When Rochdale took on Boreham Wood in the 2026 National League Promotion Final at Wembley Stadium (10 May), the game was notable for its thrilling climax – Rochdale equalised in the 97th minute of normal time and went on to win the game (and therefore promotion back to the EFL) on penalties.

It was also notable in broadcasting terms as it was the first time that Genius Sports’ GeniusIQ had been used to augment coverage of a game at Wembley.

DAZN, the exclusive global rights holder of the National League, National League North and National League South, and the host broadcaster for the final, used the sports data and AI platform to offer viewers ‘Promotion Final Plus’ a dedicated alternative immersive feed that included real-time graphical data overlays. Elements of that feed were also incorporated into the main World Feed.

Rather than a pure technology showcase, the broadcaster saw the Promotion Final as an opportunity to test how real-time data-driven graphics and a dedicated augmented feed could enhance storytelling and broaden the appeal of the fifth-tier football competition.

Speaking to SVG Europe, DAZN VP of production and editorial Dave Wade (pictured below) explained that both the venue and Genius Sports’relationships with the relevant governing bodies made Wembley the natural test case. 

“The Promotion Final is held at Wembley, and Wembley is one of the stadiums in the UK with the calibrated cameras needed for this type of augmentation,” he said. “It is also the only game we do at Wembley, and that was the driver for why it was this match.”

DAZN had actually begun talking to Genius about providing real-time augmented data graphics more than a year earlier, initially with the intention of using the technology at the 2025 Promotion Final. Technical and timing hurdles delayed that plan, but the editorial rationale stayed the same. 

“We are always looking at new technology and new ways of telling stories, new ways of illuminating the action,” said Wade. “Storytelling is at the heart of everything we do. If you can add an extra layer of storytelling, that is an attraction.”

One of DAZN’s goals was to present the competition in a way that would appeal beyond its core base of diehard supporters. “With the National League, it is much more an affair of the heart. The fans are diehards rather than casuals,” he said. “If we can add a bit of fun, some storytelling and extra layers, we hope we are appealing to a broader set of viewers who will see the quality and value of the league.”

A consistent theme during DAZN’s planning discussions was the need to respect different types of viewers: from younger fans familiar with video game-style graphics to older supporters who generally prefer an uncluttered screen.

On the augmented feed, viewers saw a live mini map tracking player positions, on-screen player identifiers, and real-time shot speed and distance metrics. 

“We were very conscious that making it fun for some people could ruin it for someone else,” Wade said. “So we did not have one feed with all the augmentation on it. We had two tiles [on the DAZN app], and we were alerting viewers in the build-up that if you wanted to watch it this way, you could, and if you wanted to watch it how you would normally expect, you could as well.”

The technical workflow utilised the cloud and placed Genius Sports’ remote operation in the middle of DAZN’s existing infrastructure.

“Our camera feed from Wembley, with all our graphics on, went through the Genius Sports Moments engine, where Genius added their augmented graphics. It then came back to Wembley, and from there we sent the signals to our transmission hub in Leeds,” Wade explained. “Rather than trying to get a Genius Sports augmented feed into Leeds and join it up there, we decided this was a more robust and simpler way of doing it for everybody.”

Genius Sports head of sports & broadcasting Jonny Katanchian, explaining how it works from his company’s perspective, said: “Our live optical tracking system inside Wembley captures every movement, while our auto-eventing recognises passes, crosses, shots and goals on the fly. We pushed this data and the broadcast feed from DAZN through our Genius Sports Moments engine, which is in the cloud, and then sent it back to DAZN. Because it is a sub-second pipeline, we could trigger graphics and insights almost instantly, which is essential for the augmentation to feel relevant rather than an afterthought.”

For Genius, the power of the system is that it provides the broadcaster with the confidence to go straight to air. 

“The accuracy of GeniusIQ removes the need for a manual check before the graphics appear on screen. In a live broadcast environment, where there is no time to pause, that combination of speed and reliability is absolutely crucial,” he continued.

“Also, because our data pipeline is genuinely real-time, DAZN were able to move augmentation out of the experimental corner and into their main feed. They were confident enough in the tracking and auto-eventing to let key moments, like goals and big chances, carry our augmented graphics in front of the main audience. That is a significant shift. It means you are no longer running a side experiment for a niche stream. You are enhancing the core match coverage in a way that feels natural and adds real value.”

Only the main wide camera from the gantry was calibrated for augmentation. Close-up cameras remained clean. That was a deliberate choice, says Wade.

“On our feed, the augmentation was only on camera one, the main wide. That is the field of play. It was always above and away from the players’ heads. For me, that was important. We have all seen examples elsewhere where a name strap pops up across someone’s face at the critical moment. We wanted to avoid that.”

“We often hear a commentator say it was a ‘screamer from 35 yards’. Everyone gets carried away. The real-time data gives you the reality. It does not interfere with the field of play. It is extra information. For me, that is a win-win.”

Because the augmented signal incurred latency on its journey from Genius Sports, DAZN chose not to rely on it too heavily for the world feed. Instead, the augmented feed was used as an additional replay source. 

“There was a 12-second latency once it had gone to Genius Sports and come back,” Wade said. “So the augmented feed was coming into our replay machine, and the replay operator had it effectively as another camera angle. We used it on a couple of replays, but mostly we played it a bit safer. Clean and slightly safer felt better than risking rewinding or it just not being there, which would ruin people’s enjoyment.”

On the data side, DAZN carried out standard pre-match checks on items such as player IDs, and relied on Genius Sports’ calibrated camera system units to generate stats for live shot speed and distance metrics. 

DAZN also spent time working out where on the screen to place the mini map so that it added context without cutting across the main action. The bottom right corner was chosen to avoid clashes with existing score bugs and lower thirds. Once that was set, the editorial team began to identify use cases where the extra layer of information would be most valuable.

“When the play is all at one end, particularly when Rochdale were chasing the equaliser, you could not always see the defensive line on the main picture,” Wade said. “On the mini map, you saw the back four stepping over the halfway line, and then they came into shot. When they are off shot, you do not know what they are doing. It gave you a feel for what was about to happen.”

For Wade, the real-time shot speed and distance graphic was the clearest example of augmentation adding genuine insight without obstructing the game. “It tells me something I did not know,” he said. “We often hear a commentator say it was a screamer from 35 yards. Everyone gets carried away. The real-time data gives you the reality. It does not interfere with the field of play. It is extra information. For me, that was a win-win.”

Player IDs also had a specific role, especially in a competition where viewers may not be familiar with every squad. “With the National League, the players are not household names. It matters more when you know who someone is,” he said. “If you do not even know their name, that creates distance. DAZN is all about getting as close as possible to the action. Player IDs felt like an important element to bring fans closer, particularly when people might be watching with the sound off or on a second screen.”

Although the main focus was editorial, DAZN and Genius also saw clear commercial potential in augmented moments, especially around goals. Brand association with the league’s sponsor, Enterprise, was incorporated. For high-attention events, this is attractive both in live coverage and in social clips.

Katanchian from Genius Sports added: “This is the first time we have activated our advertising inventory within the UK on a live broadcast feed, and what better place to do it than a Final at Wembley”.

“The impact is that it attracts sponsors to the tournament and to the broadcast,” acknowledged Wade. “There is no better time for a brand name to be displayed than when a goal goes in, because that is when people are watching most closely.”

While the nature of the goals in this particular final did not fully showcase long-range speed and distance, DAZN’s social media team was able to ingest the augmented feeds, clip the key moments and push them to its platforms.

Looking ahead, Wade highlighted vertical video as a priority. With graphics currently designed for 16:9, there is a need to think about how overlays will appear when content is cropped for mobile and social.

Overall, Wade judged the project a clear positive. “I would say it did augment, and that is the important part. It did not detract. It added. So for me it was a success,” he said.

Some planned features, such as smoke trails, did not make it to air, but these were regarded as optional extras rather than core functionality. Lessons were also learned about timing and calibration, in particular, the need for the augmented feed to look immediately distinct from the very first second of coverage so that viewers who actively select it see an instant difference.

“As these technologies evolve, they become much more interactive. The idea that you, as a viewer, could choose which [augmented overlay graphics or data points] you want onscreen is very appealing.”

Both parties are now exploring additional data points and graphics, including more detailed live player speed metrics and a greater level of interactivity.

At the same time, DAZN is wary of overloading the screen. “Player speeds felt like one step too far this time, because you start getting lots of writing on the screen, especially when players are close together,” Wade said. “That is when you get name tags over players, and it can be intrusive. We wanted to err a little on the side of caution. We did not want to reduce anyone’s enjoyment. We only wanted to enhance their experience.”

Looking beyond the National League, Wade sees clear potential to apply similar techniques to other football properties and other sports, particularly as streaming platforms move towards greater personalisation.

“This could definitely be deployed elsewhere,” said Wade. “As these technologies evolve, they become much more interactive. The idea that you, as a viewer, could choose which [augmented overlay graphics or data points] you want onscreen is very appealing. If you are particularly interested in how fast players are running, but you already know who they are and do not need IDs, you could just have speed. That would be a great option.”

For top-tier leagues, he believes that live data could become particularly powerful. “It is interesting to see who ran furthest or who made the most tackles when you look at it at half-time,” he said. “But to have that data as a live feed is more impactful because it is there right when it is happening.”