Sports Graphics Forum: How AR, Virtual Studios Are Changing the Game for ESPN, Fox Sports, Turner, Univision Sports-content creators are rethinking the studio, taking it beyond the physical By Jason Dachman, Chief Editor
Wednesday, April 3, 2019 - 9:30 am
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Augmented reality and virtual studios have allowed sports-content creators to rethink what is possible inside the studio. Whether it is expanding the physical footprint, creating more-flexible multi-use sets, displaying interactive analysis tools, or teleporting on-air talent from the field into the studio, AR is allowing studio shows to go beyond the limits of the physical world.
Augmented Reality in the Studio: Expanding Beyond the Physical World: (from left) Turner Studios' Zach Bell, Fox Sports' Craig Chupinsky, Univision Deportes' Alexis Salinas, Disney DTCI's Aaron Thiel, and Ncam's Phil Ventre
Recent projects like Fox Sports' NASCAR virtual studio in Charlotte, NC, and ESPN's Around the Horn set at its New York City Seaport District Studios, along with Turner Sports' ELEAGUE efforts and Univision's AR deployments, illustrate how these technologies are dramatically changing the face of sports studio shows. Along with Ncam - one of the key vendors in the AR realm today - execs from these broadcasters took the stage at last month's SVG Sports Graphics Forum to provide a deep dive into their recent AR and virtual-studio projects.
Around the Horn Goes Virtual for Move to Seaport Studios
When ESPN decided to move Around the Horn from its existing location in Times Square to its new Seaport Studios (opened in April 2018 and home to several other ESPN programs, including First Take and Get Up), the ESPN Remote Production Operations unit, ESPN Creative Services Motion Graphics Design, and Disney DCTI Technology group teamed up to create a fully integrated, three-dimensional studio environment. The studio, which launched in November, completely reimagined interaction between host Tony Reali and the four daily panelists.
Courtesy of ESPN
When we knew [Around the Horn] was going to move, we wanted to take this opportunity to repackage the show and give it a fresh look, said Aaron Thiel, staff software engineer, Disney DTCI. We had a meeting with Tony and the showrunners, and Tony said, We want this show to look like it's from 10 years in the future.' That freed us up to take chances and break the mold of what Around the Horn was.
To accomplish this, ESPN revisited the depth-monitor technology it first deployed at the 2019 FIFA World Cup in Johannesburg. This technology allows ESPN to feature virtual monitors within the set (showing the four panelists) that dynamically adjust when a camera pans around the studio (for example, when the camera pans left, the virtual monitor adjusts its perspective to look more lifelike). As the show progresses from its opening First Word segment through its signature Showdown and Facetime ending, the panelists' images appear in-studio with Reali and can be enlarged, shrunk, isolated, and more. In addition, the higher-scoring panelists who advance through the daily competition will transition forward closer to Reali.
Although the studio footprint is just 16 x 25 sq. ft., the virtual technology (which leverages a Mo-Sys camera tracking system, Vizrt rendering engines, and computer-animated design) allows ESPN plenty of freedom - in terms of both space and flexibility to use for multiple shows.
The facility is very tight, so we really wanted to extend it out and make it feel bigger, said Thiel. We freed up Tony, got him out from behind the desk, and gave him more control over the talent. It was really a game-changer for us. We also knew. when we were done, that, if Tony could use it, then we could pop in another show afterwards. Katie Nolan or someone else could come in, and we could flip that set over in 30 seconds and reuse all this technology. It's a big technology cost, but, in the long run, it could be a cheaper production.
Fox Sports Off to the Virtual Races With NASCAR Set
Fox Sports launched one of the largest virtual-studio projects ever seen in the sports sector with a new NASCAR studio at its Charlotte, NC, production facility. Launched in February ahead of the Daytona 500, the ultra-customizable 60- x 60-ft. facility allows instant 3D analysis of racetracks, cars, race shops, and more, with the ability to create unique and changeable spaces within the high-tech studio environment in a matter of hours.
You can flip that set around so that, with the click of a button, you have a completely different set. You can put in a completely different environment for each individual show, said Craig Chupinsky, senior designer, Fox Sports. That same physical footprint can house three, four, five shows in a day. Right now, we're just doing one set, but we're using it seven days a week, and the potential is there to [expand]. Yes, there is significant up-front cost, but you end up saving [in the long run] by being able to do all those different shows.
Fox's new Charlotte, NC-based virtual studio is playing a major role in its Daytona coverage.
The virtual set features graphic elements powered by Epic Games' Unreal Engine (the technology behind the popular online videogame Fortnite) suite of tools.
[We needed it to be] photo-realistic enough so that there is the illusion that it is grounded in this physical space. If we couldn't achieve that illusion, then we wouldn't have done it, said Chupinsky. And game engines and hardware have gotten to the point when, even when I go home and watch the show, I'm fully immersed in that illusion and have that suspension of disbelief. And if it wasn't for the quality of these game engines, it wouldn't have that same impact.
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Sports Graphics Forum: How AR, Virtual Studios Are Changing the Game for ESPN, Fox Sports, Turner, Univision Sports-content creators are rethinking the studio, taking it beyond the physical By Jason Dachman, Chief Editor 
