Changing sports through immersive experiences was the topic of the final panel at the ’16 NeuLion Sports Media & Technology Conference. Panelists came from a wide range of companies, providing a unique perspective on how to serve the sports spectator. World Surf League CEO Paul Speaker said of how his league’s fans are consuming surf content, “The primary delivery mechanism is through our app or browser. It’s direct to consumer.” Nokia Global Head of Sales & Digital Media Malachi Bierstein, a surfing enthusiast, backed up that claim, saying, “I love the overseas competitions because they air at night or early in the morning here. The catch-up aspect is also great. You can get five-minute clips. I just love the fact that you can actually have access to the league.” Speaker did note that airing from some of the WSL’s remote locales can be “difficult.” Speaker: “Fiji is a good example. We moved five tons of equipment on to a three-acre island. We created an entire production facility in what is normally a hotel gym. We took out treadmills and everything and built what is essentially a production truck. But we’ve never had the luxury of backing a truck in and asking the union guys to turn on the electricity.”
SOUND MACHINE: Dolby Head of OTT & Digital Home Andrew Grant said of the delivery method that is most impactful for audio right now, “When you think about audio, what we’re working on right now is personalization. As a fan, I may want to inhabit something like the ManU side of their stadium, and I want to create a situation where I can receive the audio that is specific to that particular experience or perspective. We find a lot of interesting space to play there.”
FIELDS OF VISION: NextVR Exec Chair Brad Allen said of what his firm is working on, “A lot of time is spent on live events. Live sports is the most valuable live content that there is. That's why we've done a lot of tests with a lot of leagues to see what works and what doesn't. But we’re still figuring out best practices, best camera positions. Sound is also massively important in VR. It’s one thing to look around and see everything, but it’s the sound that drives it.” Allen said the NBA, boxing and UFC have great prospects in VR. Allen: “It’s very intimate, and VR can give you perspective from a place you wouldn't be able to buy a ticket.” Bierstein also pointed out that the VR movement is not the same as the 3D movement from a few years ago. Bierstein: “3D only focused on the main screen. For VR, the primary consumption method is the mobile phone. There are already billions of phones out there, so the access is already flipped. So now you have the combination of access and a quality experience.” Grant said VR is “relevant in a way that 3D wasn't.” Grant: “It allows for those of us in this business to start to think about how to construct a fundamentally different way to explain the narrative of sport to millions of people.”
