The NBA All-Star Weekend concluded last this year with little variation from previous years. A collection of mini-competitions combined with the usual celebrity performances and an absurdly high scoring finale on Sunday night wrapped up the yearly festivities. Outside of a slight alteration in the Sprite Slam Dunk Contest format, it may have been the same weekend as last year;. But, refreshingly, the NBA elevated its game to the next level by hiring Israeli based company Replay Technologies to capture the most recent chapter of the All-Star Weekend.
Since the first implementation of replay in the late ‘50s and ‘60s, replay has redefined the way we see sports. At this point, it is unimaginable to turn on any live sporting event and not see dozens of replay footage. Sports thrive off replay.
Replay Technologies, creators of the revolutionary Free Dimensional Video, goes where no replay has gone before: the realm of three-dimensional pixel recreation. In short, FreeD Video can create nearly any viewing angle imaginable—angles that would require the use of countless standard two-dimensional cameras—using three-dimensional pixels.
Powered by Teledyne Dalso Falcon 2 cameras, state-of-the-art machines with five times the resolution of regular HD, video is captured and stored in a FreeD database as three-dimensional pixels. Footage can then be accessed by computer and rendered into any viewing angle possible by using the detailed information provided in the stored pixels.
While it takes roughly two weeks to configure the FreeD system, it remains static following installation and does not need to be removed from the stadium.
After reaching a deal with the NBA and Turner Sports, Replay Technologies cameras were implemented for both the Dunk Contest and the All-Star Game. FreeD cameras allow you to witness some of the greatest athletes on the planet in the most extraordinary fashion. Watching a trademark Blake Griffin slam or an ankle-breaking crossover from Stephen Curry has never been more mesmerizing.
The camera system set up at Smoothie King Center in New Orleans for All-Star weekend required 22 cameras dispersed in various locations throughout the arena to provide complete 360 degree, real-time coverage. It is important to note that a FreeD system requires fewer personnel to manage than a traditional camera team, cutting operation costs.
One notable challenge the Replay Technologies team faced during both the Slam Dunk Contest and the All-Star Game was piecing together quality replays during relatively short commercial breaks. Of course, as FreeD becomes more routine in NBA stadiums and at sporting events around the globe, camera crews and production teams will grow accustomed to the haste in which replays must be developed. By the end of the 2013 MLB season, FreeD teams had cut the average rendition time from four minutes to less than two. Nonetheless, speed is always of the essence, and Replay Technologies must continue to improve their timing to satisfy fans and sports networks.
All-Star Weekend 2014 was not this Israeli tech company’s first major deal. Replay Technologies’ talent was most widely showcased during gymnastics segments at the 2012 Summer Games in London. After watching their own routines in FreeD, several gymnastics athletes from various countries reported that this new technology would be of great help in training and perfecting their technique.
Not only has FreeD been implemented in the Olympics (as seen in the video below), but the 2012 PGA Championship and AT&T Stadium in Dallas have also utilized this technology, the latter in both collegiate and professional football games. After signing a deal with YES Network, FreeD replay was used for the entire 2013 New York Yankees season. It was in New York City, at the holy ground of Yankee Stadium, that Replay Technologies proved FreeD’s worth as valuable asset to instant replay and viewership.
From the looks of future deals, the role of FreeD in sports will increase exponentially over the course of the next few years. Replay Technologies’ confirmed deals with the Dallas Cowboys and several ATP tournaments will provide further exposure of this innovative replay tech. It has also been reported that talks are ongoing with Host Broadcast Services, the television provider for the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, to incorporate FreeD for the world’s most popular sporting event.
What’s next for FreeD technology? Prior to the All-Star Game, COO Aviv Shapira revealed Replay Technologies’ plans to integrate FreeD with smart TV technology to allow for more viewer interaction. If the schedule is met, individual users will be able to decide their own custom angles, focus the picture on a single player, and even elect to solely follow the ball in play while the game is broadcast live by 2016.
The impact of FreeD on video review in all the major sports would be monumental as well. With a complete 360-degree panorama of any play and any player, the review process would be amazingly simplified, and controversial referee decisions would be easily determined. Imagine knowing the truth behind Franco Harris’s Immaculate Reception or if the Music City Miracle pass was truly backwards. No longer will blown reviews ravage throughout the sports community (for those who feel as though the human element of refereeing and blown calls are a necessary and timeless aspect in sports, you have our condolences).
At the rate Replay Technologies is expanding across various sports platforms, expect to see more FreeD coverage in daily sports media. It is a sports fan’s dream that the NBA, NFL, MLB, and NHL adopt the latest in replay technology for regular and postseason play—sports have never looked more dynamic. Granted, negotiations on both sides of the table must be handled accordingly, but in the long run, it is feasible to assume all major leagues will eventually install FreeD. Fans desire the latest in sports technology and information, and Replay Technologies is happy to oblige.
The enhanced viewing potential that Replay Technologies offers with FreeD cameras will, once widely popularized, permanently change our perception of replay. Three-dimensional cameras will eventually overtake traditional video coverage, bestowing viewers with a completely new concept of FreeDom.