Football: A new TV technology to take fans into the game

LONDON: Fans of Liverpool and Manchester City will attend the Premier League race this season since "inside the game", even through the eyes of Sergio Aguero or Mohamed Salah, thanks to the latest innovations in broadcasting.

Technology giant Intel has teamed up with champions City, Liverpool and Arsenal to present its state-of-the-art True View system at the Etihad, Anfield and Emirates stadiums.

True View, used in Sunday's Super Bowl television coverage and to bring fans to court in the NBA, will allow 360-degree reruns of all key moments.

State-of-the-art technology will also allow viewers to experience their winning goals, in-flight backups or last-minute attacks from the players' point of view on the field.

Using 38 ultra-high-definition 5K cameras to capture large amounts of "volumetric data" – or three-dimensional pixels – Intel's servers drastically reduce this to provide incredible 3D reproductions from every conceivable angle.

By 2018, technology investment in sport has reached nearly US $ 1 billion, largely to meet the seemingly insatiable demand for content on traditional TV platforms and social media.

According to James Carwana, Vice President and General Manager of Intel Sports, True View goes further than anything that Premier League fans have ever experienced before, whether it's looking at the cover of a host broadcaster or on club websites.

"Immersive media experiences continue to create more opportunities for sports teams and leagues to prioritize the fan experience," said Carwana at the launch in London.

Billy Hogan, Liverpool Commercial Director, said True View would offer fans a totally new experience.

"We have seen similar examples of use similar to that of a video game, but it's the real match because fans can see what the player sees on the ball," said Hogan to Reuters.

"The opportunity to really feel on the ground is really exciting for the broadcast.

"This arouses a lot of interest from the point of view of the fans and from our point of view, it is an interaction of 24 to 7 days, 365 days a year, with our supporters, that they are near or on the other side of the world. "

So far, only three Premier League clubs have joined Intel and True View should be rolled out "later this year".

Six clubs in La Liga have already installed.

Manchester City Vice President of Partnerships, Damian Willoughby, said that True View was part of the club's innovation philosophy of providing Wi-Fi access to the free stadium matches. and a "tunnel cam" offering fans a behind-the-scenes glimpse.

"It's about improving the quality of our fans' experience and giving our global audience a deeper experience of game content," he said. "For us, this is a natural extension of our pioneering role in engaging fans.

"We may be scratching the surface of what is possible."

(Martyn Herman report, edited by Toby Davis)