Enhancing live feeds of Bundesliga 2 matches using Artificial Intelligence
- Automatically-generated live graphics and highlight clips enhance streams of all fixtures
9 August 2021 – For this new season, DFL expands its International Product Portfolio (IPP*), for the first time including live graphics and highlight clips as part of all Bundesliga 2 transmissions.
The fancy part: DFL can now for the first time provide an enhanced live signal for all Bundesliga 2 fixtures of the season using Artificial Intelligence and streaming technology. Graphical information, such as team lineups, the current score, or overlays playing back special scenes such as goals or showing penalties and statistics as the Bundesliga Match Facts powered by AWS are automatically generated and displayed in real time. This is accomplished by using comprehensive match event and tracking information which is collected in Bundesliga 2 as in Bundesliga matches, and with the support of Amazon Web Services (AWS), the provider of the world’s most extensive and popular cloud platform.
Optimised workflow – enhanced services for media partners
The workflow behind this service is likewise entirely new: Sportcast streams the Bundesliga 2 base signal into the AWS cloud, where match data collected by DFL subsidiary Sportec Solutions AG are added as graphics automatically. While in the past media partners had to invest significant effort to create team lineups, player names or graphics of match stats to add to the transmitted signal, these production processes can now be automated and performed centrally in real time by DFL.
At the start of the new Bundesliga 2 season, several international media partners in a total of 47 countries make use of the offer. Among others, viewers of ESPN in the USA and OneFootball in Brazil watch the correspondingly upgraded live stream.
AI generates highlight clips accounting for individual interests
Highlights clips generated automatically are likewise available in Bundesliga 2 productions. Having demonstrated its practicability in Bundesliga fixtures with guidance provided by DFL subsidiary DFL Digital Sports, the technology developed by Israeli specialist WSC Sports is now used in productions of various IPP media formats of Bundesliga 2 matches on a regular basis as of season 2021-22. For example, media partners can add overlays showing automatically-generated repetitions of relevant scenes during a match. Within a few minutes after the final whistle, match summaries of various lengths generated by Artificial Intelligence are available.
Social Media Matchday Feed also applied in Bundesliga 2
On Bundesliga 2 matchdays media partners have access to even more content enhancements: The Social Media Matchday Feeds introduced successfully for Bundesliga fixtures during the past season are a regular service for Bundesliga 2 broadcasts, as well this season.
As an additional special feature, sports rights owners are given the option to have special clips made for their specific markets. For example, they can specify preferences for clips during a match (such as tackles, goalkeeper saves or goals) or scenes showing specific players. These and many other content formats for use in reports before and after a fixture are all implemented using WSE applications. Here again DFL’s added services minimise the extra work for media partners.
All 306 seasonal fixtures of Bundesliga 2 as well as both Bundesliga 2 relegation matches against Liga 3 are produced in Full HD. While the new service is optimised for OTT and streamed delivery, international media partners may also incorporate it in their linear TV broadcasts. These innovations create new options for reporting while enhancing the international visibility of Bundesliga 2.
*The IPP is DFL’s portfolio of Bundesliga video footage and social media content for its international media partners. It includes live transmission of all Bundesliga fixtures with English-language commentary and graphics, editorial formats for television and digital platforms, highlights, interviews, show formats in English and Spanish language, and many other features.
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