters are working around the clock to produce content that not only fills the gaps, but offers positivity and support during […]
Eurosport to show classic stages from Giro D’Italia in new interactive show
90-minute daily live and on-demand show includes quizzes and polls. Eurosport has unveiled a 90-minute live and on-demand interactive daily show re-running the most memorable stages of Giro d’Italia from the last seven years. As part of a collaboration with Global Cycling Network (GCN), Eurosport is launching Giro d’Italia Classic Stages on Saturday 9 May […]
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’ […]
COMMENT: How to handle archives of sports content
Nick Pearce-Tomenius, sales and marketing director, Object Matrix explains how and why it pays to make archives accessible. When COVID-19 restrictions started being introduced, the cancellation of sports fixtures was greeted with respect from fans who fully understood that the health of the community was the priority. But sports broadcasting hasn’t been easy to replace. […]
AWS teams up with F1 on ‘deep learning’ autonomous race
The race tournament is based on machine-learning and those taking part include F1 driver Daniel Ricciardo. Amazon Web Services (AWS) has teamed up with Formula 1 to create an autonomous racing tournament, the AWS DeepRacer ProAm Race. Those taking part build models in machine-learning platform Amazon SageMaker then train, test, and iterate these models using […]
Eurosport to screen Zwift Tour for All exhibition cycle eracing series
5-day tournament features some of the world’s best cyclists and mass-participation stages. Eurosport is broadcasting the Zwift Tour for All exhibition racing series, a pro racing tour on the Zwift virtual platform. The tour will be held over five stages on 4-8 May, and will feature teams from both the men’s and women’s World Tours. […]
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 […]
Podcast: Blast Premier CEO Robbie Douek on the growth of esports during the pandemic
Blast Premier esports CEO Robbie Douek talks to Broadcast Sport reporter Max Miller. In episode #9 of the Broadcast Tech Talks podcast series, Blast Premier esports CEO Robbie Douek talks to Broadcast Sport reporter Max Miller about the appeal of esports – what draws fans to the games, and how esports can capitalise on the […]
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 […]
United World Wrestling brings in slomo.tv for video refereeing
The system has been undergoing testing by the wrestling governing body for the last two years. Amateur wrestling governing body United World Wrestling (UWW) has chosen Slomo.tv as its video referee for all its matches. The company’s videoReferee-SR systems will be used at 20 competitions as well as the 2021 and 2024 Olympic Games. UWW, […]
Liverpool FC to repurpose archive content for fans during lockdown
It’s using cloud-based editing and publishing platform Blackbird. Liverpool FC is using remote video editing and publishing platform Blackbird to repurpose content from its archive, to provide fans with rarely seen clips during the Covid-19 pandemic. The archive content will be published on the Liverpool FC website and social platforms including Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and […]
Alternative thrills: Why esports is like punk rock
Ross Video esports business development manager Cameron Reed on the anti-establishment appeal of esports. In the 1970s punk music offered a new home to young people looking for an alternative to the established norms; it represented a rebellion against a mainstream culture that its followers saw as conservative, traditional and saccharine. I think you can […]
Podcast: BT Sport COO Jamie Hindhaugh on creating a virtual studio during lockdown
BT Sport has decentralised production to enable presenters and crew to create, produce and broadcast live shows from their homes. Episode 8 of the Broadcast Tech Talks podcast series sees BT Sport COO Jamie Hindhaugh talking with Broadcast Sport editor Jake Bickerton about how the broadcaster has responded to lockdown. Working to a very tight […]
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, […]
Podcast: Ronnie O’Sullivan & Eurosport’s Jamie Steward
O’Sullivan talks about what he’s been up to during lockdown, including recording a series of 30-minute vodcasts for Eurosport, while Steward reveals Eurosport’s sports strategy to fill the live sport void during the pandemic. The latest episode of Broadcast Tech Talks podcast series sees Ronnie O’Sullivan join Eurosport UK senior director of production and broadcast […]
Arsenal launches TikTok account with exclusive content and mini-series
The football club will use the platform to target a younger audience. Arsenal has launched an official account on social media platform TikTok. The club aims to use TikTok to target a new audience and younger demographic with “exclusive access to first-team stars, behind-the-scenes content, current trends, challenges and exclusive mini-series.” Arsenal has 70+ million […]
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 […]
Former ESPN CEO joins board of interactive streamer Maestro
The company adds Steve Bornstein to its advisory board during a period of growth. Live interactive streaming platform Maestro has added Steve Bornstein, the former CEO of ESPN and former CEO of NFL Network to its advisory board. He will help guide Maestro as it aims to grow from its heartland of esports to traditional […]