NEW YORK — Imagine being able to witness exactly what quarterback Tom Brady see on the field during Super Bowl LI on Feb. 5 — that’s if Brady and the New England Patriots make it to NRG Stadium in Houston.
Technology corporation Intel is planning for a perfect storm of events as it will deploy a new “Be The Player” broadcast feature during the big game, part of its 360-degree replay technology that has been integrated into 15 stadiums around the globe. For the first time, FOX broadcasters will be able to freeze footage from any player’s point of view in 3D to give fans a better understanding of what players are seeing on the gridiron.
The technology partnership will also be amplified as well through an Intel 30-second advertisement spot featuring Brady and the 360-degree technology.
“When we look at the technology today and where it’s going, for FOX to deliver a better product from their perspective, I believe they can deliver a better product to tell the story,” Intel Sports Group general manager James Carwana said.
“From FOX’s perspective, it’s not ‘We have to use this because Intel is having an ad.’ It’s more, ‘We want to use this because we’re going to deliver a better product to our fans by using it.’ It’s a win-win all around. The fans win because they’re seeing something new and novel. FOX wins by being able to tell the story in new ways.”
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As FOX Sports President and Chief Operating Officer Eric Shanks recently said, “Be The Player” will allow fans an opportunity “inside the helmet of any player on the field.” Additionally, the media executive commented that FOX had been testing the technology for three months.
Thirty-eight cameras capturing 30 gigabytes per second will be strategically placed around the perimeter of NRG Stadium along with five miles of fiber optic cable to help piece together the replay footage. Of the 100 total cameras on-site, there will 24 pylon cams in the end zone along with at least one 8K camera and one 4K camera, according to BroadcastingCable.
Jeff Hopper, Strategy and Marketing Business Lead with Intel Sports Group, explained that as the company and FOX finalized plans for the technology integration, the opportunity to also advertise around the game made sense from a business standpoint. Intel locked in a new partnership with Brady for a 30-second advertisement which will run during the first quarter of the Super Bowl.
In the spot, Brady’s morning routine is depicted using Intel’s 360-degree replay technology, which was also just leveraged last month by the Spanish soccer league La Liga during the El Clasico match between Real Madrid and Barcelona.
“There is nothing like the experience of being on the field in the center of the action in the biggest game of the year and now Intel technology is making it possible for fans to experience the action like never before,” Brady said in a statement. “I’m excited for the potential of this incredibly unique 360 replay technology to transform the viewing experience for sports fans.”