Big Tech and Soccer Broadcasting

Soccer is one of the most popular team sports in America. Despite this popularity, few researchers have engaged with the ways in which televised matches establish a narrative of movement and space.

Verbal narrative from the commentary is complemented by visual narrative constructed through footage and border moments. This creates a complex set of interpretative skills that establish a fluid sense of temporality linking present with past and future. 메이저 리그 중계

Distribution

In addition to the traditional broadcasters that have long dominated soccer distribution, Big Tech companies are also increasingly entering the market. Google was one of the first to acquire rights with its non-live acquisition of soccer content for YouTube in 2011, and Amazon recently made waves in the market by acquiring domestic streaming rights to UEFA Champions League matches on its Prime service.

These new entrants offer fresh perspectives on how viewers experience soccer, and can help traditional broadcasters evolve their offerings. For example, a talent stream watch-along, like CBS HQ’s experiment with Arsenal in mid-February that attracted 169,000 concurrent live viewers, leans into the appeal of recognizable talent to turn a soccer match into an engagement experience. Similarly, a company such as Second Spectrum can provide real-time statistical overlays with a gamification feel to enhance the viewing experience. 해축 중계

Audiences

The English Premier League has amassed 3.2 billion global audiences during its 2018-2019 season, according to the league. That’s up 6% from the previous season.

The 2023 Women’s World Cup final saw record television audience numbers for women’s soccer, despite being played in Australia and New Zealand — nine to 13 hours ahead of Europe.

This match also drew the highest audience for any World Cup game broadcast on a US network to date. NBC’s coverage of the match reached 11.9 million viewers, including streaming services.

Passion for the game knows no bounds in South America, where soccer is one of the most popular sports. The 2022 World Cup match between Argentina and France drew the largest audience of any game in the tournament’s group stage in the country, including streaming services. The match was watched by a peak of more than 26 million viewers. NBC and Fox combined had the highest audience for any men’s game in the group stage. epl 해외 중계

Content

With its affluent fan base and propensity to pay for SVOD services, soccer presents broadcasters with a unique opportunity to monetise their exclusive rights. However, the complexities of the sport’s distribution and consumption are challenging for broadcasters to navigate.

The commentaries that occur during live televised soccer matches are an intriguing aspect of the sport’s broadcasting. These broadcasts have been explored in a variety of ways, uncovering racial difference, gendered stereotypes, domestic viewing experiences and nationalistic discourses. However, little attention has been given to the narrative construction that occurs during a live soccer match.

The commentary of a live soccer match is constructed through an interaction between the onscreen narrative aids (the score tagline and the onscreen commentator), the audio narrative aids (the commentator) and the camera shot that frames a particular perspective of the game. This combines to produce a narrative that conveys a sense of chronology while simultaneously reporting on the unfolding events of the game.

Technology

Soccer broadcasts utilize a number of different technologies to convey the game to fans. Some of these include second screen applications that allow viewers to interact with stats, engage in polls, and scroll through social media while watching the match. Additionally, Intel’s Goal Line Technology uses 38 5K ultra-high-definition cameras to capture a huge volume of “volumetric data,” which allows for 3D replays of flying saves and last-ditch tackles.

The televised match establishes a fluid understanding of movement, spatiality and temporality that differs from reportage through the use of a series of visual conventions (screen wipe, frame, cut) and audio narrative aids (commentary). This construction of the match unfolding narrative is reliant on the sequencing of footage and border moments that work in conjunction with commentary to develop a distinct soccer broadcast style.

Many fans are also drawn to a communal viewing experience that leans into the appeal of recognizable talent to turn just another soccer match into a unique engagement experience. While this can be presently facilitated by third party apps and browser extensions, the low latency of 5G will make these experiences a seamless part of the primary broadcast experience in the future. 중계티비