14 Jun 2022
Basingstoke, United Kingdom (June 13, 2022) — Hawk-Eye Innovations, the sports tech leader in officiating and broadcast technologies, in partnership with Lega Serie A, successfully trialled virtual replay technology, HawkVISION, on a live broadcast for the first time during the Coppa Italia Final on the 11th of May 2022.
The Coppa Italia final between Juventus Football Club and Inter Milan FC was the first game for a virtual replay to be produced and played into a live broadcast with data-driven metrics overlayed on top of the replay.
HawkVISION is Hawk-Eye’s latest ‘Insight’ product that uses the high-fidelity and low latency skeletal player and ball tracking data from Hawk-Eye’s SkeleTRACK system to produce next-generation graphical visualisations outputs.
HawkVISION combines both virtual recreation and augmented graphics creation over both live and replayed video, facilitating the generation of high-impact content at minimal latency to drive engagement across broadcast, digital and social platforms.
This system processes SkeleTRACK data in real-time and transforms it into a “virtually recreated” reflection of the live-action. This offers unlimited possibilities for experiences that address rightsholders, partners and fan needs alike.
Peter Irwin, Global Commercial Director, Hawk-Eye Innovations stated: “As always, Lega Serie A have shown they are one of the most innovative leagues in the world, and it has been fantastic to work with them on incorporating virtual replays within a live match broadcast for the first time in football. We really believe that our HawkVISION product will revolutionise how broadcasters analyse key match incidents and will help to engage with the new generation of fans, by developing a unique way that football can be consumed and interacted with.”
Lega Serie A’s Commercial & Marketing Director, Michele Ciccarese commented: "Among the many innovations we brought to the recent Coppa Italia Frecciarossa final, the Virtual Recreation Solution realised with Hawk-Eye certainly made a big impact. We are certain that this new technology will capture the attention of Generation Z and the younger generation in general, who are used to thinking about football through a virtual image. There will also be many commercial possibilities, from sponsoring replays developed with Virtual Recreation to creating content with our commercial partners.”
Hawk-Eye are currently in discussions with Lega Serie A on how this data-driven product can continue to capture the action and engage fans watching from home.
Driving towards a future of new and exciting “datatainment” possibilities, Serie A is the perfect partner to work with when it comes to exploring innovative ways to engage fans.
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About Hawk-Eye
Hawk-Eye Innovations have been at the forefront of sports officiating and broadcast enhancement technology since 2001. The world’s biggest sporting events trust Hawk-Eye to make the right call, when it matters most.
Hawk-Eye’s vision-processing, video replay and creative graphic technologies make sport fairer, safer, more engaging and better informed. Our innovations are constantly changing the face of sports officiating, production, content management, fan engagement in every sport.
Hawk-Eye Innovations form a key part of Sony’s sports businesses with a shared mission to deliver best-in-class officiating, broadcast and digital solutions to the sports world.
Website: https://www.hawkeyeinnovations.com/
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Contact Information
Dina Hassan, Head of Marketing
Sony’s Sports Businesses
E: dina.hassan@hawkeyeinnovations.com