The LA Clippers are set to battle it out with the Dallas Mavericks in the Western Conference playoff series in a highly anticipated match-up.
The game is an important one for both sides not just because of the significance of the Western Conference playoff series but is set to change how sports broadcasts are done for the future.
The game will be the first time ever for a live augmented reality broadcast of an event across a regional network. The “Clippers Kids Cast” feature will be showcased by Bally Sports West during the game, with Bally Sports SoCal handling the conventional broadcast.
Gillian Zucker, the President, Business Operations at the Clippers, remarked that the team has wanted to perform a different type of broadcast for some time. She said that the upcoming playoff game felt like a suitable opportunity to do so, due to both Bally channels being available in Southern California. The second round of the playoffs will also be covered exclusively by ESPN and TNT.
According to Zucker, several factors had to favour the franchise for the immersive broadcast experience to go through, including the availability of the channel, announcers and production personnel. She said that there is an opportunity to evaluate the technology for broadcasting and delivering customised experiences to audiences.
The Clippers have held augmented reality broadcasts for several seasons through Clippers CourtVision. Subscribers could access the feature from the Fox Sports application until very recently, right up to the time of the rebranding of regional networks to Bally Sports.
The technology of Clippers CourtVision has been enhanced and the lag time has been reduced. Second Spectrum is the technology provider for CourtVision which has Clippers owner Steve Balmer among the investors. The advanced technology being offered by Second Substance has already been used by the likes of ESPN for a presentation in April during the NBA game between Pelicans and Warriors.
The new experience during the Clippers game will enable viewers to observe personalised player animations that add to the entertainment quotient. This feature uses machine learning technology to bring forth animations in real-time. The latest broadcast will bear similarity to the Mascot Mode of CourtVision.
The Kids Cast feature will have Noah Eagle as the voice of the team. Eagle has been a part of another NFL Playoff broadcast this year. According to him, that experience showed people that sports should offer fun and enjoyment to users. Eagle said that he had a change in mindset and he began viewing games as lighthearted experiences.
The broadcast will have former Clippers player Corey Maggette, and Pepper Persley as analysts. Persley is the host of a basketball podcast called “She Got Next with Pepper Persley”. She is considered to be a capable reporter regardless of her small age and is looking forward to the game.
Persley remarked that the new augmented reality broadcast by the Clippers will be an opportunity for her to increase the involvement of children in basketball.
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Source: https://immersive-technology.com/augmentedreality/clippers-to-launch-ar-feature-for-upcoming-playoff-game/
