Technology as the basis for the new soccer
As a result of the pandemic suffered throughout the year 2020 that deprived thousands of fans to go to the stadiums, La Liga began to implement new technologies to achieve a greater audiovisual experience. Within the audiovisual structuring that La Liga has developed, the use of the most developed technology, artificial intelligence and the machine learning method are the three pillars on which its project is based.
One of the great novelties is the incorporation of the Inferno computer, which provides data and statistics unimaginable until now. At the same time, it is the great feared by the pirate content distribution pages, since, since its beginnings, it managed to knock down the pirate platform Rojadirecta. This computer analyzes images of matches and makes models to see on which accounts La Liga matches are being broadcasted. Another feature is that it detects who is the owner of the website, in order to take them down judicially.
New high-quality cameras
Another of the great advances in which the League has invested is the addition of the latest generation cameras to which the possibility of augmented reality has been added. Apart from the fact that this technological advance favors the creation of a better user experience, it also enables access to data and statistics that were unimaginable until now.
LaLiga, with the help of MEDIAPRO, has incorporated large sensor mirrorless cameras to its broadcasts. These cameras are capable of broadcasting images of film-like quality. This type of camera was previously used to record extra content, such as the arrival of players on the field or the arrival of fans at the stadium. Currently, this type of cameras are part of the audiovisual equipment of the broadcast of a match, which through a wireless link the production team combines its signal with the rest of the cameras.
The lens with which these new cameras are equipped is a 35 mm, with which more striking shots are achieved than the rest of the cameras due to the blur it performs. These cameras are accompanied by a three-axis stabilizer, which enables the camera operator to move easily without the shots being affected by movement.
Incorporation of drones
One of the great novelties is the incorporation of the so-called «acrobatic» drone. This drone is so called because of its ability to record any corner of the stadium and its easy handling. With it, a compilation of images is created to enrich the live broadcasts and previews of LaLiga matches. It records shots of dressing rooms, corridors, roofs and infrastructures of the stadiums, thus creating an immersive experience for all Spanish soccer fans.
The drone they use is small and light, which enables fast and dynamic movements. The durability of the batteries is only three minutes due to its small size, so the pilot in charge of the shots must be very precise with the shots. To these small drones, an action camera that weighs as little as possible is attached, achieving a quality of 5K.
Santiago Bernabeu, Wanda Metropolitano or San Mamés are three of the big stadiums in which shots have been filmed with this type of drone. However, shots will be filmed in the different stadiums of the teams that are part of the competition.
Data analysis for everyone
Mediacoach is a system through which all first and second division clubs can visualize all kinds of match and player data. All data collected by the application are used by analysts, and from this, they make different decisions. This data was previously only visible to clubs, but with the need to create a better experience for spectators, it has been implemented for all audiences. This technology not only stays with the assistants and scorers of the match, but analyzes from the beginning of the play to the end.
«We separate the actions according to whether they are dangerous or not, regardless of whether there is a goal, and we try to see which players are involved in those plays. And you can be surprised to find that there are players who have a high participation in all the actions that have generated danger, and others who only have a high participation in actions that do not generate danger, «says the coordinator of the Mediacoach project, Roberto Lopez del Campo.
To carry out this novelty, a great variety of cameras were installed in all the stadiums to follow in detail the course of the match. It is able to analyze from how many offsides there have been in the match, to draw the path of a player through a heat map.
Therefore, all these audiovisual innovations enhance the spectator’s experience by making him or her part of the match. The aerial cameras, the multi-camera signal, the cinematographic camera and the artificial technology make the Spanish League an audiovisual reference for the rest of the European leagues.
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