Virtual replacement perimeter technology, as it is called, has been installed at a number of English Premier League (EPL) and English Football League (EFL) teams’ stadiums this season, including Crystal Palace, Everton and Derby County.
The companies responsible for the innovation are Adi and Supponor. They came together to create the “Virtual Hybrid Digiboard System” which combines Adi’s LED board with Supponor’s virtual replacement technology. For broadcasters virtual overlays are seamless when delivering this personalised advertising and it do not disrupt the TV viewer’s experience, including a limitless number of feeds which can have this technology integrated on. In addition to this, it can be delivered across device and platform.
The idea is to add more value for clubs to media space internationally by helping to deliver a much more targeted ad to a local audience. It was first installed successfully at EPL team Watford’s stadium, Vicarage Road, in 2016 and three more EPL and EFL clubs are expected to install the technology during the rest of this current season too. Adi actually installed the first LED signage screens in U.K. soccer back in 1997 and provides large screens and production to some of the world’s biggest sporting events, including the Tour de France and London Marathon.
Supponor’s technology has been in operation in the Spanish top division, La Liga, for four years for every FC Barcelona and Real Madrid away match. In recent days, Supponor announced a further product rollout in La Liga, the Virtual 3D Carpet Replacement. It will enable ManbetX, a new LaLiga sponsor, to target audiences in some international markets, while retaining the physical 3D carpets for the existing domestic audience which is supported by Stihl, which is LaLiga’s domestic sponsorship sponsor. This means that international audiences will see ManbetX in the same position instead of Stihl during each game.
In a statement regarding the U.K. rollout, Adi CEO Geraint Williams said in a statement: “Virtual Hybrid technology makes it possible for media rights owners to commercialize the same in-game inventory in multiple markets, on many different platforms, and offer a highly targeted solution for partners.”
Supponor CEO Charlie Marshall added: “To deliver a top broadcast quality virtual replacement solution which is accepted by the world’s leading broadcasters requires a combination of software and hardware technologies. However, as the hardware becomes more widely installed, barriers to adoption are rapidly reduced.”
