Sony Pixel Power calrec Sony

RefCam Delivers Game-Changing Perspective in Austrian Football Bundesliga Debut

06/12/2024

RefCam delivers game-changing perspective in Austrian Football Bundesliga debut By Michael Burns

Tuesday, December 3, 2024 - 09:20

Print This Story

The first trial of RefCam by Sky sterreich in the Austrian Football Bundesliga saw the innovative technology from Riedel Communications provide live coverage from referee Stefan Ebner's perspective during the SK Rapid vs. Austria Klagenfurt match. Pre-match, half-time and post-match events were successfully covered using the head mounted camera/mic combo, boosting the possibility of a bigger rollout of the technology in major fixtures next year. The referee camera system also provided recorded live footage with on-site and onscreen approval from referee authorities to ensure there was no reputational damage.

According to Emil Drexler, head of sports operations at Sky, the biggest challenge was getting permission from the International Football Association Board (IFAB). The league, clubs and referees agreed to use this innovation from the start. It helps that Sky sterreich is a long-time partner to the Austrian Bundesliga. We have a very positive working relationship, Drexler says. We all want to push this product forward and improve it.

We've been very lucky in getting permission from them to broadcast [some RefCam footage] live, he adds. So we were able to use this camera on the live broadcast during the pre-match, right until the kick-off, during half time, and post-match from right after the final whistle. We were able to cover the coin toss, the running out of the players, and some other really nice insights in the beginning and during half time through this camera.

In addition, Sky Austria had permission to use RefCam recordings from the game for post-match coverage and analysis, with an editor and EVS operator dedicated to the RefCam feed in the OB van.

We were able to show images from the first half during half-time, and we could use clips from the second half after the game, Drexler explains. We also had access to all the audio: the communication of the referee with the linesman, with the players, with the manager, with the video assistant referee. That was really an important extra to have. It helped to understand why certain decisions were made.

Sky sterreich also used the recorded footage in a 15-minute documentary on the project.

Such intimate access into the action on the pitch runs the risk of exposing more than just rules and regulations being laid down, especially during heated moments. It was important that nobody should be afraid to lose their reputation, Drexler explains. So we decided to also have Ali Hofmann (head of referee department, FB), stationed in our OB van, so that he could approve every clip before we showed it live. Nothing was shown that shouldn't be shown, and the club managers were happy with that.

We really got the pictures we were looking for. During the match, we saw the referee discussing several decisions with the players. You could see that they're under a lot of stress, and that it's a really a tough job. It was a new perspective for the fans, helping them to understand why the referee is making his decisions. Stefan Ebner was very good, very open to this kind of innovation; it was important to have somebody like him for the first time.

Technical path

RefCam offers two models. They have a non-live unit with a memory card inside, but it was important for us to have the live unit, so that the signal is transmitted continuously, and we have everything on board, says Drexler. The technical path isn't very sophisticated; you just have one small camera and a few transmitters, but it works very well, with very low latency. You just have to make sure that everything is synced with the other [broadcast] cameras, as well as syncing it with the audio, the comms and the video system referee. That introduces some delays, and so it needs a lot of work from the technical department. But when everything was set up, it worked out very well.

During the match, we saw the referee discussing several decisions with the players. You could see that they're under a lot of stress, and that it's a really a tough job. It was a new perspective for the fans

Monika Coupkova, director of sports production at Sky sterreich, highlights the unique position of being both the host and rights-holding broadcaster for the Austrian League. It's a small market. There's a lot of trust, and we have a close relationship with the clubs, she notes, adding it was thus easier to trial innovations compared to larger leagues such as the German Bundesliga or the Premier League.

Coupkova also highlights Austria's openness to innovation, noting success testing advanced technology such as drones and special cameras during live games. Clubs like Red Bull Salzburg are particularly innovative, she says, but stresses that trust is key to collaborating on these initiatives: it's about working together and building trust to create something new.

Involving referees and their leadership early is also essential. This takes place in a live situation; you can't cut it out. It was crucial to build trust, so they'd see we'd never broadcast anything politically incorrect or harmful to their reputation, Coupkova says, adding that Sky sterreich's dual role simplifies collaboration: Our close connection to the clubs, league and referees makes navigating relationships much easier.

Drexler also contrasts the Austrian Bundesliga with other leagues, suggesting clubs elsewhere can often be critical or fearful of technology like RefCam revealing sensitive moments.

We were surprised by how open the clubs here were, he reveals. In the end, all went well, proving there's no need to be afraid. It really helped showcase how tough the referee's job is and
LINK: https://www.svgeurope.org/blog/headlines/refcam-delivers-game-changing...
See more stories from svg

North America Stories

01/09/2026

IBC 2026: Bridge Technologies Adds Blackmagic IP10 Support to VB440 Production Probe

Bridge Technologies will announce at IBC2026 (Booth 1.A71) that its VB440 produc...

01/09/2026

DAZN to Acquire EverPass Media to Expand U.S. Commercial Venue Distribution

DAZN has announced an agreement to acquire EverPass Media, a commercial sports distribution platform serving bars, restaurants, hotels, and other venues in the ...

01/09/2026

Kalshi Named Official Prediction Market Partner of the US Open

The USTA and Kalshi have announced a multi-year partnership making Kalshi the Official Prediction Market Partner of the US Open, beginning with the 2026 US Open...

01/09/2026

IBC 2026: MASV to Showcase Sports Video Transfer Workflows

MASV will exhibit at IBC2026 (Booth 5.B40, RAI Amsterdam, September 11-14). CTO Majed Alhajry will appear on a panel session, A Tale of Two Feeds: Automation o...

01/09/2026

IBC 2026: FingerWorks Telestrators Partners with Broadcast Rental for European Distribution

FingerWorks Telestrators has announced a partnership with Broadcast Rental to ex...

01/09/2026

IBC 2026: FOR-A Expands viztrick AiDi into Two Dedicated Products

FOR-A has announced the expansion of viztrick AiDi into two dedicated products: Go Vertical! AiDi and AiDi Sports Hub. Developed by Nippon TV and delivered glob...

01/09/2026

Sony Launches Live TV on PS5 with Free Ad-Supported Streaming in the U.S.

Sony Pictures Television has launched Live TV on PS5, a free ad-supported streaming experience available to PS5 players in the United States. The service is acc...

01/09/2026

Friedrichstadt-Palast Installs Riedel Production Infrastructure

Friedrichstadt-Palast in Berlin has installed a Riedel production infrastructure spanning video, intercom, control, and I/O across the venue, implemented in col...

01/09/2026

IBC 2026: Arkona Partners with BFE for Arkona-Branded Control Panels

Arkona technologies GmbH has announced an OEM partnership with BFE Studio und Medien Systeme GmbH to offer arkona-branded control panels for its SDI-IP routing ...

01/09/2026

Cricket Australia Launches Cricket TV Streaming Service on Eluvio Platform

Cricket Australia has launched Cricket TV, a direct-to-consumer streaming service built on Eluvio's Content Fabric platform. The service is currently in ear...

01/09/2026

Eluvio Selected to Power Pasifika+ Streaming Service for Pacific Island Communities

Eluvio has announced it was selected to power Pasifika , a new direct-to-consume...

01/09/2026

Layercake Names Jon Marquard as Director/Chairperson

Layercake, the company behind the intelligent media workflow platform Streamcake, has appointed Jon Marquard as Director and Chairperson. The appointment marks ...

01/09/2026

Gravity Media Extends Powercor Stawell Gift Broadcast Agreement Through 2031

Gravity Media has announced a multi-year renewal of its agreement with Stawell Gift Event Management to produce the complete broadcast of the Powercor Stawell G...

01/09/2026

IBC 2026: Beam Dynamics Makes Debut with License Intelligence Module

Beam Dynamics will exhibit at IBC2026 for the first time (Stand 14.FT29, Hall 14), introducing License Intelligence, a new module for managing software licenses...

01/09/2026

ZOO Digital Selects Interra Systems BATON for File-Based Quality Control

Interra Systems has announced that ZOO Digital has selected BATON for file-based quality control across its media workflows. ZOO Digital delivers localized ente...

01/09/2026

IBC 2026: Bridge Technologies Deploys VB330 Monitoring at Sunrise

Bridge Technologies has announced the deployment of its VB330 monitoring probe at Sunrise, supporting the Swiss telecommunications provider's IP-based telev...

01/09/2026

Riedel Expands Coach Communications Partnership with Scottish Rugby Union

Riedel Communications has announced the continued expansion of its managed coach communications partnership with Scottish Rugby Union, now entering its third se...

01/09/2026

Behind The Mic: Football Season Approaches, as Networks Name On Air Talent for NFL, College Broadcasts

Behind The Mic provides a roundup of recent news regarding on-air talent, includ...

01/09/2026

IBC 2026: SMPTE Brings Full-Day Software-Defined Infrastructure Roadshow

SMPTE today detailed the centerpiece of its IBC2026 program: the SMPTE Roadshow: Future of Media Infrastructure, a full-day workshop on Monday, 14 September, th...

01/09/2026

Nielsen Announces New Local Methodology Enhancements

New York August 31, 2026 Nielsen is announcing four new local methodology enhancements that will be activated into Local TV currency data starting today, Au...

01/09/2026

Broadcasters Gain Flexibility in Pursuit of 5G Multicasting

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

01/09/2026

Winning the Fight Against Churn

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

01/09/2026

How Multiviewers Are Evolving Into Information Hubs'

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

01/09/2026

IBC2026: New Audio Tools on Tap from Telos Alliance

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

01/09/2026

SMPTE Roadshow to Examine Media Infrastructure at IBC2026

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

01/09/2026

Roku Debuts Its First 4K OLED TVs

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

01/09/2026

Mark Vinten Joins ASG's Audio and Postproduction Team

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

01/09/2026

Pronology Introduces New StreamFile Core Capabilities at...

Pronology, a developer of cutting-edge broadcast workflow solutions, showcases the newest capabilities for its StreamFile Core platform at the 2026 IBC Show (S...

01/09/2026

PROTON Unveils Next-Generation FLEXY Camera at IBC 2026

PROTON Unveils Next-Generation FLEXY Camera at IBC 2026 Brie Clayton September 1, 2026 0 Comments 10-metre serialised coax unlocks new perspectives an...

01/09/2026

Hulu Drama The Season Graded with DaVinci Resolve Studio

Hulu Drama The Season Graded with DaVinci Resolve Studio Brie Clayton September 1, 2026 0 Comments Senior Colorist Mark Kueper of Picture Shop crafts ...

01/09/2026

Pluxbox Launches CoreOC to Transform Mission-Critical Media Operations

Pluxbox Launches CoreOC to Transform Mission-Critical Media Operations Brie Clayton September 1, 2026 0 Comments A vendor-agnostic operational control l...

01/09/2026

Layercake Appoints Former FOX SPORTS and Network Ten COO...

Layercake, the company behind the intelligent media workflow platform Streamcake, today announced the appointment of Jon Marquard as Director and Chairperson. T...

01/09/2026

Actus Digital Unveils the Future of Broadcast Monitoring...

Actus Digital, a LiveU company, will unveil the next generation of its Actus X platform at IBC2026 on LiveUs Stand 7.C24, demonstrating how broadcasters can sim...

01/09/2026

Studio Automated and Egripment Power the Tactical Feed fo...

Broadcast Solutions, a leading systems integrator and provider of innovative solutions for the broadcast media industry, delivered transformational technology a...

01/09/2026

OTV turns to Quortex to replace legacy video hardware

Quortex, the intelligent video technology company carved out from Synamedia by Lumine Group, today announced that Odisha Television Network (OTV), the leading r...

01/09/2026

Zixi and Ateme Deepen Strategic Alliance to Accelerate Hy...

Zixi and Ateme today announced an expanded strategic partnership to help broadcasters and content owners accelerate the transition from satellite to resilient I...

01/09/2026

CBS Boston Debuts New AR/VR Technology-Driven Studio

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

01/09/2026

FCC Raises Regulatory Fees for TV Stations

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

01/09/2026

For-A Introduces Go Vertical! AiDi and AiDi Sports Hub

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

01/09/2026

T-Mobile Continues to Dominate Ooklas Fixed Wireless Speed Tests

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

01/09/2026

Carr Announces New FCC Enforcement Bureau Chief

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

01/09/2026

New Products, New Workflows: Telos Alliance Heads to IBC 2026

New Products, New Workflows: Telos Alliance Heads to IBC 2026 Search CLEVELAND, Ohio, September 1, 2026 Telos Alliance , trusted global leader in broadca...

01/09/2026

FOR-A Introduces Go Vertical! AiDi and AiDi Sports Hub Under Expanded viztrick AiDi AI Technology Brand

On-device AI platform gives broadcasters and content creators purpose-built tool...

31/08/2026

Pixotope Consolidates Virtual Production Tools into Unified Platform

Pixotope Technologies has announced a unified platform offering all Pixotope capabilities across three editions, available with the Pixotope 26.3 release in Q3 ...

31/08/2026

FingerWorks Telestrators Expands European Presence Throug...

FingerWorks Telestrators, the industry leader in software-based telestration and live sports analysis solutions, announces its new partnership with Broadcast R...

31/08/2026

ARISDA Bridge Launches: DaVinci Resolve Timecode, Studio Clock, and Work-Time Tracking in One Windows App

ARISDA Bridge Launches: DaVinci Resolve Timecode, Studio Clock, and Work-Time Tr...

31/08/2026

Short Film All That's Left Shot with URSA Cine 12K LF

Short Film All That's Left Shot with URSA Cine 12K LF Brie Clayton August 31, 2026 0 Comments Intimate drama edited and graded in DaVinci Resolve ...

31/08/2026

Bridge Technologies Announces Support for Blackmagic IP10 Codec

Bridge Technologies Announces Support for Blackmagic IP10 Codec Brie Clayton August 31, 2026 0 Comments Both booths will showcase each other's tec...

31/08/2026

Creative COW Roundtable, August 23, 2026- AEAI

Creative COW Roundtable, August 23, 2026- AEAI Brie Clayton August 31, 2026 0 Comments COWs from around the world assemble to discuss Using AI to Beat...

31/08/2026

Homecoming Artist Spotlight: Susan Tedeschi

Homecoming Artist Spotlight: Susan Tedeschi The Grammy-winning singer and guitarist talks about finding her voice at Berklee ahead of her Homecoming performan...