Starting in August, a "two-year series of regattas, culminating in the 34th America’s Cup in 2013 at San Francisco, will have a feature intended to demystify the sport for television and Web audiences," according to Anne Eisenberg of the N.Y. TIMES. Live footage "will be superimposed with ingenious graphics -- including lines and pointers that show who is ahead or behind in the welter of foam and hulls, and tags that identify yachts as they race to coveted positions." The new system "will note with virtual markers the details of hard-to-see moments as they happen -- when, for example, a boat strays from course boundaries, or when two yachts jockey for position near a crucial turn." The graphics system is the "brainchild" of Sportvision co-Founder Stan Honey, who is serving as the Technology Dir for the 34th America's Cup. Ken Milnes, who "once worked with" Honey as Sportvision Senior VP/Engineering, is "developing graphics for the cup races." America's Cup Event Authority Media Dir Gary Lovejoy said that a "technical staff of at least 100 will be on hand to produce each regatta." The technology is "part of an ambitious, expensive effort by the America’s Cup Event Authority," which "has been backed by" Oracle CEO and Oracle Racing Owner Larry Ellison. The graphics system is "still being tested, and TV networks have yet to announce interest in the events." But YouTube Global Head of Sports Content Claude Ruibal said that the graphics "may attract a new generation of viewers." Ruibal: "The races are hard to view right now. But if you add graphical elements, consumers will have a richer experience. We feel there is a real opportunity here to get a whole group of young consumers excited" (N.Y. TIMES, 6/19).
