Game Changing Trends For Sports Broadcasting

Wearable tech isn't exactly a new phenomenon in sports — most top teams have their players kitted out in GPS trackers and other equipment to give coaches and medical staff deep insight into real-time performance and condition. However, wearable tech hasn't yet enhanced a whole amount for fans, aside from minor improvements like body cameras on referees. This is all about to change. Wearables on hats, wristbands, apparel, and even full-body suits are set to take the viewing experience to the next level, taking fans well and truly into the heart of the action.

The potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning in sports is vast. 'Speech to text' accurately converts live commentary voice to text in hundreds of different languages in realtime. Using image recognition software, broadcasters can capture realtime data of players, referees, or even the ball itself in play. Using this raw data, Machine Learning tools can extract whichever stats might be most relevant to provide insight to viewers on a level never seen before.

Virtual Reality (VR) is what many people think about when imagining the 'next generation' of fan experience — within sports and elsewhere. Alongside Augmented Reality (AR) and Mixed Reality (MR), VR promises to offer an immersive experience for fans both at home and in the stadium. Surrounding gameday itself, VR is revolutionizing how fans engage with their favorite teams and players. Dedicated VR fan zones offer interaction on quite an incredible level. From a commercial perspective, VR also delivers tremendous fan loyalty, so expect far more to come.

Arguably the most game-changing trend on this list is the transformation of how sports will be broadcasted around the world. Remote production with high capacity and a low latency network of scale will be sent from a sports venue back to a production hub, potentially ending the need for on-site TV crews and production teams. Not only will this save money and reduce carbon footprint, but it will also open up so many more venues for live sports—a win for the fans.

Since Covid-19 struck, the world of sports as we know it has completely changed. Initially, sports were put on hold entirely, with events such as the Tokyo 2020 Olympics postponed until next year. Upon the restarting of live events, fan participation has all but disappeared, with only a select handful of events starting to allow a controlled number of fans back into the stadiums. Technology has helped fill the considerable void. Canned crowd noise is fed into the production to provide atmosphere, and fans watching live at home have been beamed onto giant screens into stadiums and arenas to maintain a connection between supporters and players.