NBA Summer League Spotlight, Part 2: A Breeding Ground for Production-Tech Innovation League experiments with new cameras, alternative formats, Vertical View' stream for mobile By Jason Dachman, Chief Editor Thursday, July 12, 2018 - 4:05 pm
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Over the past week in Las Vegas, the NBA and its network partners ESPN and NBA TV have once again used the NBA Summer League as an Innovation Lab to experiment with bleeding-edge production technologies. The NBA and its broadcasters are trying out a variety of camera positions at the Thomas & Mack Center - new applications for SkyCam, C360 360-degree systems, removable locker-room robos, a pan-bar robo slash camera, a Hat Cam - as well as new shot-trajectory-tracking and virtual-signage-replacement technologies.
We have an innovation fund at the NBA that is focused on exploring new ways for fans to watch NBA games and to create stronger fan engagement, NBA EVP, Media Operations and Technology, Steve Hellmuth said in Las Vegas this week. This year, we've really taken that to the extreme, and we've deployed our own truck at Thomas & Mack [Center] for the first week to produce two games a day in a variety of experimental modes in partnership with ESPN. And we're also testing out a lot of new cameras and [production] technologies that we're very enthusiastic about for the future.
CLICK HERE for Part 1 of the NBA Summer League Spotlight, focused on the league's testing of new cameras and other bleeding-edge technology.
Next-Gen Cameras in Vegas: SkyCam, Robos, Hat Cam
After deploying SkyCam at NBA Finals for the first time since 2012, ESPN has brought the aerial system to Vegas for the duration of its coverage (July 6-17).
A pan-bar robo is being used at NBA Summer League in low-slash positions at Thomas & Mack Center, requiring less space to operate than a traditional manned camera.
The NBA and ESPN are also working with Fletcher to test new robotic camera mounts in all team and referee locker rooms to allow robos to be easily mounted and removed for pregame, halftime, and postgame segments.
Traditionally, locker-room cameras are difficult to install. They're difficult also because they can sometimes make players uncomfortable, says Hellmuth. So we've created mounts in the locker rooms here that allow us to easily snap the cameras in and snap them out. If the coach agrees to a live shot from the locker room, the camera snaps in place, we do the live shot, and then we snap the camera out and walk away with it.
In other robo news, a pan-bar robo is also being used in low-slash positions at Thomas & Mack Center, requiring less space to operate than a traditional manned camera.
A Hat Cam is also being tested to provide POV shots for off-the-court applications, such as in-arena entertainment and roving reporters.
C360 Offers Possibilities for Refs, Broadcasters, Digital
C360 is also on hand testing its 360-degree camera systems for a variety of official-review, broadcast, and streaming applications.
NBA SVP, Replay and Referee Operations, Joe Borgia, on hand in Vegas to test a C360 camera for the leagues' replay system
For officiating, C360 has deployed its latest 360 camera system 38 ft. above the left foul line. With its 6K+ video (25X HD), the system offers a digital zoom that brings the width of the three-point line to a level at which it nearly fills the entire officiating monitor, still in HD quality. This provided NBA SVP, Replay and Referee Operations, Joe Borgia, on hand in Vegas to test the system, an unprecedented vantage point in a variety of key referee calls, including three-point shots. Development of this system will continue throughout the summer.
Joe Borgia was onsite and directed the testing, and it went very well, says Hellmuth. To potentially be able to get that angle to the replay center would be great. We still have some development work to do, but our goal is always to get our referees the best possible video and angles so they can get the picture and the right call as soon as possible.
Of note, the Summer League action fully utilized the NBA Reply Center in Secaucus, NJ, for the first time this year, thanks to Hellmuth and company's extending the High-Speed Arena Network (HSAN) to Las Vegas. The operation sent 25 video signals to Secaucus via a 10-Gbps circuit.
A C360 camera system courtside for NBA Summer League
The same hanging C360 camera system is also providing an all-22 perspective (or all-10, in the case of basketball), creating zero-angle video for game telecasts. This creates a completely unobstructed vantage point that will be key in enhancing the value of telestration.
This camera system is also mounted in the industry-standard above-the-rim robo position on the backboard, although it is much smaller than traditional robotic-camera rigs and provides a wider/higher-res view of the court. It is controlled by a joystick and control panel and could potentially be located at any at-home control room.
Recognizing the loss of the midcourt handheld camera in recent years (in favor of increased courtside seating), C360 is deploying the same system at midcourt, providing the coveted front-row-seat angle for basketball coverage without taking up significant space.
The NBA is leveraging the streams from these C360 systems to create content for the NBA AR app. Since the output of the C360 camera system can be directed live by the individual end user, fans could have the ability to change the camera angle and perspective. This opens doors to new immersive experiences that virtually transport fans onto the court and behind the scenes.
We want to create an experience where people can walk out onto the court or as if they are looking through a pane of glass down at the court with the AR app, says Hellmuth. So the NBA h
