Israeli-based broadcast technology company Replay Technologies, which has provided advanced panoramic replays to New York Yankees telecasts on the YES Network this season, has struck a similar deal with the Dallas Cowboys and NBC.
 |
Replay Technologies’ freeD system will be seen at AT&T Stadium and on NBC game telecasts from the venue.
Photo by: BUD FORCE
|
A version of the company’s YES View freeD replay system will be installed around each red zone of newly renamed AT&T Stadium providing 360-degree, almost 3-D views of key moments. The full-motion panoramic replays will be shown on the Cowboys’ massive video boards.
A companion deal has been struck with NBC to use the footage during the Sept. 8 “Sunday Night Football” broadcast when the Cowboys play host to the New York Giants, the network’s first Sunday night broadcast of the 2013 season. It will then be used again for NBC’s coverage of the Oct. 13 “SNF” Washington-Dallas game, and also Oct. 5, when Notre Dame and Arizona State play at the stadium.
The agreement represents Replay Technologies’ first efforts in football after tests in baseball, golf and gymnastics.
“This is a very exciting development for us, and what we believe is the beginning of a big expansion and series of new partnerships,” said Oren Yogev, Replay Technologies’ chief executive and co-founder.
The company is also seeking to see footage used in telecasts of Cowboys home games on Fox and CBS, Yogev said, but no set deal yet exists with those networks.
 |
YES Net uses the system for Yankees games.
|
Replay Technologies will use a far more extensive camera system than what is in place at Yankee Stadium. The company uses nine cameras stationed around the baseball stadium. But it will expand that setup to 24 cameras and deploy eight times as much computing power, because the amount of ground and players it must cover going from baseball to football has increased by a similar amount.
The static cameras, using proprietary algorithms, will collectively create a blended replay image, similar to the principles of animation.
Given replays in general are already more prevalent in football TV broadcasts than baseball, executives from all sides expect the freeD deployment in Dallas will be particularly effective.
“Fans will think they’re playing a video game or watching a sci-fi movie, but they’ll actually be viewing real NFL football as never presented before,” said Fred Gaudelli, NBC Sports’ executive producer for “SNF.”
Financial terms were not disclosed. Cowboys executives could not be reached for comment.
