Vizrt, Opta introduce new live data tools for sports production
Vizrt, the leading provider of sports production tools for the digital media industry, has continued its collaboration with global sports data provider Opta to design two new sports analysis solutions which it is presenting at IBC2015.
Data visualised by Viz Libero
The first of these new tools boasts the integration of Opta’s comprehensive live statistical data with Vizrt’s leading sports analysis software, Viz Libero. This new solution provides users with event data from live and archived games to quickly and easily find content and use it to create clips for post-game analysis. This allows broadcasters and rights holders to produce highlights while emphasising key elements of a game with relevant statistics.
To do this Viz Libero has access to live feeds of data from Opta within the operating interface. Users can then attach performance data to specific players, their movements or specially designed heat maps on the field. This collaboration with Opta, the data provider for major sport leagues and tournaments, is a key element for any sports broadcaster that wants to take its production of post-game analytics to the next level.
Dr. Stephan Würmlin Stadler, EVP Sports at Vizrt said “media rights holders know more than ever that audiences love data. They want to know everything they can find out about all their favourite players and teams. These new Opta-integrated solutions let broadcasters provide just that and visualise it in a meaningful way.”
Cementing MAM’s benefit to sport production
This collaboration brings about a new dedicated tool for Vizrt’s MAM system, Viz One. It gives users a visual timeline integrated with data feeds. This is used to quickly cut together content packages for highlights. Live sports feeds are combined with Opta’s statistical data during ingest into the system. During ingest, detailed information around key flashpoints in a game such as goals, fouls or bookings are automatically populated into metadata fields in the Viz One system.
By using key event data that’s been attributed to the content, users are able to search the Viz One system to quickly find and easily create highlights packages. This can be based on data from a particular team, a certain player or by a key moment in a game. That content can then be automatically prepared for VoD publishing or broadcast distribution without any user interaction.
“This continuation of our partnership with Opta and these new tools are a huge benefit to any sports broadcaster,” continued Stadler. “They’re quickly realising the benefits of a MAM systems for use in their sports broadcasts and this tool only makes the production of analytical highlights easier.”