IBC, the annual gathering of broadcast industry professionals, served as a platform for discussions on the latest trends in sports production. This year, the focus was on how to utilize technology to enhance efficiency and create a more engaging viewing experience for audiences.
Andrew O’Neil, a prominent figure in the sports broadcast industry, shares his key takeaways from IBC.
AI continues to be a hot topic, with its potential to revolutionize media asset management (MAM) systems. “AI-derived scene data can be used to augment or substitute sports feeds and manual metadata entry,” says O’Neil. This means quickly identifying specific moments in vast archives, enabling producers to create content efficiently.
Automation is another significant trend, with Vizrt’s Mosart being presented as a "production assistant" that streamlines repetitive tasks, freeing up teams for more creative endeavors. This also leads to energy consumption reduction, a growing concern in the industry.
Visualization of data continues to evolve, with telestration pushing the boundaries of viewer engagement. “We'll soon be able to create a complete 3D world with avatars, displaying what a player sees in a key moment of the game," O’Neil predicts. This immersive experience is driven by data and visualized through graphics.
Cloud production has become a central part of the sports broadcast landscape. Its versatility allows for the creation of additional feeds for larger broadcasters, while enabling smaller teams to produce high-quality content cost-effectively. O’Neil cites the European League of Football’s move to entirely cloud-based live production as an example.
The future of sports broadcast hinges on finding ways to make productions more efficient, enabling teams to "do more with less." This includes delivering content in multiple formats to cater to diverse viewing preferences, ensuring that fans can access their favorite sports on their preferred devices and in their native languages.
IBC has provided valuable insight into the technologies and trends shaping the future of sports broadcast. As the industry continues to embrace innovation, we can expect even more creative and engaging experiences for viewers worldwide.