Rio 2016: NBC Olympics Taps SMT for Real-Time Data, Results, and Timing-Integration Services
NBC Olympics has selected SMT to provide real-time data presentation services, results and timing interfaces for its production of the Rio Olympics. Since 2000, SMT has been a key contributor to NBC Olympics’ on-air graphics presentation of the Olympic Games. SMT once again will be delivering live broadcast and in-venue scoring solutions to an eager worldwide audience watching the greatest sports competitions on the planet.
Golf fans in particular will enjoy seeing golf return as an Olympic sport to Rio in 2016. The last time golf appeared on the Olympic stage was during the 1904 Summer Olympics – over 112 years ago. As a leader in the live scoring of premier golf tournaments and events, SMT is looking forward to bringing all of its golf expertise to the scoring and production of golf at the golf venue in Rio.
For NBC Olympics’ coverage of the Rio Games, the SMT team will be responsible for live, real-time delivery and seamless data and graphics integration with all NBC Olympics’ graphics display systems for their presentation of golf, beach volleyball, diving, artistic gymnastics, swimming, and track & field events. In addition SMT will handle real-time data data logging and seamless data integration of live results data into NBC Olympics’ specialized media asset management system.
For select NBC Olympics broadcast venues, SMT’s Point-in-Time software system will integrate live results data to provide NBC’s commentators the ability to locate a specific “point in time” of a competition in both live and recorded coverage. In addition, the SMT’s Point-in-Time software graphically shows key events on a unified timeline so that NBC Olympics’ talent can quickly see, for example, how a race began, when a lead changed, or where an athlete’s performance improved. SMT’s Point-in-Time software tool dramatically enhances NBC’s storytelling capacity, giving NBC Olympics on-air talent the ability to highlight the triumphs and defeats that are intrinsic when witnessing the extraordinary level of competition in the 2016 Summer Games.
“SMT is proud to contribute our expertise, systems and experience to the Rio Olympic Games and to be part of the NBC Olympics’ production team in Rio 2016. SMT’s technology and expert staff will help NBC Olympics deliver a compelling and immersive viewing experience to all spectators at the events and to those watching from home,” said SMT founder, president and CEO Gerard J. Hall. “Our rigorous preparation for Rio 2016, which is SMT’s ninth Olympic Games, has been tireless. SMT will deliver seamless data integration services of a scope and scale unprecedented in a sports production.”
“SMT has delivered flawless results, scoring, and timing integration for NBC Olympics across our coverage of eight Olympic Games,” says Craig Lau, VP, Information Technology, NBC Olympics.“Their capacity for creativity and innovation continues to ignite even more excitement and interest among the viewers watching the games on the networks of NBCUniversal.”
SMT’s partnership with NBC Olympics began with the 2000 Sydney Games and over the course of 16 years has included live graphics interfaces, live web content creation, a variety of live graphic display presentations as well as a live interface to NBC’s media asset management system.
SMT has also been selected to provide graphics interfaces services for NBC’s graphics systems for US Trial competitions for diving, artistic gymnastics, swimming, and track & field.