How are Broadcast Innovations Proving Ornamental for At-Home Viewers?

Sports broadcasts have been enriched, and new kinds of fan participation have been promoted due to the expansion of new interactive technology and remote processes that support collaboration.

FREMONT, CA: The challenges of 2020 had forced innovations to revamp traditional sports broadcasting, which bolstered streaming and remote production workflows while fostering new kinds of fan interaction and participation.

With the expanded use of metadata, unique camera positions, and complex audio arrangements for an immersive at-home viewing experience, broadcasters rolled out new virtual fan experiences that featured increased utilization of metadata, unique camera locations, and advanced audio setups. Powerful streaming, 12G-SDI, optical fiber, and IP technologies enabled sports broadcasts and live productions to smoothly migrate to remote workflows that connect teams and equipment from all over the world.

Immersing Fans from Any Location

Broadcasters took advantage of new opportunities to use cutting-edge technology to provide an immersive viewing experience for viewers in any location. Using services from AWS and Intel, among others, data-driven, real-time information on team and player performance were combined into graphics and played during live broadcasts. Sports like international auto racing, for example, started incorporating data collection from vehicles and drivers to provide additional race context for spectators and increase spectator participation in live broadcasts.

Experimenting with video and audio brings at-home viewers closer than ever before to the action. Audio engineers are creating sound landscapes for sports broadcasts, combining pre-recorded fan noise and music with live commentary. A new microphone layout positioned beneath the court emphasized the action during games in the NBA Bubble, while unusual camera viewpoints spaced out–in locations not before feasible with an audience present–further enhanced the live-action. Robotic cameras were also employed to help create a stronger sense of excitement for faraway spectators during this year's Indianapolis 500.

Sports broadcasts have been enriched, and new kinds of fan participation have been promoted due to the expansion of new interactive technology and remote processes that support collaboration. As people emerge from the pandemic and return to arenas, stadiums, and in-person events, audiences worldwide will benefit from an enhanced watching experience made possible by industry strides and innovations implemented this year.