Olivia PowellLa Liga, Spain’s top tier football league, has announced the new broadcasting techniques that will be used at the eleven remaining matchdays of the 2019/2020 season.
As a result of the restrictions put in place due to the Covid-19 pandemic, matches have been forced to change and will look and sound different to before the league was postponed. La Liga has implemented innovations in two main areas – virtualisation of stands and fan audio, as well as new camera positions and the images they will offer to viewers. The techiniques will be carried out with the help of partners and implemented by the official production partner of La Liga, Mediapro.
The broadcast will feature virtual sound obtained through a collaboration with Electronic Arts, publishers of football videogame series FIFA.
Stands will be virtualised during broadcasts, offering images of seated fans wearing home club colours. To develop this digital experience, La Liga collaborated with VIZRT, a Norwegian company that also works with other European leagues.
When play is stopped, the stands can be transformed into a canvas that matches the home team’s colours, allowing messages. to be displayed on it.
The broadcast will also feature virtual sound obtained through a collaboration with EA Sports FIFA, in a project called ‘Sounds of the Stands’. This project allows the audio library of EA, which was recorded in real stadiums, to be digitally adapted so it can be implemented in real time during the match, adapting the flow of the game as certain situations occur, for example a goal or a foul.
The match itself will also be seen differently due to new camera positions, with some cameras shifting position to where they previously would have affected the sightline of those in the stands. Aerial cameras will have a modified flight path to offer new shots, whilst the bench camera will be moved to the opposite side of the stadium, and the tunnel camera will be robotic, for health and safety reasons.
All changes will continue to be implemented as long as matches are required to be played behind closed doors.
La Liga President, Javier Tebas said: “We have made these broadcasting changes so fans can enjoy La Liga. We work with global partners to offer a great viewer experience. We are in an exceptional situation, but for us it has been important to be able to adapt and offer a compelling, cutting-edge broadcast to our fans.