Live From Super Bowl LIX: Augmented-Reality Graphics Play Starring Role in FOX Sports' Broadcast LiDAR technology and a partnership with AE Live power networks AR efforts By Brandon Costa, Director of Digital
Sunday, February 9, 2025 - 11:33 am
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FOX Sports is taking its Super Bowl LIX coverage to new heights with a sophisticated integration of augmented-reality (AR) graphics, leveraging an advanced tracking system that enhances the viewer experience like never before.
Seven cameras (among them the low SkyCam, the all-22, and two 24-ft. techno jibs positioned on the field) across the broadcast are calibrated to display AR graphics. With work from FOX Sports' internal graphics team and partner AE Live, the broadcaster is planning to use these dynamic graphics substantially, including with a big opening graphic at the top of the game broadcast and during a big AR-starring moment that viewers should be on the lookout for at approximately 6:12 p.m. ET.
FOX Sports has a control room in the production compound dedicated to its AR-graphic efforts.
A key advance in this year's AR execution is FOX Sports' partnership with Kudan, a software-based company that specializes in LIDAR tracking.
We started working with them prior to the season on a LiDAR system, says Zac Fields, SVP, graphic technology and integration, FOX Sports. The goal was to create a more robust tracking system in an open stadium environment. Unlike last year's RF-based beacon system, which had limitations in long-term sustainability, the LiDAR approach scans the stadium before the game, creating a detailed 3D model. The LiDAR essentially recognizes where it is in space relative to that 3D map, providing more-stable tracking.
This LiDAR technology is particularly beneficial for maintaining the accuracy of AR graphics, even when the SkyCam experiences unexpected movement.
FOX Sports has built an AR/XR booth, where talent appears as if they are in an extended virtual environment.
One of the challenges with SkyCam is the slack in the lines and how wind gusts can impact stability, said Fields. The LiDAR system ensures that AR elements remain locked in place, preventing the swimming' effect that can occur when tracking isn't perfectly synced.
Beyond the game itself, AR graphics will also be heavily featured during FOX Sports' pregame coverage, including its set on Bourbon Street. The crew has built an AR/XR booth, where talent appears as if they are in an extended virtual environment. Says Fields, This effect, achieved through set-extension technology, seamlessly blends real and virtual elements to create a more dynamic broadcast.
The ambitious AR presentation at Super Bowl LIX is the culmination of months of development and rigorous testing at various NFL stadiums throughout the season. We began building this system well before the season started, Fields notes. Our approach was to develop a complete AR package that integrates seamlessly with the animation and graphics used across the entire FOX Sports broadcast.
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Live From Super Bowl LIX: Augmented-Reality Graphics Play Starring Role in FOX Sports' Broadcast LiDAR technology and a partnership with AE Live power networks AR efforts By Brandon Costa, Director of Digital 
