You’re looking to improve your sports broadcasting. What new services should you consider?

Sports broadcasting, largely till today, has been a see-what-I’m-showing-you model. Totally linear and unidirectional. The viewers & sports lovers want more: ? Interactivity: the flexibility & power to choose video, i.e., camera/vehicle/player angle/perspective; the flexibility to choose audio, i.e., favourite commentator(s), preferred language, their friends’ audio mixed with the sports audio; the flexibility to choose graphics, i.e., choosing player/match data, personalised statistics; replays/highlights (per their parameters) as & when they wish during the match/reruns - all these on a device of their choice (XR headset, CTV, mobile) ? fan engagement: a tête-à-tête with their favourite player virtually (for a price/loyalty points)

Here are some pointers why cloud-based solutions work well for sports broadcasters. -Most sporting events are seasonal, some might only span a few weeks, so building huge infrastructures for a single tournament is not cost-effective. -Sports events involve high-speed data which is premium and cannot be missed even for a second and hence redundancy is key (Fall back option to keep the feed going without a glitch). -Scaling is key, as big events draw millions of users and AWS/Google cloud helps auto-scale.

Interesting that we offer all of t he above. It’s only the creative and forward thinking people and companies who are willing to take the step out side of the norm to explore. Cloud based solution, provided a real world environment friendly, production solution for BT sports when tested of a UEFA u17 football match. While the EFL on 2023 did 100 games all cloud based,into an central production center. My firm belief that whatever you do don’t forget t he fan and think how can we engage and connect with the fans via AR, VR, and data integration, as the fans know or what to know the stats it forms part of talking point of most sports. Also believe in expansion of key point of the game shared via social media for game analysis. Lets talk!

Well built and fed Computer Vision models are the key to actually separate key the most important highlights. And it's not just the main scoring events (goals, touchdowns, tries etc.). A funny clip of a player smashing their into the post (without getting injured) or a cheeky wink from an opposition player can get just as much, if not more attention.

AI-based video editing solutions also ensure that the broadcasters can deliver a large number of clips from the game for marketing, sponsor deals and social media in the different aspect ratios. In the past, this would have been a labour-intensive process with huge resource and bandwidth allocation, but AI capabilities today make it seamless.

AI-based services with camera systems that can already broadcast sporting events in real time are creating a new form of medialisation. In addition to the automated creation of highlight scenes, it will also be possible to use virtual commentators to offer the scenes in the respective language of the target market.

Sports broadcaster nowadays use different feeds for different customer segments. A fantasy sports maverick has the option to watch the match with player tracking and key performance indicator graphics in addition to the live fantasy points. There are other interactive features for avid fans of a particular team with data and exclusive visuals of their favourite team.

One of the first example I ever saw of this was at Brighton Fc 10 years ago, asking fans to show and post pics of themselves on way to the match in club color, with sponsored competition. They also then encouraged fans to stay back after the match to stay in the stadiums bars to enjoy food and drink with those fans pics posted on t he in-house IPTV.

Use the visualisation of sports data to improve the storytelling for your viewers. Analysing the data can provide interesting insights such as probabilities for goals or points. You can also create new areas to promote the digital B2B marketing of your event by presenting themed content.

Enhance sports broadcasting by incorporating Virtual Reality (VR) experiences. Offer immersive views of matches, allowing fans to virtually be present. La Liga, Spain's top football league, introduced a VR experience providing panoramic stadium views and exclusive content. This innovative service deepens fan engagement, transcending geographical barriers. By adopting VR technology, sports broadcasters can redefine the viewer experience, attracting a global audience and staying at the forefront of technological advancements in sports entertainment.

VR has been the 'next thing' for what 10 years now? Big strides have been made but unless there's a high quality (Oculus doesn't quite deliver the fidelity), affordable product (a $2k headset doesn't count Apple) to hit the market, mass adoption from the audience and sports properties is still a ways away.

NBA is an early adopter in this space. NBA League Pass VR on Horizon Worlds: This feature allows fans to watch games in 180-degree VR, but within the social VR platform Horizon Worlds. This adds a social element, allowing you to watch with friends and interact with other fans in virtual avatars. Also during the 2023 All-Star Weekend, the NBA experimented with a VR experience where fans could scan their own avatars into a live game and "become" the player of their choice. This showcased the potential for VR to blur the lines between spectator and participant, offering a truly unique and interactive experience.

Virtual reality can encourage fans to identify with their sports stars. Thanks to different viewing angles, it will be possible in future, for example, to relive a goal scored by your favourite team through the eyes of the scorer in the POV perspective. VR will thus enable a completely new form of sports broadcasting. The first steps in this direction have already been seen at the Innovation Games organised by FC Cologne.

To boost sports broadcasting, integrate social media for real-time engagement. Use platforms like Twitter for live updates, Instagram for behind-the-scenes content, and TikTok for short-form highlights. Repurposing content is crucial, as you can turn game footage into engaging clips for diverse platforms, maximising reach and audience connection. Social media integration and repurposing enhance viewer interaction, broaden reach, and adapt content for various audience preferences, amplifying the overall sports broadcasting experience.

Not used effectively engough, although uefa have expanded on this with game analysis onto social media channels as taking points and have seen dramatic jump in number of views, and engagement. This can be done post match, as as a suggestion can be sponsored and engaging with simple question to fans, what’s your point of view?

Ich muss sagen, dass mir die Idee der parallelen Sendung beispielsweise auf TikTok sehr gef?llt. Man kann die unterschiedlichen Zielgruppen besser bespielen und auf Sie eingehen. Ein Boomer m?chte eine ganz andere Art Kommentar als ein Gen Z oder A. ? Die aktuelle Frage ist die Umsetzung. Es gibt derzeit noch keine Broadcast-Channels mit Paywall, aber sollte diese M?glichkeit verfügbar sein, w?re es perfekt um Live-Sport in die Social-Media-Kan?le zu bringen, die Jugendliche verst?rkt nutzen.

Points 1 to 5 above would definitely enhance the experience for viewers. In my field of sports specialization - golf - broadcasting has not progressed to include much of the above. Despite the great advances in technology, the only thing different in 21st century golf broadcasting is that the flight of the ball is tracked for some shots. The commentators are journalists or former pro golfers and do not make viewing exciting. Golf audiences too are programmed to not expect excitement. What could make golf more exciting is more graphics, more simple statistics, more audience-perspectives, more swing analysis by scientists, overlaying avatars on swings during replays and so much more. Golf broadcasters need to deliver a more modern product.

Real time animation of live sports is and will be a thing. Beyond Sports (acquired by Sony) has been doing this a while (https://vrscout.com/news/beyond-sports-uses-ai-to-turn-nhl-players-into-blocky-avatars/). A powerful way to engage with new and younger audiences.

As you aim to enhance your sports broadcasting, consider incorporating gamification elements like fantasy leagues, prediction games, or challenges. These features are designed to boost viewer engagement and add interactivity to the sports-watching experience. Additionally, explore collaborations with smart wearable manufacturers to seamlessly integrate real-time player biometrics and performance data into your broadcasts. This integration offers you and your viewers detailed insights into player metrics, enriching the overall viewing experience.