THE FUTURE OF LIVE SPORTS BROADCASTING

It’s almost mind-blowing how the internet has impacted the world of sports. It has completely rewritten the public’s consumption and experience of sports so much so that certain processes are completely abandoned in favor of new and efficient ways.

Not even a century ago, the first Olympic Game was broadcast on live TV. Since that time, the world of sports broadcasting has evolved from grainy, black and white footage available only to a few hundred sets in a stadium, to events such as the Cricket World Cup where its broadcast partners televised the game to over 220 countries and were watched by more than 750 million viewers.

Advances in technology have made it possible for many people to enjoy sports events in different ways. Some watch their favorite game through the television, while others prefer the live experience of a stadium. The younger generation, on the other hand, prefers to follow sports through their mobile devices and through the internet. This method only rose to prominence in the last 15 years and especially because of the increased reliability of the internet.

Live sports broadcasting is certainly not immune to the changes that new technology has brought about and below are only some examples of how live sports broadcasting is predicted to change in the coming years.

Optimized Cameras

There are many organizations like Pixellot, Playsight, and Keemotion that pioneered camera operation and production. Instead of using a camera in order to monitor events from the field and a producer providing direction from the sides, they opted to use live images from the cloud and see the entire action from a computer. Viewers may notice that when a game is on, they see the playback but they don’t hear the comments from the broadcasters. They are still speaking into their microphones for viewers to hear.

Amazing commentary

Once the companies have processed the live images, they are then sent to companies like Suitcase Television or Spark for their analysis and commentaries. They do their commentary from anywhere around the world as long as they have a computer with internet access. The point of this exercise is to reduce the risk of latency and provide the best audio quality for the commentaries in different languages.

The software in favor of analysts

When commentary work is completed, a group of analysts steps in to watch the game one after the other to ensure that the audio matches the video and that there is no mix-up. Before this was done with a dedicated analyst but now this practice is considered a waste of time. Companies have opted to use software companies to make the process a lot more efficient. Companies like Grabyo, Reely, and WSC are given the tapes and, using sophisticated software and special materials, are able to check and analyze the footage in each tape.

Mobile streaming

Gone are the days that people only watch sports events on their television. Thanks to mobile technology and the increased reliability of internet connections, people can now watch their favorite games on their phones, tablets, and computers via online streaming. Services like Facebook Live and YouTube Live allow viewers to watch a sports game collectively through a system that’s completely separate from traditional broadcasting media.

Rise of the internet

It can’t be denied that one major factor that’s shaking the live sports broadcasting world is the internet. It offers a new and better way for people to consume information and entertainment. Others may have called it to rise a bit too late but it’s certainly making up for the lost time. The internet paved the way for the rise in popularity of streaming services like Netflix and Amazon Prime.

A great example of a company that enjoyed many benefits because of the internet is FIBA, a broadcasting organization that oversees up to 2500 youth basketball games annually. Despite a limited budget, they experience continued success due in part to incredible partners, sponsors, and the decision to develop an application based on internet subscriptions.

Another live sports broadcasting success is FIA Formula E. The company uses live streaming, along with other traditional broadcasting methods, to broadcast sports and increase their audience base.

As we push further into the 21st century, all these technological advancements that affect live sports broadcasting will continue to increase. While many of these changes don’t necessarily phase out the existing broadcasting method, it will certainly help to increase the reach and audience of many sports.The main takeaway, however, is that resisting such changes will only be a detriment to the sports itself. Whether basketball or 먹튀폴리스 (Muktupolis), followers and fans of the sport will dictate how they want to consume sports events. They can either stick to time-tested, traditional methods such as television, or they can complement traditional ways with more efficient and handy ways.