I asked several technology executives at various TV networks to identify a new production technology that they believe will become more popular over the next year. Everyone mentioned drones, as written above, especially for taped pieces, not live. These are the other technologies that were most frequently mentioned:
Augmented reality
TV producers are excited to see what comes from Intel’s $175 million acquisition of Replay Technologies, an Israeli company that develops 360-degree video technology.
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A Hawk-Eye control truck at a soccer match.
Photo by: GETTY IMAGES
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“The technology that’s coming to sports is coming fast — there are few things that you just can’t do anymore,” said Michael Davies, Fox Sports’ senior vice president of technical and field operations. “For a while, the video game companies looked to the broadcasts and said this is how they are going to make their video games and sports simulations. Now, I feel like we’re looking at the video game companies and trying to learn from them a little bit in terms of what people want to see in the coverage.”
ABC and Turner Sports have used the technology during their NBA playoff coverage, using a replay to freeze a play, spin the image around and zoom into it from different angles.
It used to take at least 10 minutes for producers to develop that 360-degree replay. That lag time has dropped, said Tom Sahara, Turner Sports’ vice president of operations and technology.
“We’re hoping with Intel’s involvement, we’ll get that to where that turnaround can become almost immediate,” Sahara said. “What we’re looking at is being able to have that within a minute or two, while the replay is still fresh in everyone’s mind.”
Smaller cameras
Last football season, CBS and ESPN installed miniature cameras in the pylons on the goal lines of NFL and college football games. Executives with both networks said they plan to expand the use of the technology this season, as leagues and conferences like them.
“You’re going to see more, not less, of our pylon cams,” said Ken Aagaard, executive vice president of innovation, research and development for CBS. “The NFL likes the idea of pylon cameras because it gave them another look. It’s a dramatic shot for us, as well. One of the reasons we were able to do that is because we have these really incredible small, high-resolution, high-definition cameras that give you a spectacular picture with a perfectly wide-angle lens.”
ESPN executives sounded a similar theme.
“It’s not only been a difference maker for our big game coverage but has generated incredible attention from the conferences we televise — they want it used on more games,” emailed Ed Placey, ESPN’s senior coordinating producer. “Pylon cam has the ability to impact the game, providing views of plays at the goal line and sidelines that can confirm or overturn calls on the field.”
Hawk-Eye technology
Most sports fans associate Hawk-Eye with tennis, where the ball-tracking technology helps determine whether a shot is in or out. NBC Sports Group plans to use Hawk-Eye during its British Open coverage this summer to graphically demonstrate where a golf ball lands and how far it rolls. Jack Graham, Golf Channel’s vice president of golf events, says the technology will be particularly effective at a links course like Royal Troon, where The Open Championship is being held in July.
“The way that links courses often work, you may land the ball 50-75 yards short of the green and let it roll up,” Graham said. “We want to use that technology to show where the ball landed and how far it actually rolled along the ground. This is the type of technology that is going to offer better storytelling, which is really where we’re trying to head. We’re not using it for a gimmick.”
— John Ourand
