In the Post-Pandemic Age, Sports Look to a Virtual Future, in Real Time
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
IMPHAL, FRIDAY, JUNE 19, 2020 In the post-pandemic age, sports look to a virtual future, in real time NEW DELHI, Jun 18 stock of past learnings and experiment, but the issues we the field too,” assures challenges. were able to identify were Gudjonsson. “We will make It wasn’t long ago that the FIFA Bringing fans to the sta- numerous, such as the micro- the fan experience more excit- video game series boasted a dium phones picking up and ing. Until now the fans in the selling point in the ‘realistic Since its resumption, La streaming the sounds of a fan stadium and those watching noise’ feature; real oohs and Liga matches are being tel- slurping noodles! At the end on TV are two very separate aahs, chants, and cheers ecasted with what is an of the day, no matter what we groups. We want to connect captured by microphones augmented ‘audience’; a static do, there is an element of those two to create one huge dotted around stadiums texture that resembles a dependence on fans being audience that drives the over- worldwide. The same crowd. It only works on the mindful of manners for the all matchday experience.” recordings are now being used broadcast camera though, so sake of everyone else.” Even looking past the to enliven La Liga and Premier any jarring angle switch tears Danish Superliga club philosophical dilemmas, each League matches behind closed away the illusion and the AGF Aarhus was a lot more tech solution comes with its doors. simulated blanket of ‘fans’. successful, with giant video own challenges of accessibil- In the post-pandemic age, The virtual spectators aren’t walls showcasing supporters ity and feasibility. And the evolution of sports broad- rendered individually either, connected via Zoom. But even nobody’s yet even mentioned casting has come full circle. which means it’s just swathes their wary moderators were the athletes, who would still Cardboard cutouts, Zoom of colour (interestingly, the twice left red-faced. be playing in front of empty videoconferences, piped-in FIFA videogames do a better “I’m proud to say we only seats. video game audio, and CGI job at creating fake fans too). Broadcasters then can choose your head to look at the Hol- But the headsets are as The teething troubles of deal- had two people who were Executives have been overlays. Broadcasters and Gudjon Gudjonsson, CEO to overlay said avatars on lywood A-lister sitting next bulky as they are expensive. ing with cutouts and Zoom kicked out,” Aarhus’ media mulling innovations long be- leagues have tried out any- of OZ Sports, presents a empty seats, or instead opt to to you. Scores too are built Top-tier products range from walls have been accentuated chief Soren Carlsen says. fore the pandemic. Last thing and everything that more sophisticated option. digitise the entire stadium into into the system, you look far Rs30,000 to Rs1.5lakh. The by prankster fans.Australia’s “They were showing some decade saw Sky alone start would aid a sport-starved The company’s ‘OZ Con- a sci-fi, fantasy setting. left or far right to bring up models that require a National Rugby League had parts of the body you’re not and stop novelties such as 3D fan’s suspension of disbelief. nected Stadium’ system is A definite application of points, rebounds etc, or look smartphone to be lodged in- to rework their ‘Fan in the supposed to show.” broadcasts (self-explanatory), Next in line are AR/VR — already installed at several the technology can be cricket, up to check the scoreboard side are relatively cheaper but Stands’ initiative after card- Hitler, flashers, and loud player cams (a camera re- long the buzz acronyms of sports venues, helping out where microscopic scrutiny of and time. come with their own issues board cutouts of prolific serial slurpers are obvious detrac- mained on one player for 15 executives and entrepreneurs with services such as VAR bowling actions and batting Danny Keens, Vice Presi- of pixelation, compatibility, killer Harold Shipman and tions. But giving officials the minutes), and fan zone — — which are now touted as and player tracking. They stances remains a key part of dent of Content at NextVR and drained phone battery. Dominic Cummings — the power to pick and choose where they picked two op- game-changers for broadcast- have now developed an AR- the reportage. But unless the — the company that distrib- Mass consumption of VR much-criticised advisor to each fan inside the stadium posing supporters off the ers ravaged by empty stands enabled option that lets fans technology is able to pluck uted the VR content for NBA remains a distant dream, and British Prime Minister Boris could rob football of its het- streets to commentate on the and disrupted seasons. Ex- appear in their favourite seats. out players from a live game games, once told this paper: Sankar also points out the Johnson — made their way erogeneity. There are game. But unlike those novel- perts believe covid-19 has “We wanted to bring the and recreate them in the stu- “We are at the beginning of pressing concern of adaptabil- into the seats. To make mat- concerns that through sys- ties, AR/VR and other only accelerated the trajectory, lower leagues premium World dio, it remains a gimmick for the beginning with virtual re- ity. ters much worse, broadcasters tems such as an augmented innovations are borne out of and the crisis will drive in the Cup production experiences. controlled environments. ality. We like to say VR today “The process of engaging Fox Sports then ran a ‘com- overhaul, officials would go necessity. Will they succeed? new era of fan experience. When we started our journey Bringing stadium to the is where mobile was at the with leagues, teams, stadium edy’ sketch superimposing for an idealised projection of Gudjonsson invokes British First a crash course. Aug- imagining a youth tournament fans brick cell phone stage. The operators, broadcasters, tal- Adolf Hitler in the stands. the game, censoring ‘objec- naturalist Charles Darwin to mented Reality (AR) looking like the finals of the Basketball, by virtue of its rate of change in the technol- ent, user experience is very DDT, a Japanese pro- tionable’ chants and protests. answer. “Darwin did frame this superimposes a computer- World Cup,” says smaller scale, has long been ogy is growing critical. The sports business wrestling company, was one Case in point the pre- so perfectly when he said, ‘it is generated image on a user’s Gudjonsson. “The only thing the petri dish for broadcast- exponentially.” community is used to a cer- of the first to use Zoom to lockdown protests from not the strongest of the species view of the real world (the that was missing where the ing experiments. The NBA “From live streaming of tain way of operating. You have videoconferencing fans Bundesliga purists against that survives, nor the most in- tech that was all the rage that 60.000 spectators…” has already been telecasting immersive VR media to shar- cannot delay a game because attend their shows. President rich owners and sponsors. No telligent that survives. It is the one summer when kids ran OZ Sports thus helps con- games in VR to headset own- ing a large screen with it is taking five extra minutes Sanshiro Takagi, however, fans, no dissent. one that is the most adaptable about catching ‘Pokemon’ on jure the spectators. Fans sign ers and, more importantly, multiple people remotely to adjust a camera. And I am wasn’t left impressed by the Gudjonsson, a supporter to change,'” says Gudjonsson. their phones). VR (Virtual up on a website hosted by the treating it like an actual pro- through avatars. Covid 19 not even getting into the busi- experience. of the Iceland football team, Darwin, however, also Reality) simply creates a league or the rightsholder, and duction rather than an add-on. could be a shot in the arm for ness and rights aspects that “I feel like I now know the knows too well the impor- said: “Often a cold shudder simulated image for the user. according to branding guide- You can look around freely, these remote but immersive need to be navigated.” frustrations and struggles of tance of fan expression. has run through me, and I have But before looking ahead lines, get themselves “more follow the breakaways as experiences and as sports start What the fans want the inventor Thomas Edison,” “The rivalry and chants are asked myself whether I may at how the tech will change realistic human avatars or fan- they happen, change the angle back up across the world with Then there’s the biggest Takagi told The Indian Ex- what create the storytelling. have not devoted myself to a sports, it’s important to take tasy-themed characters.” to watch a dunk, and turn empty stadia,” says Sankar. variable — the consumers. press. “It was a fruitful Their passion is needed on fantasy.” PTI His East Bengal contract ripped, Costa EPL resumes with powerful Rica’s Johnny Acosta shelters at embassy NEW DELHI, Jun 18 the contract, and that is why anti-racism message, technical glitch he chose to come here. But BIRMINGHAM, Jun 18 and into the sidenetting of No salary, no place to stay, and this time… (they behaved dif- the goal by a teammate, with no flight tickets to return home ferently),” Rodriguez said. The referee blew his whistle, replays showing the entire – Johnny Acosta, the Costa The frustration boiled over signaling the return of soccer in ball had crossed the line.