DFL and RB Leipzig trial live bodycam and drone during pre-season match

RB Leipzig player Kevin Kampl being equipped with a body cam

The DFL has continued with trials to get viewers closer to the action, with a live body cam, live drone and locker room cam used during RB Leipzig’s pre-season fixtures in the US.

Prior to the start of the Bundesliga, the RB Leipzig squad travelled to US where they played against Premier League club Aston Villa. Following talks between RB Leipzig and the DFL, a short list of “various innovative products with a promising future” were used to capture the action.

DFL VP product management and innovation Dominik Scholler said: “Our goal in deploying new technologies is to make the football experience even more realistic for fans. Taking viewers ‘closer to the game’ is our motto.

“To us, innovative technology is not an end in itself; rather, we want to discover new ways to boost the emotional involvement, convey football in an even more compelling way, and bring the stadium even closer to viewers.”

Body cams from Mindfly were tested at the Supercup 2023 during warm-ups and after the match, and at the DFL’s SportsInnovation 2024 event.

Read more Sports Innovation 2024: Wonderment and warnings in equal measure as AI dominates Düsseldorf event

In the US, Kevin Kampl from RB Leipzig and Diego Carlos from Aston Villa each wore a vest with an integrated camera as well as a modified jersey with an opening for the camera lens in front of the chest. They wore the cameras for the duration of the live game.

To capture the live camera signal, Mindfly provided wireless transmission from the camera vests to the sidelines where the signal was picked up by host broadcaster Red Bull Media House for transmission to the OB van, where body cam footage was integrated into the live programme feed.

The DFL said the trial “revealed the potential of this technology for future broadcasts of football matches”.

In addition, RB Leipzig suggested to test a live drone camera that. Similar to the body cam, the DFL said the purpose of this trial was to experiment with new camera angles, such as looking at set-pieces like corner kicks from a bird’s eye perspective.

The drone was controlled by a pilot positioned near the edge of the pitch. The DFL explained that whether a live drone can be used during a professional match in addition to the standard aerial camera system depends on local legislation.

And, during the July fixture with Aston Villa, RB Leipzig allowed a camera to be placed inside the locker room. The DFL added that trialling this perspective in a real-live match situation was of particular interest since video from the dressing room will be added to the Bundesliga media product from the 2025/26 season.

Watch Innovative cameras trialled during RB Leipzig v Aston Villa match